Interest

[steve1958]

Recently I was contacted by a local Allotment Holder who is inerested in having Bees on their Allotment.
They dont want to look after Bees themselves, just have them there to help polinate their crops.

The Portsmouth Allotment Holders Association have invited some of our local Beekeepers to give a talk at an open day they have planned for the end of the month.
Already they have had to change the venue as entry is by Ticket only, and they are expecting to sell over 500 tickets!


So if all goes smoothly it looks like I may have a Hive on the Allotments this Spring.

How good is that

 

[Honeymonster69]

Hi Steve,

Well done mate, I was lucky enough to find a local church/school where my sister in law worked that also has a little allotment at the back. Got talking to the priest there and low and behold he was rearly keen to have bees behind the church next to the allotments and not he's going to charge me a bean... RESULT!!

 

[MrB]

i approached my local allotment to be told. Oh no! you cant keep livestock here

 

[thurrock bees]

i approached my local allotment to be told. Oh no! you cant keep livestock here

they are not classed as livestock, my allotment are allowed to keep rabbits, and chickens on the plots. i phoned to the council to double check and they said no problem.

 

[steve1958]

I was told that I would need permision from the adjoing Allotment Holders.
But as long as there are no objections from them things should be fine.
The other 'Rules' are fairly sensible ones.
A calm breed of Bees
A 'Back up' Beekeeper in case I am ever sick or away on Holiday.
A phone contact number.
Thats about it really.

The Allotment Holders usually have their own shop, so a good place to sell Honey

 

[Hivemaker.]

Not so sure if they are classed as livestock or not,they come under fera/defra/maff whatever they currently call themselves rules as a food producing animal.

My hon. Friend the Member for Dunfermline and West Fife pointed out another issue that is holding up effective treatment, which is the fact that bees are classed as livestock.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090429/halltext/90429h0003.ht

 

[BKF Admin]

A 'Back up' Beekeeper in case I am ever sick or away on Holiday.
A phone contact number.
Thats about it really.

Thats the same rules as they have in Hampshire if you want to take your bees to the heather.

 

[ian]

Hi all

At the risk of upsetting some I can see problems with bees on shared/allotment sites. Whilst in principle it's a great idea, I really can't see it lasting in many situations.

A shared site is a compromise in any situation, and as the beekeeper you will find the onus is on you to do the compromising and quite rightly so. So when you can't work the bees because others are around or when the inevitable swarms send other plot holders running for cover, problems will start to arise.
AS soon as hives are there you are going to get the blame for every sting in the locality.(rightly or wrongly)

I think the biggest problem will come when a new or even an experienced beekeeper looses control. This could be a stroppy hive/queen-less/weather or the fact the main flow has finished, any number of things. The simple fact is at some point this will happen. Now obviously my bees are well behaved, but there are times when you just need to stick the lid on and walk away.

So when at some point this happens and a couple of plot holders get fed up of being stung watch what happens. Heaven forbid a nasty instance occurs and the local rag gets hold of it.

Because it will only take one nasty instance and a risk to Joe plot holder to be identified, and then it will be a case they can't get you out quick enough.

So to any considering bees on allotments think long and hard, have you enough experience to handle a big hive, can you re-queen when needed, have you another site to move a hive immediately you start to have problems and do you want your beekeeping limited to the times Fred's not working the plot next door.

Just some food for thought!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Regards Ian

 

[drex]

I have been lucky to be granted permission by local council to keep bees on their allotment site. Had to get the permission as they were classed as livestock.

However we canvassed other plot holders and all were in favour. A few of us run part of one plot as a conservation area, as it is divided off from the rest of the site by a small spinney of trees, but then opens up into a sheltered site. With careful preparation ( including aerial photos of proposed site off google earth) the council readily agreed to our submission. Also obtained advice from local association. I believe the key was careful thought and planning.

The two of us doing this are attending our local beginners course and hope to get the bees in May time. Will keep you posted.

 

[MuswellMetro]

I

The Allotment Holders usually have their own shop, so a good place to sell Honey

Be careful the 1929 allotment act prohibits sale of produce from allotments..say it for your own consumption and you give some for charity sales or exchange to allotment holders if the pay for the cost of a new jar

i had a "jobs worth" on to me, i have had to leave mine ( but it was also vandaised byi think by a grumpy anti bee allotment holder..kept coming to me with dead bees that had stung him... hardly any mine as i have golden italians, quite distinct,

i am sure he must have moaned to the council about selling honey to get me off, not worth the fight

 

[drex]

Seems that selling of produce is a bit of a grey area but this link seems to think selling of "surplus" is legal.

http://www.organiclea.org.uk/sellingallotmentproduce.pdf

 

[MuswellMetro]

Seems that selling of produce is a bit of a grey area but this link seems to think selling of "surplus" is legal.

http://www.organiclea.org.uk/sellingallotmentproduce.pdf

very interesting, might try to use that, if i get asked to another allotment site

 

[Onge]

Seems that selling of produce is a bit of a grey area but this link seems to think selling of "surplus" is legal.

http://www.organiclea.org.uk/sellingallotmentproduce.pdf

Nice bit of info there thanks'.

My neighbor was saying I cant sell it, looks like I'm fine now. Not that I was that bothered.

 

[plumber]

check your public liabilty insurance, leicester require £5 mill plus 5 years experiance

 

[Hombre]

When all is said and done, the supers get removed from site and represent the bees winter stores. That you process them elsewhere and subsequently sell honey is neither here or there.

As you put syrup on the bees in the autumn no one will be doubting that you are returning winter stores which you obviously processed earlier.

If you buy in bulk honey or have hives elsewhere as well, would you expect to be restrained from selling that. Just as long as you didn't do it on the allotments.

Sure you are breeding bees and pollinating on the allotments, while your honey business is dealt with elsewhere. Strictly on a need to know basis.

 

[Tom Bick]

I have been lucky to be granted permission by local council to keep bees on their allotment site. Had to get the permission as they were classed as livestock.

However we canvassed other plot holders and all were in favour. A few of us run part of one plot as a conservation area, as it is divided off from the rest of the site by a small spinney of trees, but then opens up into a sheltered site. With careful preparation ( including aerial photos of proposed site off google earth) the council readily agreed to our submission. Also obtained advice from local association. I believe the key was careful thought and planning.

The two of us doing this are attending our local beginners course and hope to get the bees in May time. Will keep you posted.

This to me sounds like a good situation considering its an allotment I have experience on keeping bees on an allotment and although it is possible an experienced hand is important other wise it can be a lot of stress at times.

Read the reply that Ian wrote and try to remember it as it will perhaps all probably happen at one time or another

 

[Brian Bush]

I Keep 2 Hives on the Allotment

I have 2 of my hives on the allotment. There was initial concerns from one or two of my neighbours. I have had an allotment for 30 years so I am considered an 'old grumpy' myself.
One of the reasons I took up bee-keeping was the shortage of pollinators for my allotment crops. I was becoming concerned.
I had no problem getting permission for a hive as the committee shared my concerns on the lack of pollinators and worries of other allotment holders.
My neighbour returned from holiday to find a hive between our sheds and was a little worried. I lost the hive before the first winter and had decided only to use the allotment site in future for isolating swarms etc because I feared there may be an under-current of concerns. Last Spring I was working away and looked up to see a delegation, 6 or 7 of the old codgers and one or two of the newer, younger enthusiasts approaching.
The question they asked was when was I putting a hive back on the allotments? I was slightly shocked. I explained that my hives were sited only 400 yards away as the bee flies. This was not close enough for them. They want bees on the allotments as the previous year they said they had received bumper benefits from pollinators close by. I duely put 2 hives on the allotment last year. Every time I go up there I endure banter about supposed bee stings and when am I going to distribute my honey as reward for them providing the forage crops. My usual reply is 'when are you paying your tythe for my pollinators?'. My reluctant neighbour now rings me up to tell me where thay are foraging or any little observations he seen.
I do, however, worry a little about children who walk right up to the hives to watch. Fortunately my allotment is one of the last on the site and being over 100 yards long the hives are sited well away from the main track.

 

[MrB]

they are not classed as livestock, my allotment are allowed to keep rabbits, and chickens on the plots. i phoned to the council to double check and they said no problem.

It was the council that told me

 

[Widdershins]

I think it depends on who actually runs the allotments - local council, or an association.

In my experience, Allotment Associations are more approachable, as they set their own rules and agenda, so long as its general concensus. (god, that isnt spelt right, is it?! )