The BeeHolder, July 2009

I am very much a ‘new boy’ to the wonderful world of bees and beekeeping and yet, I feel that this is an advantage in pursuing this alternative way of keeping bees as I do not come filled with experiences and know-how of the current modern beekeeping way. Barefoot Beekeeping is a natural, sustainable approach to beekeeping; it is not a new thing and has been used extensively in the developing countries. Its popularity is increasing all the time and is particularly ‘big’ in America as well as being practiced in many other countries. Indeed, in my search for information and answers to my questions, I have been ‘talking’, via the dedicated internet forum, http://www.biobees.com/forum with beekeepers in Portugal, Germany, USA, Australia and even Corsham!

In this country, and probably worldwide, the inspiration and ‘voice’ of this natural approach is ‘THE’ Barefoot Beekeeper, Phil Chandler who lives in Devon. More information on him and his beekeeping world can be found on www.biobees.com - well worth a look. What appealed to me about this method of looking after bees? Well, I believe in the natural way of doing things. I feel that humankind interferes with nature far too much for the good of nature and ourselves (oops – just fell off the soapbox!!). Also, I needed to do this beekeeping lark as inexpensively as possible.

It is not possible to convey in this Newsletter all about Barefoot Beekeeping and Top Bar Hives (TBHs), so here is only an outline.

Where to begin? For a start the hives are completely different. There are two basic types: the vertical TBH (VTBH), developed by a French Abbé named Emile Warré, from where we get the Warré Hive and the horizontal TBH which is the method I shall be using. A horizontal top bar hive (HTBH) is a long box with either vertical or sloping sides on which are placed on top, simple wooden bars with a shallow groove cut along the lower face, filled with wax.

The bees build their comb as they please – using these strips as ‘starters’ or guides – resulting in alost as natural a formation as would be found in a hollow tree, but the advantage for the beekeeper of being individually removable. TBHs can be made from virtually any wood, indeed some build from recycled pallets – but the best is Western Red Cedar (which is what I shall be making mine with from local forests) or Douglas Fir. There is no hard and fast rule to the size, but as simplicity is the by-word of Barefoot Beekeeping, a 48"or 36" long hive is the norm. It makes moving the hive a very simple matter, easily managed by one person when empty or two when full, and that’s everything in one lift! TBHs are untreated as far as paint, wood preservers and the like. The external can be weather-proofed with a mixture of linseed oil and beeswax: as for the internal area, the bees will treat that themselves. Timber is 20-25 mm thick (about an inch in old money), which provides excellent protection against both the winter and summer conditions. TBHs can be made with an observation window built in one side, made from clear plastic sheet or even glass. This observation window is really useful in observing your bees without having to disturb them, particularly in the winter months. This is, of course, one of the essences of Barefoot Beekeeping and that is minimum disturbance of the bees throughout the year. One of the many advantages is the management of swarms: there is no need for purpose-built ‘nuc’ boxes. A 15" square plastic planter, (£2.49 from Wilkinsons), will do very well. Top bars on the top, a plastic sheet over the top to keep the weather off and a cork to plug the entry hole when the need arises.

Some of the things not needed are: frames, foundation wax, supers, mouse guards, queen excluders, bottling equipment and fancy feeders. As I have said, it is just not possible to cover every aspect of Barefoot Beekeeping and TBHs here. Maybe there has been some whetting of appetite or interest to know more. Be assured, Barefoot Beekeepers are not ‘New-Age’ types or out to criticize present beekeeping methods. Their aim is to provide the best possible environment for the bees naturally: their needs above that of their keeper! Barefooters will also take to task and challenge the pesticide manufacturers for the damage their insecticides are doing to the natural foraging habitation of our bees and consequently to the bees themselves.

I will close by leaving you with the principles of a sustainable beekeeping system:

1. Interference in the natural lives of the bees is kept to a minimum.
2. Nothing is put into the hive that is known to be, or likely to be harmful either to the bees, to us or to the wider environment and nothing is taken out that the bees cannot afford to lose.
3. The bees know what they are doing: our job is to listen to them and provide the optimum condition for their well being.

David Smith West Wilts