Thursday 20 January 2011

Natural Beekeeping on BBC2

Natural Beekeeping gets a main stage platform tomorrow night on BBC2. This provides something very positive after a week of relatively negative news, given the British Beekeepers' Association's (BBKA) continued refusal to divorce themselves from insecticide manufacturer at their Annual Delegate Meeting last week-end.
Carol Klein of BBC
 Gardener's World fame


Natural Beekeeping hits prime-time BBC
If you are free try and watch Carol Klein's Life in a Cottage Garden tomorrow night (Friday, 21st January 2011) at 8:30pm on BBC2. In this Spring into Summer episode she is featuring Phil Chandler of the Natural Beekeeping Network who introduces a Top Bar Hive which Carol’s husband Neil will be using.

If you missed it then you can see the extended version here on the BBC iPlayer:




The BBKA again Fail British Bees
If you missed the BBKA Executive's latest disgraceful manipulations to stay in bed with the pesticide industry despite their membership you really should read the British Beekeeping website and follow the Latest Update link.

You probably know I left the BBKA over this issue a couple of years ago. Up to now, YABeeP has agreed that new members should, if they wish, feel free to join their local conventional beekeeping branch for a period as they might gain some benefit. I have to say that I have now changed my mind on this and will argue strongly against our members joining any branch that requires BBKA membership. Given the wealth of evidence that these pesticides are killing our bees can you honestly consider yourself a Sustainable Beekeeper if you belong to an organisation that sees their manufacturers as 'the plant protection industry'(sic)? They also refuse to be open with their membership about what they are up to and fail to operate democratically in order that they can manipulate their membership?

If you are also a BBKA member you sould consider resigning and clearly stating in your resignation why you are leaving. Remember, it's only a Beekeeper's Association, not a Bee Welfare Association; their interests are wholly in supporting honey production and sale using intensive farming principles, not the magnificent insect itself!!!

Expect to hear more on this at future meetings.

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