Rory's Well Gets Buzzing!
Why Bees? - Biodiversity
“Bees and other pollinators enable plants to produce seeds and reproduce. Without pollination we cannot sustain global food security, crop production, livelihoods, wild plant diversity, ecosystem balance, healthy soils and clean air.
In fact, without pollination we cannot ensure our own survival on earth. Let’s Save Bees to Save Ourselves!”
Source: http://worldbeeproject.org
Why Bees? - Natural Resource
Bees use flowers and plants as sources of nectar, pollen, and propolis. They turn nectar to honey which is stored for later use as food or to convert into beeswax. Pollen is food for young larval stage bees. Propolis is the sticky stuff used by bees to secure comb, fill holes etc. Strong hives produce more honey than they need so the surplus is available.
Why Bees? - Natural Beekeeping
The style of bee-keeping we teach is sometimes referred to as natural beekeeping. Natural because colonies of bees are allowed to swarm. Indeed it is swarming bees that occupy an empty hive. Bee-farmers are trained in how to make a hive attractive to swarming bees. Once a bee colony is strong enough it may swarm and produce an additional new colony somewhere else; it is a natural way a colony of bees reproduces. The advantage for the beekeeper is that it also reduces the build-up of disease.
We specifically use what is called a “Top-Bar Hive”. This has the advantages of being relatively low cost, easy to use, and gives the beekeeper the ability to see what is happening across all parts of the colony.
Drawing all three factors together (Biodiversity - Natural Resource - Natural Beekeeping) our initial focus was on training “honey-hunters” within villages. There were two reasons for this: (1) they were more likely to be happy to work with bees and (2) it meant that they would realise that natural beekeeping was safer, more productive and produced better honey. The important side-effect being that honey hunting was reduced substantially.
“If any of my villagers burns bees they will answer to me”, Murray Paka, Village Chief, Korigboma
Honey hunters seek out wild colonies of bees and burn them out, destroying the colony and producing a very poor quality honey, not to mention at high risk.
“Bees and other pollinators enable plants to produce seeds and reproduce. Without pollination we cannot sustain global food security, crop production, livelihoods, wild plant diversity, ecosystem balance, healthy soils and clean air.
In fact, without pollination we cannot ensure our own survival on earth. Let’s Save Bees to Save Ourselves!”
Source: http://worldbeeproject.org
Why Bees? - Natural Resource
Bees use flowers and plants as sources of nectar, pollen, and propolis. They turn nectar to honey which is stored for later use as food or to convert into beeswax. Pollen is food for young larval stage bees. Propolis is the sticky stuff used by bees to secure comb, fill holes etc. Strong hives produce more honey than they need so the surplus is available.
Why Bees? - Natural Beekeeping
The style of bee-keeping we teach is sometimes referred to as natural beekeeping. Natural because colonies of bees are allowed to swarm. Indeed it is swarming bees that occupy an empty hive. Bee-farmers are trained in how to make a hive attractive to swarming bees. Once a bee colony is strong enough it may swarm and produce an additional new colony somewhere else; it is a natural way a colony of bees reproduces. The advantage for the beekeeper is that it also reduces the build-up of disease.
We specifically use what is called a “Top-Bar Hive”. This has the advantages of being relatively low cost, easy to use, and gives the beekeeper the ability to see what is happening across all parts of the colony.
Drawing all three factors together (Biodiversity - Natural Resource - Natural Beekeeping) our initial focus was on training “honey-hunters” within villages. There were two reasons for this: (1) they were more likely to be happy to work with bees and (2) it meant that they would realise that natural beekeeping was safer, more productive and produced better honey. The important side-effect being that honey hunting was reduced substantially.
“If any of my villagers burns bees they will answer to me”, Murray Paka, Village Chief, Korigboma
Honey hunters seek out wild colonies of bees and burn them out, destroying the colony and producing a very poor quality honey, not to mention at high risk.
How we teach the skills
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Our training comprises of
TWO key elements: Classroom teaching Teaching all the basics; making a hive, preparing a hive for siting, safety equipment, hygiene, demonstration of a hive with bees, processing honey, processing wax, preparing value added products. This takes two days. 
First classroom session
Making the first hive
Processing wax
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What it's all about: HONEY!
Lotion packaging
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and...
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On hive training
Demonstrating all that’s required when a hive is examined and honey harvested: safety, smoking the bees, lifting combs, what to look for, managing pests, if honey available how this is removed safely and hygienically, dealing with pests, cleaning the site. This takes place at the participant’s hive and is followed up with two consecutive visits during which participants are expected to demonstrate the skills learnt and more responsibility. Once trainers are content that the village’s beekeepers can safely and hygienically work with bees without supervision they are given their own equipment. Equipment comprises: smoker, hive tool, bee-brush, 3 x bee suits, 6 pairs of gloves, 3 pairs of boots, 5 buckets. 
Tapping top-bars to see size of colony
A stronger well established hive - brood
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Preparing the hive for examination
A recently occupied hive - fresh comb
A good comb of sealed honey
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Honey and Wax
Both honey and wax are saleable products of bee-farming. Bee-farmers are paid to produce honey. Honeycomb is taken to a processing centre where it is hygienically processed and stored. Wax is a natural by-product of this process but needs to be refined. Wax can be sold just as wax but has more value if used to make creams, lotions and lip-balms when mixed with various oils.
What has been achieved to date
Bee-farming began in the area supported by Rory’s Well in November 2017 following a successful trial with 7 hives
which proved bee-keeping could be successful:
Bees in hives • Honey harvested • Enthusiasm
From these small beginnings, 5 villages and 20 participants, bee-farming is now spread across 40+ villages and nearly
200 trained bee-farmers. The latest honey harvest produces ½ a ton of honey and over 50 pounds of wax!
Bee-farmers are currently paid 8,000 leones (67p) per pound of honey produced.
A processing unit has been established in Taninahun but will need to be moved to a larger room because of the
increased volume of honey. This will allow the team to operate more efficiently.
The local team have also been shown how to prepare creams, lotions and lip-balms using wax and sunflower or corn oil.
This produces a basic cream to which can be added essential oils like peppermint or other scent oils. A neem oil based cream has also been produced, neem oil is a known natural mosquito repellent. This proved very popular and sold out the day it was made!
The team are also using coconut oil a well-known constituent of many cosmetic creams.
Honey for Hives
On training households are provided with one hive. To get a good income from bee-farming households should have at least 10 hives. The style of bee-keeping being used allows for bees to swarm and in some cases abscond from the hive so at any time not all the hives will be occupied by bees. Thus the more hives a household has the increased likelihood that some will be occupied by bees and producing honey. If they have access to materials households, having been shown how to make hives, can expand the numbers. If not, and in most cases resources will not be readily available, then the local team are able to supply materials which the household can “pay” for with future honey harvests until the hive is paid for. The local team then sell the honey and replenish the stock of materials for hives. As more hives are made under this scheme the size of the “honey for hives” grows and finances an increasing number of hives.
Honey and Health
Two of the Rory’s Well volunteers who also work with our partner Bees Abroad have written on this subject for the journal of the British Beekeeping Association.
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The Future
For the bee-farming enterprise that has been established in Barri...
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Product development:
Self-sufficient:
Self-Sustaining:
Growing:
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