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NEW ZEALAND BEEKEEPER, JULY 2017
Jess Rees demonstrating queen bee instrumental insemination at Camp Rangi, February 2016. Photo: Frank Lindsay.
NELSON/UPPER SOUTH ISLAND
With the cold snap in early June and snow on the mountains, winter is unmistakably here. Most beekeepers have wintered down hives and the need to visit or go to apiary sites is less urgent, if at all necessary. It’s time to get on with those other tasks of sorting gear, repairs and general maintenance. As most are aware, there is a lot of discussion at the moment on mānuka—definitions, the standards, and MPI’s regulations. The industry definitely needs something in place, so this is a start. I feel that despite the best intentions, it will be difficult to achieve industry consensus. So, I was thinking, which other industry has issues with their commodity that is not in one place or can vary seasonally, with many operators small and large doing their own thing? My thinking is the fishing industry probably is close. How do they regulate those in that industry with their catch and quantity? Through a quota system. Is it possible to have a quota system for mānuka? Beekeepers, iwi and landowners could have a set tonnage of mānuka that they could lease, sell or export. This would allow people to trade mānuka, but there would be a set volume nationally that could be gathered/collected per year. This would be beneficial from a returns point of view. People without any mānuka quota can’t just come along and set up, which helps with competition and people trying to make a quick buck. I suspect there would be drawbacks, such as administration costs, to run such a system for a relatively small industry (when compared to the fishing industry). Perhaps bigger players would buy all the quota, which partly happened in fishing, but that’s only if people are prepared to sell initially. Anyhow, it’s a thought and I am happy to discuss it further, if anyone think it has merit. I hope those that go to the conference have a great time and there is good progress on several topics for the benefit of the industry.
SOUTHERN NORTH ISLAND
It is official—our weather has not been good. This was the wettest autumn on record, with more rain, cloud and wind than normal. These conditions certainly have affected hive health in our area. Most beekeepers have wintered hives down early and are now feeding syrup, etc. Some hives are lacking in bee numbers and may not make it through the winter. I expect to see and hear about problems, especially nosema. A poor honey season means more work for all of us. We are holding our Camp Rangi educational weekend from 23–25 February 2018, Totara Reserve Regional Park, Pohangina Valley. We can cater for only 150 people, so early bookings will be essential. We have arranged for an overseas speaker and I am sure that the talks presented will be informative. Application forms will be available shortly. The venue provides an intensive two-day education programme aimed at beekeepers who have had beekeeping experience of one year or more. There is no mobile phone reception at the camp. This will enable attendees to concentrate on discussions, talk to other beekeepers, and absorb new ideas without outside distractions. It’s a bit like working at many apiaries: no mobile phone reception means no interruptions. Camp Rangi 2018
Start thinking about February 2018 now and note it in your diaries.
- Neil Farrer, Life Member
- Jason Smith
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