The inner workings of beehives got workshop participants buzzing Saturday at Fredrich's Honey Farm.
The workshop, hosted by Fredrich's Honey Farm and Nanaimo Foodshare, taught participants about beekeeping and the importance of bee health, mite sampling, using pollen traps and preparing to move hives to the forest.
Theo Fredrich, a beekeeper for more than 60 years, demonstrated the two queen system, which includes placing a second mated queen and bees on top of another colony. A two queen hive may grow to twice the population than if they were split into single queen hives. Fredrich said the purpose is to create a larger hive for honey production.
For participant Dave Butler, from Nanoose Bay, the workshop offered an opportunity to gain more knowledge on the subject. Butler has kept bees since last year, is a member of the Nanaimo Bee Club and has attended about five workshops on keeping bees.
"You get hands-on experience," he said. "You can only get so much from books."
Elizabeth Waller, a volunteer with Nanaimo Foodshare, said she's passionate about food and decided to contact Fredrich about providing the workshop.
"It's about food security and sustainability and ways we can support each other on the Island and grow our food shed," she said.
Waller said some people don't know about many of the programs Nanaimo Foodshare is providing in the central Island.
Foodshare is trying to support people interested in local food through education programs, healthy eating classes and more to increase food security, connect community organizations and increase self-sufficiency on the Island.
For more information on Nanaimo Foodshare, please go to http://nanaimofoodshare.ca.
reporter3@nanaimobulletin.com