South Belfast Quakers have recently been exploring the idea of providing some space for a beekeeper to host their bees. They approached the committee in charge of the burial ground, located in south Belfast, who were very positive about the idea of having bees in the space. The burial ground is like a walled garden with lots of grass and trees.
In June Karen, the beekeeper, set up her hive with a growing colony who have been thriving and expanding. She is getting assistance from Sylvia, a member of South Belfast Quaker Meeting who has completed the initial course in beekeeping and is hoping to set up her own hive in the future. The hive is located in a quiet corner of the ground and the entrance is facing towards the roadway so the bees naturally leave the burial ground when they go exploring for nectar.
Karen doesn’t expect the hive to produce any honey for human consumption this year as the colony is still growing and all reserves will be needed for the coming winter. However she hopes to be able to harvest some honey next Summer. If there is enough, she hopes to donate some to the Quaker Care shop on the Lisburn Road to raise funds for Quaker Service – so eco-friendly and socially-inclusive too!