Posted on

Covid-19 Reflections from DrBeekeeper: Doctor and Beekeeper

The last few months will be an important chapter in our lives.  Having worked as a doctor on a Covid-19 ward, I wanted to share with you some reflections and some lessons from my beekeeping experience.

The global pandemic

Before I begin, I want to take a moment to reflect on the tragic loss of life.  Thousands of people have suffered and for their families the trauma will be raw and very real – my thoughts go out to all those affected.  I also want to take this opportunity to thank my amazing healthcare colleagues, especially those working in intensive care, across the world who stepped up and made a difference.

Just 6 months ago, the world seemed like a different place.  Everyone was going about their busy lives with hardly a moment to stop and think.   Going into lockdown seemed counter to everything we knew – far from family, friends, workplaces, shops and the normality of life.

So much in life separated us, but since the pandemic, the world has been united on an extraordinary journey.  We have, in a sense been on a global retreat.  For many, it has been a very lonely and stressful time.  But there has also been a unique opportunity to pause and reflect.

Hope and optimism

Out of this global difficulty and trauma have come remarkable stories of hope and optimism.  No longer distracted by the outside world, neighbours have got to know each other, neighbourhood groups have been set up, and people have cared for and supported the elderly and vulnerable. 

People have also rediscovered the beauty of nature – tending to their gardens like never before and valuing the open spaces that we take for granted.  Nature itself has had an opportunity to rest from the constant threat that human civilisation poses on it.  Pollution levels plummeted, the water cleared and the air was easier to breathe. 

It has also connected people in ways we didn’t think possible with the use of Zoom calls and neighbourhood groups – new relationships have developed and old ones strengthened.

DrBeekeeper Doctoring

As a doctor, it has been an immense privilege to be able to do something to help at this time of need. It has required us all in the hospital to adapt quickly, to be strong in the face of adversity, and to have courage.  When the pandemic first started, there was a lot of anxiety amongst healthcare professionals about the risk to their own lives and their families. Thinking about one’s own mortality has a way of sharpening your focus.  But over time, we adapted, we became stronger and we tackled the problem head on putting our patients first.

For me, the saddest moments were working on a Covid-19 ward with sick and sometimes dying patients unable to see their relatives.  It was a huge responsibility and honour to be there for our patients, to communicate messages from their families to sick relatives and to be able to support those affected by Covid-19.

DrBeekeeper Beekeeping

Time off work was an opportunity to reconnect with family and to value the simple things in life.  For me,  beekeeping was an opportunity for respite.  When inspecting the bees I was able to some-how step out of the pandemic and into a new zone – an escape from reality! They buzzed around the hives, completely oblivious to the global pandemic. 

Putting on my beesuit reminded me of the personal protective equipment (PPE) we had to (and still do) wear in the hospital.  The beesuit, like PPE, seems a sign of humility in that we recognise the need to protect ourselves.

Listening to the bees, hearing the sounds of the birds, and connecting with nature in the moment really helps take your mind off everything.  It connects you with the present.  And whilst immersed in that moment there is no problem, whether in the past or future, that can disturb that tranquility.

A time to reprioritise

Covid-19 has forced us all to reprioritise what’s important.  It has highlighted the importance of family, friends, and community.  And it has strengthened my bond with the bees, who were there for me, while I tried to help others.

Take care and stay safe,

DrBeekeeper

Posted on

So glad we aren’t social distancing from our bees…

DrBeekeeper’s Apiary

First and foremost, I hope you are staying safe and supported during this global pandemic. I’m sure you’ll agree, we are living in very unusual times. Only weeks ago, the idea of a global lockdown would have seemed unimaginable. The dramatic change in our lives shows just how fragile our existence is as a microscopic virus forces us all to change our lives.

We are naturally social beings so ‘social distancing’ isn’t easy. It is only now that we keep ourselves 2m apart that we really appreciate the simple things that make life so great and which were too easily taken for granted. It is however a huge relief that we do not need to socially isolate ourselves from our bees!

In the last few weeks, the bees have once again been buzzing around the hives as they come back to life after the winter period. There is nothing more energising than seeing the to and fro of buzzing bees at the start of spring after a significant period of quiet.

Such a contrast from life working as a doctor on the ‘frontline’. The last few weeks have seen the hospital completely reorganise with healthcare professionals trying our best to support and treat people with Covid-19.

This experience has made my weekly bee inspections even more important. They provide that much needed glimmer of hope and optimism. The sights, sounds and smells of the apiary reconnect you with nature and bring you back to reality.

Stay safe and take care.

DrBeekeeper

Posted on

The highs and lows of beekeeping as the new season begins!

20180506_100249

There is a time of year which every beekeeper is waiting earnestly for, which has fear and excitement in equal measure, and marks the true start of their new year. It is of course the start of the beekeeping year usually around April/May in the UK. After a long winter, as the weather warms and everything blossoms the bees come back to life. Well, at least you hope they do as you always worry that the colony might not have made it. It’s got to be one of my best moments in beekeeping… seeing the bees buzzing around for the first time in Spring.

I opened my hives for the first time this year just a couple of weeks ago. I had prepared 5 hives for the winter and had full hope that they would make it through. One of the main challenges is ensuring the hives have enough food stores. But I don’t feed my bees sugar syrup as I prefer to leave them with plenty of their own honey to feed on. It’s more natural and that’s how I like to keep it.

Sadly, as I opened my favourite hive I realised my loss. They didn’t make it. They were such gentle bees and a pleasure to keep. After having nurtured and supported the colony over time you grow with them and get to know them so it’s a big deal. In stark contrast, one of the hives I attempted to open was so aggressive I couldn’t open the hive! Fortunately the rest of the colonies were healthy 🙂

Through the highs and lows of beekeeping there is so much to learn about nature and our place in it. Beekeeping, like medicine, is a discipline that exposes you to life and death. It teaches you how to identify problems and challenges you to resolve them. In beekeeping, as in life, you learn where problems are left unresolved things only get worse. And there is always something new to discover!

Over the beekeeping season, I’ll keep you updated with my colonies and I’ll share with you how I manage my bee problems. If you’ve got any questions just leave a message and I’ll get back to you. In the meantime, enjoy the beautiful weather and have plenty of honey before the hay fever season starts!

Posted on

DrBeekeeper’s Honey Ice Cream

The weather is getting colder but that makes DrBeekeeper’s delicious honey ice cream no less irresistable!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 250ml Whole Milk
  • 125g DrBeekeeper Honey
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 150ml Double Cream

Method

  1. Boil the milk in a saucepan, then add the DrBeekeeper Honey.  Whisk until the milk is almost boiling again.
  2. Put the 2 egg yolks in a bowl and whisk well.  Add the cream and mix well.  Then pour in the milk and honey mixture.  This should create a custard which should be strained through a fine sieve into a clean bowl.  Allow the custard to cool.
  3. Put the custard mixture into an ice cream maker.  If you don’t have one you can whisk the mixture, put it in the freezer and then whisk the mixture every 10 minutes until set.

We’d love to hear from you with your favourite honey themed recipes – please send them here!

Posted on

Stand up for our bees!

Our bee friends need YOUR help!

In only a few weeks Michael Gove (Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) will decide on how the UK votes on whether toxic, bee-keeping pesticides will be banned from our farms.  Many of us, DrBeekeeper included, have tried to encourage people to raise awareness of this vital issue.  We know neonicotinoids are bad (they even sound bad!) so this is our chance to make a difference.

If you agree with us that British fields should be free of toxic, bee-killing chemicals then join us in supporting the 38 Degrees campaign to apply pressure to those in power and help make a stand for our precious bees.

Click here to sign the petition and join more than 300,000 people who have made a stand today.

THANK YOU!

38degrees-orange

Posted on

How many bees does it take to produce a teaspoon of honey?

It’s that time of the year as the weather warms and the bees start buzzing happily in the countryside.  Today, as we had our daily dose of delicious health-enhancing raw honey, at DrBeekeeper we asked the question – how many bees does it take to produce a teaspoon of honey? Any guesses?

Incredibly, on average a worker bee will produce 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey in their lifetime.  So it takes 12 worker bees to produce a single teaspoon of honey!  Taking that further, to produce 0.5lb (227g) of DrBeekeeper honey it takes about 30,000 bees travelling 27,500 miles and visiting more than a million flowers to gather the nectar required.DrBeekeeper English Wildflower Honey with Gift Jute Bag

We can’t wait to see the bees this weekend as the weather warms above 12C so it’s warm enough to open the hive and check they’re all OK.  Bees truly are the most incredible, special little miracle workers who sweeten our day!

Posted on

DrBeekeeper’s Honey Caramel Apples

Why not celebrate halloween with these delicious honey caramel apples using DrBeekeeper Honey?

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 6 medium apples
  • 1 cup DrBeekeeper honey
  • ¾ cup double cream
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ cup crushed DrBeekeeper honey roasted pecans
  • ice cubes
  • 6 sticks

Method

  1. Whisk honey, cream, butter and salt in a saucepan over medium heat until it bubbles, then immediately reduce heat to simmer.
  2. Continue whisking the caramel to prevent burning and spillage. Continue cooking the caramel until the temperature reaches 125 C (about 25 minutes). The caramel should thicken and turn a rich brown colour and the bubbles should be small and should uniformly cover the surface of the pan.
  3. Make an ice bath by placing ice cubes in a bowl. Then transfer the hot caramel into a mixing bowl and place the bowl in the ice bath. Stir the caramel until it is cooled and starts to thicken.
  4. Insert a wooden stick into the core of your apples dip carefully into the caramel until fully coated. Roll the dipped apples into the chopped pecans and place onto a piece of parchment paper.  Allow to cool completely before serving.

We’d love to hear from you with your favourite honey themed recipes – please send them here!

Posted on

Happy UK Wool Week!

So you may not know, but this week (10- 16th October) marks UK Wool Week! Here at DrBeekeeper we love to support natural industries and UK manufacturing… and like honey, there’s not many products more natural than wool! So we thought we’d celebrate wool by making our very own pompom Bertrand in beautiful woolen yarn!

The Campaign for Wool

Download the tutorial here

We hope you enjoy the easy tutorial. It’s very simple and a perfect kids activity for the up-coming October half-term.

Find out more about The Campaign for Wool’s annual Wool Week here:

http://www.campaignforwool.org/2016/09/16/woolweek-our-annual-feast-of-fleece-returns/

Enjoy!

DrB & Bertrand

Posted on

Introducing Bertrand the bee!

As you know, I love to travel and explore new places and it’s nice to have someone to share those experiences with. So here’s introducing my friend, Bertrand on our recent trip to RHS Garden Wisley in Woking, Surrey.
3

Bertrand and I had great fun exploring the range of landscaping on offer at Wisley and were particularly taken aback by the lily-spotted canal in front of the laboratory building and views from the rock garden.

 

Wisley is famed for its extensive range of planting including alpine and tropical specimens in the extensive glass houses.  What we particularly liked were the model gardens, which are designed to show how much can be done in small spaces It’s the perfect place to come for ideas for your own garden. We certainly recommend a visit!

 

A breathtaking view of the canal fronting the Grade II listed laboratory building
A breathtaking view of the canal fronting the Grade II listed laboratory building

I wonder where we’ll visit next?

Until next time,

DrB & Bertrand