Participants in the 'Buzz Me Honey' Beekeeping workshop, held Saturday at BAMSI's North Andros campus,
were taught about beekeeping
SOME sixteen participants were part of the "Buzz Me Honey" Beekeeping Workshop held on Saturday at the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute’s (BAMSI) North Andros campus. Led by Dr. Solomon Ward, a Bahamian professor and member of the Michigan Beekeeping Association, and Don Lam, also a members of the Michigan Beekeeping Association, the workshop was an exciting opportunity for students and members of the public to gain a better understanding of beekeeping and see it as an entrepreneurial avenue that is sweetly within their reach.
Presentations were given on bees and their habitat, beekeeping management and entrepreneurship, as well as information on the Bahamas Co-operative Development. BAMSI student Mrs. Marina Newton volunteered to head the steering committee for the development of a North Andros Beekeeping Association. According to Jeri Kelly, BAMSI’s marketing officer, workshop participants had the opportunity to carry out a beehive extraction from one of the building on campus.
BAMSI students (from left) Romeo Josey, Aaron John and Marina Newton enjoy honey straight from the honeycomb.
“This was a delightful hands-on experience as we all can boast of the elegantly sweet honey that was tasted from those honeycombs,” she said.
She further added that the workshop was a success because “it achieved its purpose of educating our students and the Androsian community on beekeeping while igniting the desire to develop the industry”.
The workshop, which was hosted by BAMSI, was held in conjunction with the Inter American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), the Bahamas Cooperative Development and Gold Stream Ltd. Their respective representatives were on hand for the experience: Shacara Lightbourne (IICA); Judy Simmons, Leon Rahming and Ronnette Collie (Bahamas Co-operative Development); and Charles Sawyer and Rueben Rahming (Gold Stream Ltd.).
Capturing and relocating the queen ensures the bees will not return to the building to rebuild
