Beekeeping continues to grow on local ‘Bee Campus’
A year after being recognized as one of 19 ‘Bee Campuses’ by Bee City Canada, Georgian College continues to promote the importance of bees to agriculture, the economy and education.
“A lot of our food doesn’t produce unless it’s pollinated by pollinators,” said Melissa Greenwood from Derkwood Beekeeping Supplies. “But also just the sustainability and just helping with the ecosystem in general.”
Greenwood and her husband, Mike Der Kinderen, own Derkwood Beekeeping Supplies and look after the two beehives on Georgian’s Barrie Campus. Each hive contains between 10,000 to 50,000 bees.
On Sunday, the couple made one of several trips to inspect the hive and extract honey.
“We have to make sure we manage that and control [the bees] and give them more space to grow and bring more honey in for us,” said der Kinderen. He and Greenwood plan to extract more than a hundred pounds of honey from the two beehives, which they will take back to their shop and turn into a variety of honey-based products.
The beehives are among several initiatives by Georgian College to promote bees along with ‘No-Mow’ zones, the pollinator garden, the Bee Lodge, and the fruit and vegetable garden.
“Just demonstrating sort of a 360-degree environment for our culinary students and our agribusiness students to experience,” said Bryan Hunt, the College’s Dean of Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation. “So they can see the gardens, they can see the orchard, they can see the pollinator habitat, and they can see the pollinators themselves.”
Hunt says the College is even considering offering more education for beekeeping down the line with Greenwood and Der Kinderen’s expertise.
“We would like to have more bees and eventually do some part-time programming and continuing education on apiary and beekeeping,” added Hunt. “It is an area of growing interest for a lot of people.”
Greenwood and Der Kinderen will finish extracting honey from Georgian’s hives this week and prepare them for the winter at the end of October. They plan to keep between 5,000 to 10,000 bees through spring.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'We have a responsibility:' Trudeau urges global leaders to support pact for future
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is telling world leaders to either bury their heads in the sand or put differences aside for the sake of future generations.
Caught on camera: Edmonton police officers injure man, assault charges laid
An Edmonton man says he was in the wrong place at the wrong time when he was injured by members of the Edmonton Police Service last year.
Air Canada union head says she'll resign if pilots reject deal
The head of the Air Canada pilots union says she'll step down if members opt not to approve a tentative deal with the airline, raising the stakes as aviators mull whether to accept hefty salary gains or drive an even harder bargain.
GM workers at CAMI auto plant ratify collective agreement, Unifor says
Unifor says workers at General Motors' CAMI assembly plant and battery facility in southwestern Ontario have ratified a new collective agreement.
BREAKING Brother of man fatally shot in Scarborough arrested, charged with second-degree murder
The brother of a 27-year-old man who was fatally shot in Scarborough over the weekend has been arrested and charged in connection with his death, say police.
John Mulaney and Olivia Munn have second child, a daughter named Mei
Comedian John Mulaney and actor Olivia Munn now have a second child, a daughter named Mei June Mulaney.
Kate, the Princess of Wales, makes first public appearance after cancer treatment
Kate, the Princess of Wales, made her first public appearance Sunday since she announced she had completed chemotherapy and would return to some public duties.
2 suspended from U.S. college swim team after report of slur scratched onto student's body
At least two students at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania have been suspended from the swim team after a report that a racial slur was scratched onto a student's body, officials said.
How does your health measure up? Criticism of long-time tool used to track progress
Body mass index, a long-time tool used to measure a person's health, may soon be out the door as some health professionals push for a system they say is more accurate.