We here at DA have a pretty insatiable sweet tooth. So when we heard about this delicious local idea – we could hardly bee-live our ears. Perfect for honey lovers and budding bee-keepers Ben, his wife Jules and their two adorable kids bee-hind Humble Hive Collective are Bee-yond excited to launch their exclusive Share Hives which will allow everyday Aussies to subscribe to monthly access to their very own beehive.
In addition to fresh honey the new exclusive Share Hives initiative is hoping to aid in the awareness and protection of our wonderful bees. Sustainability and sweet treets? Where do we sign? We asked the bee-autiful family the idea bee-hind the exclusive initiative (as well as some amazing bee facts and tasty tips too.)
The plight bee’s worldwide are facing is a major challenge society needs to take head of – from habitat fragmentation, industrial scale monoculture, food farming, herbicides and insecticides. Do you think this is common knowledge or does it scare you how little people know about their dwindling numbers?
I think it is more common knowledge after the Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) phenomena that took place in 2008. When we do our bee side talks we are always amazed at how many people have heard that bee populations worldwide are declining but many don’t understand why or how they can help. I mean to be fair, CCD is a very complex thing to wrap a head around- even the scientists weren’t able to directly pinpoint it to one aspect. We did notice that a lot of people heard the stories more recently about honey tampering and the high sugar that can be found in supermarket honey.
What is a wild unknown fact (or facts) about bees most wouldn’t know?
Oh so many! If I had to pick one (or three) perhaps:
- Pollination, which the lion share is lifted by honey bees, is required for one in every three bites of food you eat.
- In a lifetime of work one honey bee contributes at most one tenth of a teaspoon of honey to its colony’s resources.
- At the height of the laying season a queen bee can lay approximately up to 2000-3000 eggs per day, which works out to be more than her own body weight in eggs a day.
What are small changes families and individuals can make at home or in their day to day to help the busy bees?
Something we have learnt from the bees is that if we all do just a little, and work together it is possible to achieve great things. The quick answer to this question is to simply create more bee friendly spaces within your yards, gardens, schools, verges or even apartment planter boxes. Plant the right plants, encourage the right environments and of course adopt bee friendly practices, using natural means of pest control and avoid pesticides and herbicides. The longer answer, and one to support not just pollinators but the environment as a whole, is by being a conscientious consumer. When you are looking to buy your food and honey where possible, shop local and support those that you know are working sustainably. Let’s get back to the simple joy of enjoying in season produce rather than a constant stream of international crop supply. Why is it normal for us to always have apples when they only naturally flower in one season per year? Let’s go without when they’re not out and take notice of what is going on around us.
Do you have any delicious recipes you create with your honey? (Or any other things you may use honey for?)
Peaches poached in honey, sparkling wine and vanilla bean (aka drunk peaches) is a special treat and is heavenly on a sponge cake with cream.
As we head into winter we have been firing up the slow cooker and making a pumpkin and sweet potato soup with honey, roasted macadamias, tourtiere spice mix (or Massaman curry paste works well), fresh ginger and garlic, onion, red lentils and coconut milk.
So, what’s the buzz to join your exclusive Share Hives initiative?
The Share Hive initiative allows Sydney families, share houses and honey loving individuals a chance to dip a toe into owning their very own Aussie bee hive.
Subscribe to The Humble Hive Collective
Share Hive
