Purcellville Farm Interested in Hosting Hive, Need Beekeeper

[Kelsey]

Hi!

Crooked Run Orchard in Purcellville is interested in hosting a couple of Beehives! We would need a beekeeper that could help with hive maintenance and, when the hive develops enough, to collect honey. We are interested in learning about beekeeping and eventually would be able to help with Hive maintenance and honey collection. Crooked Run Orchard has a farm store and allows a variety of fruit picking throughout the year, so the possibility of honey selling is something we are interested in. Are there any local Beekeepers interested in meeting with us to discuss how we can be mutually beneficial?

 

Kelsey

Anyone interested can also contact me at KlsBledsoe@gmail.com. Thank you!

[Matt Gaillardetz]

Hi Kelsey.

I am familiar with Sam and Uta's farm. In fact, I have several hives that are on property that border the SW portion of their farm (on the east side of the Southern Collector). There use to be a lot of hives on the farm. They have since been moved due to concerns surrounding some of the sprays Sam uses on the orchards and brambles. Of particularly concern are the class of systemic insecticide called neonicotinoids. 

I find Sam and Uta to be particularly strong stewards of the land and admire their efforts to carry on their farm's legacy and grow food for our community. With that said, there are concerns with placing bees in a known foraging area with systemic classes of sprays. 

 

[Kelsey]

Hi Matt!

Thanks for the reply. Uta and I want to talk to someone about what we need to do in order to host hives on the property. This is something that we are both very much interested in but Sam still needs a little wearing down. We think that as long as he doesn't need to work with the bee's, he should be okay with it.

I'm working on convincing Sam to let me keep chickens on parts of the property to cut back on spray usage but I admit I don't know all that much. Are there any further adjustments that need to be made or less harmful/natural insecticides that other hive-hosting farms use?

If your meeting on the 8th is open to non-members, I would love to come sit in and gather some of that much need information. Alternatively, would you like to meet with Uta and I?