Notes from a Clifftop Apiary
By ROWLAND MOLONY
Is there a funny side to beekeeping? Most literature on the subject wags a solemn finger and instructs. Molony’s articles aren’t like that. They’re about various interventions in his beekeeping life – by his wife, by other people who garden near his bees; by being a village beekeeper at the behest of all and sundry. And they’re about being by the sea. Keeping his hives on an allotment that looks out across Lyme Bay brings out its own angle on beekeeping. Having a wife with her own views on bees produces another angle. Notes from a Clifftop Apiary is a light-hearted portrait of beekeeping up against other pressures of the real world: one the one side there’s the sea, on the other there are people. It makes a colourful mix.
Notes from a Clifftop Apiary - Northern Bee Books
The latest Herald has a nice piece on the book:
Rowland’s the bee’s knees in short film
15:35 22 December 2014
Beer bee Keeper. Ref shb 5969-39-14TI. Picture: Terry Ife
A Beer beekeeper hopes to generate a buzz about his hive with a short film and book.
Rowland Molony released his book earlier this year compiling articles, stories and poetry about life as a bee keeper.
Notes from a Clifftop Apiary also features drawings from his wife, Elizabeth, and daughter Emma.
Beer filmmaker Stephen Bird captured the life of Rowland’s bees in a short film featuring one of his poems, entitled In Late October.
Rowland said: “This hive has got a wonderful queen because these bees are so hard working, they produce masses of honey, they’re very docile and she produces thousands of bees. In the last three years, four years the hive has been full of bees.”
Rowland took up beekeeping after a friend introduced him to his hive. He now has four established hives which can attract more than 250,000 bees during the peak pollen season.
The former school teacher said: “You cannot do bee keeping in a hurry or you will get stung. A beekeeper has got a lifeline to the heart of nature and one of nature’s most wonderful products, which is honey. It’s a kind of magical alchemy that goes on.”
Stephen has now released a seven- minute film capturing the beekeeper’s passion. He said: “It is nice to put his personality and his passion across. All these bees are working for something they will never have themselves - we just want to get it across to people.”
You can watch the full film at http://vimeo.com/user28482515/review/113474303/f9269f7b8f
Rowland’s the bee’s knees in short film - News - Sidmouth HeraldAnd Pullman's Weekly also covered the book launch:
Beekeeper’s insight into creating ‘molten gold’ - View from Sidmouth
The video of Roland's bees is charming:
In Late October
See also:
Futures Forum: Bees
Futures Forum: A talk on "the bee-friendly garden" - at the Friends of the Byes AGM - 6pm Thursday 23rd January
Futures Forum: A talk on "the bee-friendly garden" - the full report
Futures Forum: Bees and pesticides: the research ... and the need for more research
Futures Forum: Bees and pesticides: withdrawl of neonicotinoid
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