The Art and Joy of Urban Beekeeping
In late 2006 beekeepers from North America reported that 30–50 per cent of their charges had vanished. It seemed bees were dying in their millions and no-one knew why. The disappearance of bees is potentially very serious, with far-reaching consequences, as so many crops need to be pollinated by bees before the plants can produce food. Bee-keeping is currently allowed in backyards of Saskatoon residents, and encouraged by the Saskatoon Bee Club!
Please join us for our June potluck in the yard of the Saskatoon Bee Club’s vice-president, Melissa Stonehouse, to discuss the art and joy of urban bee-keeping! (1015 Avenue H North)
** Weather Permitting**In case of rain, please continue to the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre for the June Potluck. (202 Avenue C South)
Arrival time is 6 p.m. We will eat around 6:30 followed by the discussion on urban beekeeping.
Hope to see you there.
I have lived in the Saskatoon area all my life and enjoy gardening and nature. While working in my yard one day I realized I had not seen any bees all season. I had heard about colony collapse in regards to bees but had not really looked into it. Once I realized the scale of the problem I started looking into what I could do, and I found out you can keep bees in your backyard in Saskatoon! I joined the Saskatoon Bee Club and made great connections there and have been mentored by the members. This year I became the club’s vice president. This will be my 4th summer keeping bees and learning about them. I started with two hives and will expand to four this year, two in my yard and two at The Garden Patch. The more I have learned about bees the more they are fascinating to me and the more I enjoy my hobby each year. – Melissa Stonehouse