The story behind the beehive at the Hackney School of Food is one we had to share:
Rewind a few months and the hive was empty, Head Gardener Lidka was on the hunt for some bees. And then she stepped into her garden and saw a swirling mist buzzing over her lawn. It was a swarm of bees searching for a new home. They settled onto a tree in Lidka’s garden.
As luck would have it, one of our lockdown volunteers is a beekeeper, who put Lidka in touch with a swarm collector. Usually, a swarm collector takes possession of the bees as payment for their time and expertise – however, he’d heard all about the Hackney School of Food and loved the sound of its aims. Very kindly, the bees were handed over to the school free of charge.
So not only did we have the luck of the bees choosing Lidka’s garden, we were also lucky to find a generous beekeeper who was happy to give away a swarm. Now the bees are settling into their new home.
As well as foraging and establishing their hive, they’ll be teaching local children all about nature for years to come.
One of Lidka’s honey bees making themselves at home in the School of Food’s lavender bushes.
