Roger Patterson and Nell
A Great Beekeeping Weekend
The Western Beekeepers Association is delighted to announce:
Roger Patterson will be visiting us again to share the knowledge he has gained during nearly 55 years of beekeeping. He is a practical beekeeper who uses simple methods to manage his bees, so we won’t hear about complicated manipulations that are seen in some books and on the internet.
Roger has been teaching beekeeping since the early 1970s and is Apiary Manager at his local BKA – Wisborough Green in West Sussex – where there are usually in excess of 30 colonies for teaching. He travels widely, speaking and demonstrating at over 60 events a year. He is the author of one book, with two more nearing completion and another planned. He writes regularly for beekeeping magazines, including An Beachaire, Bee Improvement and BBKA News that features the occasional “Patterson’s Page”. Roger owns and manages Dave Cushman’s website that is considered by many to be the world’s most comprehensive beekeeping website.
Roger first visited the Isle of Man in 2009 when he was asked to advise on improving our bees. This finally led to the formation of the Manx Bee Improvement Group, a part of the Manx Beekeepers Federation.
Roger has visited the Island on several occasions and has inspected and handled bees belonging to many members, so he knows our bees and conditions well and will speak to us accordingly, not suggesting methods that are unsuitable.
Roger was the Convenor of the highly successful 2016 BIBBA Conference* on the Isle of Man which brought over 200 visitors and many wonderful lecturers to the island; a real festival of beekeeping.
Roger can often be seen in the company of his border collie, Nell.
*(Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders Association)
Saturday 20th January. “For Beginners” will cover much of what all beekeepers need to know in their early years in order to keep their bees healthy, productive and with care. This should suit those who have kept bees for two years or less, even those who have just started. The pace will suit the participants.
Sunday 21st January. “A Day with Roger Patterson” will discuss topics at an intermediate/advanced level for those who have kept bees for more than 2 years. Topics will suit our bees and climate, with a view to understanding bees better and making better use of our hive products, including making mead!
It is suggested that beekeepers may wish to attend both days, as there is always something to learn.
Established beekeepers, trainee beekeepers and members of the public, even if not beekeepers, are all welcome to attend.
The details for the weekend are:
The venue : Upper Room, Peel Yacht Club, Peel Promenade.
Date : 20 & 21 January 2017
Time : 10am till 4pm
Cost will be £5.00/p/d
Lunch is extra and will be at the Marine Hotel restaurant from 12.30 to 1.30, for those who wish to join Roger and other Western BKA members. Menus for lunch are here and here.
To book a place and to order food (if required), please contact
- Liz McGirr: 851473/492327 liz.mcgirr@manx.net, or
- Harry Owens: 801315/494246 harryowens@manx.net
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Post Script:
In October I was lucky enough to attend the National Honey Show at the Sandown Race Course, near Esher in Surrey.
Roger presented a double header with Dr Tom Seeley, author of Honeybee Democracy, and in the appropriately named Sandown Gold Suite, Roger introduced his talk with this slide:
We have a special message for Nell – we love dogs on the Isle of Man and you will be very welcome to visit – with or without Roger – at any time
