Welcome to River Bend Bees!
An organic practice honeybee apiary located in the heart of New Brunswick, along the South branch of the Oromocto River!
Why River Bend Bees? What Makes Us Different!
The primary focus of River Bend Bees is, of course, the production of organic honey. We are fortunate to have a small number of sugar maple trees on the apiary and also produce a limited run of 100% pure maple syrup. When you become an organic beekeeper, you need to make the health of your bees and therefore the quality of the honey they produce your top priority which changes your approach to tackling health issues in the hives. Some areas of focus are:
Letting the bees eat the honey they produce.
In conventional beekeeping, the honey taken off the hive makes more money than it costs to feed bees inferior sugars in the fall, winter and spring. Therefore, beekeepers typically take all the honey stores and give the bees a steady diet of processed sugar as supplemental feed. Organic beekeepers protect their bees from the dangers of processed sugars by saving a frame of two of honey per colony to be used as supplemental feed when there isn’t a strong nectar flow.
Plant for bees
Providing wide variety of plants for bees is a must to ensure the bees have food sources from early spring all the way through fall. Bee-specific plants also include those plants that provide natural protection from mites, as well as viruses and funguses. We feel so strongly about plant diversification for all type of pollinators River Bend Bees has become a proud supporter of The David Suzuki Foundation Butterfly Way Project.
Hold the chemicals
Fungi, viruses and mites will always co-exist within bee colonies. It’s only when the organism is weakened that they grow out of balance and become a problem. Application of miticides does not address the root cause of why the colony is stressed? Are they too exposed and being weakened by wind? Do they lack an adequate water supply? Is plant diversification on the apiary adequate. Once the underlying reason for health issues is determined it can be corrected in a number of natural ways to build up the health of the colony again.
A Little Bit About the Beekeeper
Beekeeping was not one of the careers I listed when my elementary school teacher asked, “What do you want to do when you are older?” Back then, I was too preoccupied picking buttercups and dandelions, watching dragonflies and bumblebees’ flit through the sky or dragging a blanket outside to read under the sun. My Dad still recalls rescuing me, after my boots got so stuck in a pond, looking for tadpoles of course.
I have always been interested in the natural world and the journey into beekeeping was such an easy transition for me to make. My mom was an avid gardener, and I grew up picking tomatoes, peas, and carrots right out of the garden my whole childhood. Back then I did not even realize how such a simple act would transform my outlook on ecology and the relationship I had with food. Now as a mom of two boys, I understand the importance of knowing where your food comes from and the difference a “few carrots from the garden” can make in a child’s life.
As a first-generation beekeeper, I am proud of the journey we have begun as beekeepers and pollinator protectors. We put our heart and soul into every honeybee colony on our apiary. We believe that the care given to our bees goes directly into our products. Not only are we stewards of honeybees, but we also promote all pollinators by providing habitat and food sources to an abundance of wildlife. The Oromocto River is a beautiful piece of land, full of life and wonder. Not only do our bees thrive, but our boys grow up thriving as well. Symbiotic relationships at their best!
