When Cows Distract the Beekeepers

Just when I can't think of something different that could possibly challenge the beekeeping project, something new pops up! This time it was cows. Exactly what was going on I lost in translation, but there were an awful lot of cows outside the church building in Kayenze yesterday morning and not many beekeepers. It turned out to be the village branding day which happens once every five years. Anyway, we went ahead with the five beekeepers who came and actually had a very encouraging meeting!

Tim, looking rather focussed here as he gets to the church building!

The cows just kept coming! Rather a lot of moo-ing too!

The beekeeper group is excited about starting some new things this year! First up is a tree seedling nursery.Tree planting is something we have long been passionate about integrating into our projects but also something we have found surprisingly difficult! Our attempts to develop tree nurseries have not been so successful. This time we are trying something a bit different. The beekeepers have divided themselves into smaller localised groups and each small group will start a seedling nursery, starting with the race to get a good quality shelter built! We are hoping the competition will help! We hope this will be a small business opportunity for the group as well as being a real benefit to the local community and of course the bees!

They are also planning to start a savings and loans scheme and tied in with that, we will be doing some focussed Entrepreneurship Training. It is good to see the group encouraged despite the long wait we have had for honey!

After the meeting, it was out to the hives ... this week we checked on Amos' hives. John and I went with Jenerosa and Amos for a most successful hive check. Success now measured, not by the kilos of honey harvested, but merely that no one was stung and no one got arrested!

Hive looked good!

Time to de-robe under the mango tree! Mama Jenerosa is one game mama!

Heading home (if you can find the "road")