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William Hamilton was the author of the classic Scottish bee book - The Art of Beekeeping. This gripping account of life in Garelochhead a century ago will be of interest particularly to local historians and beekeepers with a delight in Scottish history.
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A hunt for the most elusive bees leads Dave Goulson from Salisbury Plain to Sussex hedgerows, from Poland to Patagonia. Whether he is tracking great yellow bumblebees in the Hebrides or chasing orchid bees through the Ecuadorian jungle. Dave Goulson’s wit, humour and deep love of nature makes him the ideal travelling companion. This utterly charming book will inspire you…
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A life history together with a collection of drawings and poems by a 93 year old Somerset Artist which ranges from snapshots of beekeeping life to the very best of the Glastonbury Festival as well as drawings of life in Scotland. This book - while not helping you to a larger honey harvest will give you many happy and enjoyable…
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A sparkling account of commercial beekeeper's year in all its changing moods. This is a book to saviour and to learn from and compliments this author's previous best selling title "Honey by the ton."
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Writing in the early 20th century, several of Doolittle's practical ideas hold some interest for the modern apiarist, in spite of how modern equipment has improved and evolved. Although the book is primarily aimed at the specialist who maintains many bee colonies as a line of work, the author explains that his observations can also serve as useful for the…
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It has always been a well-known fact that products from the beehive are good for human health. However, recent scientific research has proved that various substances produced by honeybees, as well as innumerable possible combinations with plant material, possess real medical properties. Ten years after its first publication, this book has become a work of reference in its field. Translated…
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A delightful account of the trials and tribulations of a new beekeeper in South West Ireland. Written with passion and enthusiasm, this ranks A delightful account of the trials and tribulations of a new beekeeper in South West Ireland. Ranks with Richard Taylor and Harold Lund in accounts of ‘bee fever’.
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This account by James Dearsley (who calls himself The Surrey Beekeeper) is a charming, amusing and informative diary (to non beekeepers) of a novice beekeeper - who also happens to be a novice dad as well. He has so much to learn.
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Les Crowder
Heather Harrell
'This is an excellent guide for hobby beekeepers who wish to keep bees using top-bar hives. Drawing on his more than thirty years of beekeeping experience in New Mexico, author Les Crowder describes in detail the special comb-management techniques that this low-cost, but relatively intense, form of beekeeping requires. Top- Bar Beekeeping also provides an eloquent appeal for beekeepers to…
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This is not a text book on Practical Beekeeping but a critical yet light-hearted observation on some off beat activities of honey-bees and beekeepers through the eyes of a professional beekeeping adviser.
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Prize winning beekeeping essays to keep you entertained and amused! “For some years I have taken to writing an essay for the Essay Class in the National Honey Show. I was delighted to be receiving either a Third or a Very Highly Commended ticket. Then in 2009 The Art of Coarse Beekeeping won me first prize to be followed by…
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Alec Wilfred Gale of Marlborough, Wiltshire, was one of three well known British commercial beekeepers of the mid 20th century. The other two were R.O.B. Manley and E.W.D. Madoc. The author of this title, D.A. Clements, worked for Alec Wilfred Gale for several years during the 1950s. A.W. Gale died in 1969 yet his legacy continues. Gale is credited with…
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Following on from the work "Beekeeping in Victorian Nottinghamshire" which covered the reign of Queen Victoria from her accession in 1837 until her death in 1901, this work covers the half-century from then to the death in 1952 of King George VI. (During the period of this work Britain was ruled by ruled by three kings plus one who relinquished…
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This the first of a series of booklets which gather together the contributions by leading beekeepers to The Beekeepers Quarterly. Ron Brown OBE, B.Sc was a most practical beekeeper with experience in both in Africa and the UK. These articles cover all aspects of the craft and serve as a fine memorial to a great beekeeper as well as passing…
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This fascinating and comprehensive book explores the bee's place in human society from prehistoric cave paintings and inscribed clay tablets through to our contemporary world - a cabinet whose drawers are filled with nuggets of bee science and practical beekeeping, myth, religion, politics, philosophy and folklore. There is a selection of verse and a rich variety of illustrations ranging from…
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An account of the life of Brother Adam of Buckfast Abbey, a world famous beekeeper, by a Devon beekeeper who travelled with Adam on some of his journeys searching for the perfect bee. The story of Brother Adam and Buckfast Abbey two names that will always be linked in the beekeepers mind. An updated edition of the 1989 volume.
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Steve Benbow
Alys Fowler
Fowler, A
This is the charming story of how gardener Alys Fowler learned to keep bees, and urban beekeeper Steve Benbow learned to plant a pollinator-friendly garden. It is a rule-breaking, wildlife-friendly, honey-dripping record of the trials and joys of working with - rather than against - nature.
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Alley said .. "Containing the only scientific and practical method of rearing queen bees, and the latest and best methods for the general management of the apiary."
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Mastering the Art of Beekeeping is an erudite handbook of the complex art of beekeeping. The authors have a rare ability to combine literature and beekeeping skills. People, bees and experience are woven into a delightful tale of what beekeeping is all about - Gleanings in Bee Culture. The Aebi's have an entry in the Guinness Book of Records for…
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All beekeepers, novices and old-timers alike, will profit from the Aebi's insights. It might take the average beekeeper several lifetimes to discover the natural wisdom and effective methods that these men have poured so generously into this book and the companion volume - Organic Gardening. The Aebi's have an entry in the Guinness Book of Records for the most wildflower…
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Ken Pickles , the Wharfedale Beekeeper has written a wide ranging text reviewing his beekeeping philosophy and the underlying reasons for their success. Certainly a must for any Yorkshireman. It recalls Summer evening sitting by his hives, the lure of the craft and all that it is associated with.
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A delightful account of beekeeping over the years in this beautiful part of Yorkshire.
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John Yates wrote a series of monthly articles for the Plymouth Branch of the Devon Beekeepers' Association during the period August 1989 - October 1992. These were published as a most successful book later in 1992. The volume is full of wise advice and beekeeping insight which while written for the micro-climate around Plymouth can be applied anywhere in Great…
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Being among bees is a full-body experience, Mark Winston writes from the low hum of tens of thousands of insects and the pungent smell of honey and beeswax, to the sight of workers flying back and forth between flowers and the hive. The experience of an apiary slows our sense of time, heightens our awareness, and inspires awe. Bee Time"…
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After a distinguished academic career, Dr Westwood retired as lecturer at the University of Sussex and became a beekeeper. This insightful and amusing account of bee-fever will strike a cord with all beekeepers. It is full of colour photographs not only about beekeeping but also of honey bees and other pollinators on flowers with a discussion regarding the choices bees…
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Bees make honey; we all know that. But what happens between the bee buzzing around our backyard, and the sticky knife in the jar, is a mystery to most of us. How many bee-hours does it take to make just one jar of honey? What do the honeybees' waggling dances really mean? Why do bees swarm? What is a 'house…
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Northern Bee Books have sponsored this revised autobiography of George Wakeford BEM, a locally celebrated Master Beekeeper. His uncanny expertise in the handling of bees and his service to hundreds of novices and clients earned him a reputation as a country genius not only among his fellow beekeepers but also with 'lay' persons, journalists, local historians and TV producers alike. With…
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Not so long ago, in a small island nation in the South Pacific, beekeepers produced a most peculiar honey. It was much darker than clover honey everyone put on their toast in the morning, and it tasted very different. In fact the honey was a problem: it was hard to get out of the combs, and even harder for beekeepers…
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So begins Bill Turnbull's charming account of how he stumbled into the mysterious world of beekeeping (sometimes literally). Despite many setbacks - including being stung in the head (twice) on his first day of training - beekeeping somehow taught Bill a great deal about himself and the world around him. At the same time, his story highlights the very real…
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Éric Tourneret
Sylla De Saint Pierre
The internationally acclaimed honeybee photographer Eric Tourneret spent fifteen years traveling the world to capture the awe-instilling diversity of bees and beekeeping traditions on six continents. His fascination with the bees and the richness of human culture led to the creation of the most stunning collection of bee photography ever produced, complemented by the writing of his spouse Sylla de…
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This is a comprehensive guide to the many aspects of meads and honey wines available for the mead vintner, written by a leading authority on the topic. The author describes every aspect of the process from the varieties of honeys, their characteristics and qualities for the production of a superior wine; the yeasts types available; to the various methods of…
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Anne Middleditch
David F. Bumby
This is the remarkable story of Mary Bumby who was the first person to take honeybees to New Zealand. When, in 1838, her brother, John, was appointed as superintendent missionary at the Mangungu Mission House in New Zealand she decided to accompany him to look after him and act as his housekeeper. Because John liked honey Mary took with her…
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This booklet is a translation from the Latin, by Frank Vernon of the thesis submitted in 1770 by J.F.E. Albrecht for his Doctorate examination.
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'Honey farming is a grand job for those who love bees and are interested in producing something from the land; who are hard workers and able to enjoy country life in all weathers. I have been at it for a long while, and my one regret is that I did not start with bee farming when I was twenty instead…
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This book is in commemoration of the centenary of the present Somerset Beekeepers Association established in 1906 by L.E. Snelgrove. It recounts the progress of events and also profiles the lives and the beekeeping of prominent peopled involved. We believe that this is the best county history, in terms of readability so far published in Great Britain.
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A quite excellent and very readable account of the ‘how’ the ‘why’ and the ‘worth’ of bee book collection. Geoff Lawes has written a book based on a lifetime of collecting bee books of great value to bibliophiles. He describes clearly the necessary approaches to a collection, the value of editions and condition. A manual for bee book collectors explaining…