Australia: Keeping Beekeeping in the Family
Courtesy Jonathan Landes
Jonathan Landes and his son Asher both keep bees, and help others to do the same—whether it’s in the Berskshires or Melbourne, Australia
By Nomi Kaltmann
Tablet
September 11, 2023
Excerpt:
The idea was simple: In a city like Melbourne, where most people tend to live in houses with ample space and backyards, the chevra would help to set up beehives to encourage urban beekeeping.
The hives Landes sets up are made of good quality wood. Successful placement in the urban environment requires significant considerations.
“You say hello and go meet the person [who wants to host the hive]. You do an evaluation of the garden and neighborhood. You have to ask questions, such as if there is anyone who is allergic to bees. You ask who the usual visitors to the house are, or if they have pets,” he said, listing the checklist he runs through with prospective hosts. “It’s not like a cat or another pet. People can get stressed about bees. You must be able to manage the colony.”
To have a successful hive, the bees should not be too crowded and the weather has to be right. Bees prefer dry heat, and if it is too windy and rainy, it can affect the amount of honey produced by a hive.
Today, a decade on, Chevra Honey manages around 40 hives around Melbourne that produce high quality, organic, kosher-certified local honey. On average, each hive produces around 22 pounds of honey per season.
