Offshoots Permaculture Project, Burnley – Beekeeping

Offshoots Permaculture Project is a community-based, organic garden designed using Permaculture principles and is situated in the old walled garden of Towneley Hall, Burnley. Offshoots has been open to the public and used by therapy groups, horticultural training and volunteer groups since 1997.

At the end of 2002, Groundwork East Lancashire were successful in securing SEED and SRB funding to enable them to employ a staff team comprising a full time Co-ordinator, two part-time Community Compost Officers and two part-time Gardeners to manage the project.

In February 2003, what was thought to be two derelict beehives on site were found to contain bees and two staff members, Alan Griffin and Lisa Yates, took on the job as resident beekeepers.

Beekeeping and Permaculture

Central to the concept of beekeeping is sustainability and working with nature rather than against. Beekeeping fits in perfectly with Permaculture principle, bringing many benefits to the gardens at Offshoots.

The bees are managed as an integral part of the ecology. They enhance the pollination of the plants on site to produce greater yields and seed for collection. They also produce honey to compliment the organic fruit and vegetable box scheme together with on site sales.

Bees have few needs – a supply of water and nectar (flowers) and their projects are honey, pollen, beeswax and propalis (a glue-like substance that bees use to seal any cracks in their hive).

Management of Bees

Bees require little time to manage and once an initial outlay of equipment is accounted for the running costs are low.

Offshoots is a charity and dependant on external funding to run the site. As the discovery of bee colonies was unexpected there was no budget to buy this unplanned but essential equipment. In July, we were successful in obtaining a LEAF grant which enabled us to buy protective gear and honey pots.

Future Plans

It is hoped that future plans will include a greater educational aspect, experimentation with creams and other products with medicinal properties, involvement with local experienced and novice beekeepers, providing new beekeepers with their first colony of bees and an expanded apiary.