The Barefoot Beekeeper

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**The Barefoot Beekeeper**

Phil Chandler, teacher and author of ‘The Barefoot Beekeeper’, talks about ‘balanced beekeeping’ and explains why he believes we need to change both the way we grow our food and the way we work with honeybees if we want them – and ourselves – to survive and thrive.

Beekeeping has been all about honey production. Now we need to learn to value bees for their own sake – for their part in nature as pollinators of many plant species, both wild and cultivated.

The Barefoot Beekeeper is available in print or as an ebook from www.biobees.com

Latest Episodes:

Dawn Chorus May 24, 2014

Show notes

I woke up early, just as the birds were starting to sing, so I opened a window and switched on my recorder.

The Buzz Tour - Interview with Eve Carnall Apr 17, 2014

Show notes

Eve Carnall is about to set off on a four month journey, across the length and breadth of England. In this interview, she talks about her science background, her work at the Environment Agency and the motivations for her journey.

To find out more visit her blog - buzztour.org

Twitter - @buzztour

email - changepollination@gmail.com

divestment - http://gofossilfree.org/uk

Swarms, Nucs and Packages - and summer bee events Apr 14, 2014

Show notes

Recorded about 4am, so please excuse me if I sound a little sleepy...

I talk about the weekend course just completed at Brinscall Hall, Lancashire, and the other things happening there this year, including the Friends of the Bees Northern Gathering in August. See www.biobees.com/training.php for training and www.biobees.com/events.php for events.

Then follows a bit of a rant about AI queens; the evils of packages, and the inflated prices charged by bee breeders.

Steve Benbow and the London Honey Company Mar 04, 2014

Show notes

Alys Fowler is writing another book, this time with London beekeeper Steve Benbow. It will be full of great gardening tips, focusing on how to plant for pollinators - especially bees.Steve talks about the book and his plans for siting top bar hives at the Tate Gallery.

This is where to find out more about the book - http://unbound.co.uk/books/letters-to-a-beekeeper

The Importance Of Being Insulated Feb 26, 2014

Show notes

This episode features a short 'catch-up' interview with Brigit Strawbridge; discussion of hive insulation, the eco-floor and the periscope entrance; and a session I call 'live at the hive', recorded at my 'Perone-style' apiary near Buckfastleigh.

Last Podcast of 2013 Dec 31, 2013

Show notes

Those of us in the northern hemisphere are missing the sounds of our bees, so here is a recording I made in Spring 2011, followed by a complete recording of The Bee Song, written for this podcast by Lara Conley.

You can find more of Lara's music here https://myspace.com/laraconleymusic

This is a video I shot of her the first time I met her in Totnes - http://youtu.be/8AvA1k4obO0

Findhorn: a conversation with 'feral elder' Craig Gibsone Sep 21, 2013

Show notes

Part 2 of my Findhorn series (there may be a Part 3 as well) is a conversation with long-term Findhorn resident and self-declared 'feral elder', Craig Gibsone.

We cover a lot of territory in this interview, including bees, permaculture, war and peace, life and death. And the 250-year flood that may wipe Findhorn off the map...

Findhorn: a conversation with co-founder Dorothy Maclean Aug 27, 2013

Show notes

I recently visited the Findhorn community, near Inverness, to help them build a top bar hive and talk about natural beekeeping.

The first voice is that of 92-year-old Dorothy Maclean, the only survivor of the original group of three - the other two being Eileen and Peter Caddy - who started what became the Findhorn community just over 50 years ago. You can find out more about Findhorn on their website - findhorn.org Today's podcast is an edited version of my conversation with Dorothy and two of her carers, Marilyn and Jo. I also recorded conversations with two other long-standing members of the community - Craig Gibsone and Kijedo - which will form either one or two future podcasts, depending on how the editing pans out.

Inner Beekeeping Aug 14, 2013

Show notes

Recorded at the 2013 Friends of the Bees unConvention.

'Inner Beekeeping' is about the way our interactions with bees affects us internally. Everyone's experience may be different, yet there is a lot of commonality.

A wide-ranging discussion, unfortunately with some intrusive background noise at times.

Kate Bradbury on wildlife gardening, urban foxes, bumblebees and hedgehogs Jul 08, 2013

Show notes

Kate Bradbury is well known to UK gardeners from her contributions to Gardeners' Question Time and as the former editor of Gardeners' World magazine. Her new book, The Wildlife Gardener, is available from Kyle Books - http://www.kylebooks.com/display.asp?ISB=%229780857831576%22

Kate gave a talk in May 2013 at Sharpham House, near Totnes in South Devon at an event organised by Friends of the Bees and PUPA and co-sponsored by the Royal Entomological Society.

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