Kaiwhenua Honey is a sustainable family-run honey business based in Henderson with apiaries located in West Auckland.

Come and join Victoria and Peter on a visit to one of their hive locations in Henderson. Find out from a professional the 'ins and outs' of beekeeping and honey extraction. This is a chance to find out some beekeeping basics and get hands on if you’re keen.

Beekeeping using sustainable and ethical techniques is important to Kaiwhenua Honey, and having a smaller number of hives allows us to retain a familiar and caring relationship with each bee colony. We intentionally leave enough honey on each hive for the bees to eat over the winter months so they get to enjoy the fruits of their labour. We don't substitute their honey feed with inferior and processed sugar.

Honey from each apiary is harvested and packaged separately allowing the unique flavour from each site to shine! It's amazing just how much variance there is from one apiary to the next.

Kaiwhenua Honey's journey is traced right from each apiary, through the processing stage, and into its jar. Every jar has its own code telling us the origin and details of the honey in that jar. We know exactly where the honey in every jar comes from.

Super keen? This workshop is an introduction to beekeeping. We will also be running a series for those wanting to dive deeper into the subject, a little later in the year.

WHAT TO BRING

DIY Bee protection, see below. Bee suits can’t be shared, due to Covid restrictions.

• Hard-brimmed hat draped with a large mesh onion sack (get one from your local fruit and veg shop) or use an old net curtain sewn and tied up.
• Loose clothing, long sleeves and trousers, covered shoes.
• Do not bring used gloves, due to the risk of disease transmission to bees. You can hide hands up sleeves/keep hands behind your back.

H&S

If you are allergic to bees, please avoid attending this workshop unless you have your adrenalin kit and someone with you who knows how to use it. Let the tutor know please.

Avoid wearing strong perfumes or blue clothes and keep hair tied back.

Families welcome, children must be accompanied by an adult.

There will be an opportunity for attendees to take turns to get up close to the hive (including children).

GETTING THERE:

BIKE: 5 min bike ride from EcoMatters Henderson bike hub, Falls Carpark, Edmonton Road Henderson.

TRAIN: 10-15 min walk from Henderson Train Station

BUS: 5-10min walk from Great North or View Roads bus stops.

CAR: Ample parking on the street.

Address details will be sent the day before in a reminder email.