Latest News
A Fresh Start
While our bees are still clustered and dreaming of crocuses, your committee has been busy buzzing away! On February 1st - the traditional festival of Imbolc, celebrating new beginnings - Kate, our new chair, kindly hosted our first meeting of the year. Between a fantastic meal and a house full of new and old faces, the energy for the 2026 season is electric.
Bees Abroad - £50,000 raised!
Bees Abroad has shared some genuinely heartening news from its recent Big Give campaign, and it deserves a proper spotlight on the Borders Beekeepers website. In the space of one week, supporters helped raise a total of £50,523 to support beekeeping training and community development in Nigeria.
Caddon Hives / Abelo Visit
Beekeepers gathered at Caddon Hives/Abelo in Caddonfoot on a damp November Saturday morning to explore a wide range of beekeeping kit. The event featured splendid tea, coffee, and cakes, plus a tempting 20% discount on products. A standout item was a splendid educational hive, attracting much interest.
HONEY SHOW 2025
The 2025 Honey Show at Smailholm Hall was a delightful afternoon, offering ample space for exhibits and participant gatherings. Despite a slightly smaller turnout, nearly all competition classes were represented with many strong entries. Dr. Gino Jabbar, an expert honey sommelier from Edinburgh, served as this year’s Honey Judge and led a popular honey tasting experience where attendees voted for their favorite honeys. Anne McClelland gave a practical and well-received talk during the judging, inspiring hopeful participants for the 2026 show.
David Evans - Bait Hives
David Evans’ talk on 8 October was both clear and engaging, as he explored the art of bait hives with his characteristic blend of insight and dry wit. He walked us through the key factors that make a bait hive successful and shared how he puts these principles into practice in his own beekeeping.
Ray Baxter - Bottom up Beekeeping
We had our first meeting of the Autumn/winter meetings of the association with a cracker of a talk by Ray Baxter, one of our long standing members who was talking about his book ‘Bottom up Beekeeping’.
Border Union Countryside Schools Day
The Borders Beekeepers Association (BBA) recently brought their enthusiasm for bees to the community, hosting a vibrant table filled with hands-on activities like badge making, queen spotting, candle making, and encaustic art. Volunteers played a vital role, not only engaging visitors but also managing the essential task of transporting banners and posters between the Kelso Bee Shed and the showground. Thanks to the dedicated teamwork of these volunteers, BBA was able to offer a full range of children's activities, creating a smooth and enjoyable experience that highlighted the association's commitment to education and community involvement in beekeeping.
