Welcome

BKAs (Bee Keepers Associations) are centres of knowledge, advice and assistance. They hold the beekeeping knowledge and teach it to future beekeepers. The North Dorset BKA is passionate about bees, honey and the enjoyment you can find through keeping bees and harvesting the produce. Our aim is to encourage the craft of beekeeping, provide high quality training, and advise, help support and encourage beekeepers.

We are a Registered Charity (Number 1193201), and we are fully affiliated with the Dorset County Beekeepers Association and the British Beekeepers Association. We had 137 members at the time of our last AGM.

2022 Dates

25 Jan : How to make mead by Lesley Gasson
 8 Feb : Honey, how its made and what its made of, by Martin Anastarsov
15 Mar : Honey Adulteration by Mark White
26 Mar : Apiary Tidy
 2 Apr : Introduction to Beekeeping Day 10-4pm
28 May : Apiary Visit to Tim Harman and Lynne Ritchley's apiaries
18 Jun : Visit to Gorgon Grant's apiary
24 Jun : BBQ at the White House 6pm
16 Jul : Visit to West Dorset apiary at Netherbury
17 Aug : Shaftesbury and Gillingham Show
20 Aug : Apiary Tidy
13 Sep : Talk by Liz Duffin on making wax flowers
 1 Oct : Subscriptions due
15 Oct : Kevin Pope - a round up ofthe year's diseases
15 Nov : AGM and supper

Beginner's Course Dates

9, 23, 30 Apr
7, 14, 21 May
4, 11, 25 Jun
9, 23 Jul
6 Aug

Course Modules & Dates

Module 1 Honeybee Management

13, 20 Jan
 3, 17 Feb
 3, 10 Mar

Module 3 Honeybee Diseases

11, 18 Jan
 1, 15 Feb
 1,  8 Mar

Module 6 Honeybee Behaviour

11, 18 Jan
 1, 15 Feb
 1,  8 Mar

The New Apiary

The Association is planning to build a new apiary. This is an ambitious project which is being planned in detail and implemented in stages. A planning application has been made for the site at Holloway Farm.

This can be found by leaving Shillingstone on the A357 (Blandford Road) and driving Eastwards. Passing the Willows Vintage Tearoom. take a left 45 degree turn into Holloway Lane. Drive down that lane until you pass under the Trailway (old railway line). The site is on the left hand side, just after some old farm buildings on the right hand side.

You can follow the planning application on the Dorset Council website - the planning reference is P/FUL/2021/01951 .