EDMONTON — Urban beekeeping is becoming the new face of Alberta’s beekeeping industry.
With commercial beekeepers busy keeping bees, it’s left to the smaller urban beekeeper to explain the importance of bees to consumers, said Grant Hicks, president of the Alberta Beekeepers Commission.
“As a commercial industry, the urban beekeeper is very vital,” he said.
“They are the face of the beekeeping industry to the urban population. As commercial beekeepers, we don’t really go near cities.”
There are 883 beekeepers in Alberta, and 125 commercial beekeepers produce more than 90 percent of the province’s honey.
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It’s the urban beekeepers that have time to go to farmers markets or explain to their neighbours the importance of bees, said Hicks.
“Most of the people are doctors, lawyers, ministers and secretaries. They have careers and well paying jobs and working with bees is therapeutic,” he said.
“We recognize their value.”
Medhat Nasr, Alberta’s provincial apiculturist, has doubled the number of beginning beekeeper courses to keep up with the demand from urban beekeepers, especially in Edmonton and Calgary.
“They’re hearing more about bees in the media and that has attracted them to bees, and why not have a couple hives for (their) own honey?”
Nasr said he works with new beekeepers to ensure they’re following best practices for bees and the honey they produce.
“It’s a good thing to represent the industry,” he said.
“You never know, they might become full-time beekeepers. It’s good for the industry. They’re more like ambassadors. They talk about bees and how they are good for the environment and pollination and all the good stuff.”
