A Day in the Country
Our September meeting (incorporating our AGM) and stall at Killabakh, A Day in the Country, proved to be a wonderful day in countless ways. For starters, our new super-duper ANBA marquee ensured we stood out in the crowd and we were seen from every spot in the paddock! Even though this fair was a little out of the way for some of our regulars, the dozens of people who dropped by our setup were all keen to know more about native bees, the Varroa situation, Tetragonula carbonaria hives, bee-gardening and particularly the many solitary bee species in our area. All our members pitched-in handing out flyers, showing books and adding names to our email list. Diane answered most of the general bee questions and Jim expertly focused on solitary bees.
So, it’s not surprising that a highlight of our community days is the display of bee-hotels and presentation boards with photos of solitary bees indigenous to our area. Jim stands apart and has found a superb niche with his building-demonstrations and in-depth information. He arranged his pieces, including building materials and tools, on an adjacent picnic table and this drew a large crowd all day – from young children to octogenarians. He showed how to construct ‘bee-accommodations’ as well as answered questions.
Our AGM saw the re-election of Diane President/Secretary, Joan Treasurer/Minute Taker, and Jim Committee Member.
The Lost Plot
Port Macquarie’s amazing community garden, The Lost Plot, is the venue for a spring fair each year. It’s an event that attracts hundreds of visitors eager to see the flourishing edible plants and flower beds there and learn more about everything associated with good gardening. This was our third year and we had a prime possie where our gazebo was unmissable. The photo billboards couldn’t escape notice and again Jim set-up a demonstration bee-hotel table complete with his hand-crafted hostels. We had an-other rewarding day with many promising to visit the ANBA website or joining our Branch’s email list.
Jim kindly donated a very substantial ‘bee-guesthouse’ to the garden – accepted with open, happy and very grateful arms of some of The Lost Plot’s committee.
From Diane Norris
