The Herts Show at County Show Ground outside Redbourn rarely disappoints when it comes to the weather. Saturday was wet and the Sunday very wet. Trade was brisk on the Saturday, but at 8.30 on Sunday morning it was exceedingly quiet - just how many people do you expect at this time on a wet Sunday. From here we never really got going. Competition with the Jubilee Celebrations in London did not help. We sold 131 lbs of honey and 24 half pounds plus 18 candles. Sales on the first day were about twice those of the Sunday. Discrepancies in takings were £1.40 in our favour - well done team!
Welwyn manned the sales bench, St Albans put on a display showing the role of bees in the environment, Mike spent a couple of days putting his frames together whilst Graham brought his observation hive.
Our information desk was kept busy advising on planting for bees, attracting bumble bees and 'what's happening to our bees', diseases etc. We received only 4 membership enquiries compared with 40+ last year although we did help several people from outside the county. I thought I was doing really well in attracting a new member when he asked if there might be problems at 1,200 ft! He didn't say what part of Hertfordshire he came from, but I fancy it was well North of Hitchin. One of the more unusual requests came from a commercial photographer who wants to photograph honey emerging from the frame as it is spinning in the extractor - it sounds very sticky.
Our BBKA collection box for the Research Fund and the Adopt A Hive scheme were both vastly more popular than I would have expected. Am guessing that we took at least £50 in donations based on the number of booklets given out. At later events, the plan is to put the box at the end of a display of bee diseases.
Many thanks to everyone who took part and helped put together another very successful BeeWorld. We are especially grateful to Phill Jepson who organised the day for the second year running. Whilst everyone was hugely indebted to June, steward of the Horticulture Marquee, for providing us with free tea and coffee for a donation to Mencap.
My Labrador enjoyed lots of attention and loved every minute.
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