So, you’re getting bees! How exciting, exhilarating….. terrifying! It is completely normal to be feeling the flighty wings of anxiety as THE DAY comes closer. Really, installing bees is...

So, you have been inside you hive by now or you have begun planning for your inspection. This is wonderful! You will be prepared to look for honey stores...

So, its time for spring management? How do you know it is spring? Well, in the human world you can tell by robins, little or no snow, warm sunny...

Carmen Lamoureux is the owner and founder of The URBANFARM Permaculture Project, an evolving demonstration garden designed to showcase permaculture at work in an urban setting. The Project has...

Bees eat what they should eat, THEIR honey. If they are eating anything it should be that. But sometimes your bees don’t have enough. This can be because of...

Introduction Just like you and me and everything in between: bees poo too. When bees relieve themselves it is called a cleansing flight. When the winter months extend the...

We are happy to announce our coming release of A.B.C’s Little Books on Bees. These affordable and accessable little book series will cover the following topics: – Little Book...

Every year, since 2010, we have organized a Collaborative Purchase of Honeybees and Equipment, and each year it has been an astounding success. We double in the number of...

This year we will be celebrating our 4th year of school presentations on honey bees and native bees! Our most excellent School Outreach Coordinator Sara Haney is ready for...

Christmas is just around the corner and though fall isn’t far behind us, it’s already time to start thinking ahead to the 2015 beekeeping season. Every year, since 2010,...

Still looking for the perfect gift for friends and family? Something unique, thoughtful and exciting? Why not give the gift of beekeeping! This holiday season, A.B.C is offering gift...

This month the West Hillhurst Community Association and the Calgary Foundation will be hosting a series of free kid’s workshops on Saturdays from 10am-12pm. Each Saturday will cover a...

If you have ever wanted to have a GREAT team building activity, lunch and learn, or party? Look no further! A.B.C offers Beekeeping Field Days, Bike Tours, and Beekeeping...

As many of you are likely aware, on July 1, 2014 the Government of Canada introduced the Canadian Anti-Spam Law (CASL). Its aim is to ensure that you only...

As the campaign concludes for our Community Hive Fundraiser, we would like to thank all of you for supporting, sharing and aiding in our fundraising to keep the Community...

Bee a Good Neighbour In rural areas honeybees can happily roam for kilometres without encountering neighbours or other animals. Not so in the city. Unexpected close encounters and misunderstandings...

We’re needing your help to keep it going! There is only one month left in A.B.C’s fundraising campaign for the Community Hive, the socially responsible arm of the Apiaries...

Urban agriculture has been getting a lot of attention in Edmonton since the 2012 approval of the fresh Food and Urban Agriculture Strategy; which advocates for urban beekeeping and...

A.B.C’s Home2Hive bike tours are back! Join us for a guided tour along Calgary’s beautiful river pathways and discover A.B.C’s unique urban apiaries. Observe honeybee behavior from a distance...

On May 28th, one day before the National Day of the Honeybee, we will be partnering with the Hillhurst-Sunnyside Farmers Market to host their special Day of the Honeybee...

Support for the Community Hive If you are one of our 400 Community Hive chat room members, you may already be familiar with some of the exciting programs this...

ABC is excited to announce a Queen Rearing Workshop in Edmonton/ Calgary this summer. The workshop is going to be presented be Bill Stagg of Sweetacre Apiaries. It has...

Why SwizzleSticks is the perfect partner for A.B.C?      Did you know that SwizzleSticks SalonSpa is a net zero emissions facility? All thanks to our long time partnership with...

If you are living in Alberta and wanted to get involved in A.B.C programs, BUT dont live in the Calgary area, fret no longer, we are SWARMING! A.B.C is...

Want to make Mead Honey Wine from your own hive? Ursula de Vries, a local urban beekeeper and Educator at Sensual Farming is offering a Mead Making Soiree on...

Wanting to move forward with an idea or project with your friends or community? Would you like to see locally owned businesses thrive in your community? Communities across Alberta...

The A.B.C Swarm Catcher Group was established in year to help manage swarm activity and reduce public anxiety and misconceptions about swarms. As a bonus, it provided opportunities for...

This winter was a tough one for our friend and bee supplier, Bill Stagg, over at Sweetacre Apiaries. He experienced high losses due to a tricky fall and long...

This weekend A.B.C will be taking part in one of the most exciting gardening events of the season, The Calgary Horticultural Society’s Garden Show! The Calgary Horticultural Society is...

Introduction Apiaries and Bees for Communities (ABC) from Calgary is proposing a collaboration with the Edmonton Beekeepers’ Association (EDBA) to participate in a small-scale pilot project with the City...

Nestled in the heart of Kensington, at the corner of 2nd Ave and 9th St., is patch of land affectionately known as the ‘Triangle Space’. Previously occupied by a...

This year A.B.C will be launching an exciting new 1-on1 Mentorship Program. The program is geared towards students who want to expand their knowledge beyond the Level One Beekeeping...

I am not a person to say I told you so, but here I am doing it. I support responsible care of your honeybees, whatever you may think that...

Dates: The Mentorship will begin the first week of May 2014 and finish mid October 2014 Mentorship: Prescheduled 3hour inspection and education times once every 4 weeks on Thursdays...

Another year, another bee season, and another Collaborative Purchase! So, this year, we are changing things around this year, so here is whats happening: – We are bringing in...

At GROW Calgary, they believe all Calgarians should have access to fresh, local food.  Our volunteer farmers grow produce for the Calgary Interfaith Food Bank & we develop programs...

RED DEER- Intro to Permaculture and Productive Pets Workshop, Honeybees About: Take your pick of a 2.5-day Intro to Permaculture with productive pets workshop, or the 1-day Productive Pets...

This year, we Alberta Beekeepers are in LUCK! Not only do we have the BEST IPM Conference in the country every year, but this year we are also hosting...

About A.B.C: A.B.C (Apiaries and Bees for Communities) is a Calgary based urban beekeeping initiative with programming offered across Alberta. Starting up in 2010, A.B.C is focused on developing...

WHERE DO YOU BELONG IN THE HIVE? You are 1 day old. You eat nothing but royal jelly You live in a very small space You depend on others...

So, you have some wax left over from the summer harvest! Congratulations! It may not be much, but you want to use everything you harvest from the hive because...

I have followed the following instructions and have loved loved loved the ease and utility of this hive inspections APP. I am very excited to share this beautiful find...

So, you want bees in 2014, either as a beginner or to expand or replace your bees. That’s awesome! Our priority is to: –          Get the best Canadian bees...

Want To Gain Hands-On Experience Beekeeping and Managing Apiaries? Why not apply to be an intern?  We are excited to announce A.B.C’s 2014 internship positions! Dates: The internship will...

This years Alberta Beekeepers AGM is going to be a doozie! Dennis VanEnglesdorp from the University of Maryland is going to be doing a few presentations! Have a look...

Every year, since 2010, we have organized a Collaborative Purchase of Honeybees and Equipment, and each year it has been an astounding success. We double in the number of...

This year of 2013 Apprenticeship programming was a huge success! Check out the program here! We are running two groups of 6 this year, with the courses running on...

Ready to beekeep for 2014? Now is the time to prepare, the fall before the coming bee season. This is the best time to prepare for the following reasons:...

Wanting to get in to beekeeping? Don’t know where to start? Well, take a beekeeping course with A.B.C! Here is the annual beekeeping schedule for the Level One Courses,...

Hello Friends of A.B.C, We would like to invite you and to a celebration of the end of the 2013 season and the honey harvest with a gathering of...

Maple Greenview is a small honey business that supplies Calgarians with raw, unpasteurized wild honey. In a nutshell, Maple Greenview offers local businesses, honorable organizations and even home owners...

Event Volunteers A big part of the Apiaries and Bees for Communities’ mandate centers on public outreach and education. We love to be able to get out into the...

Nothing brings Calgarians together quite like food and festivals, and cool weather certainly isn’t going to slow us down. This Fall is a veritable cornucopia of harvest festivals and...

Here at A.B.C we are always looking for ways to make public access to beekeeping more supportive, innovative, and accessable. A common challenge and stumbling block that I  have...

Tis’ that time of year again, and as per usual, I cannot stress the importance of beekeepers attending conferences and participating in the greater beekeeping community. Here is the...

“First year you produce wax; second year you produce bees; third year you produce honey” I have shared a fair bit of information on how to make this understanding...

Rain, rain, rain. It has been an interesting and profitable summer in beekeeping here in Alberta. After the long long long winter and even longer and heavier days of...

So, we have been running bees for the Calgary Food Tours, Fairmont Palliser Hotel, Forage Foods, Ox and Angela and UNA Pizza and Wine for the whole summer, and...

This is a workshop dedicated to looking at winterization techniques and considerations and concerns to reflect on when making your winterization decisions with your honeybees. This is a 1...

Fall is the time where varroa populations can be at their height, and it is very important that you are aware of their populations and take actions before you...

This is the first year that we have run our Bees4Communities Program and I am happy to say that this collaborative program is going exceedingly well! The honeybees have...

This year has been a big year for beekeeping in Calgary, and with UNA Pizza and Wine and Ox and Angela’s participation, it will continue to grow. After a...

After a long wait, A.B.C was able to successfully set up honeybees at the Sirois Head Quarters (SHQ). Wade from Forage Foods decided to use two different honeybee hive...

With the recent arrival of Calgary Food Tours’ honeybee colonies, the beekeeping season has official begun! A.B.C sourced CFT’s hives from Tony Lalond’s apiary east of Saskatoon. Unfortunately, Saskatchewan...

Downtownfood, the Leaf Ninja’s, A.B.C and GreenGate Garden Centres have joined forces to take sustainability to a new level. Their mission is to collaborate on a fully integrated urban...

Apiaries and Bees for Communities (A.B.C.) and the Green Sanctuary Committee at the Unitarian Church of Calgary invites you to join us for an exciting workshop: Intro to Beekeeping.  This will...

Red Deer is a-BUZZ on Urban Beekeeping Apiaries and Bees for Communities (A.B.C) has been dedicated to offering educational programming in urban beekeeping in Calgary for four years. Since...

So, this year, we brought in 43 colonies of 9-frame supers from Tony Lalonde in Saskatchewan, and 78 colonies from Bill Stagg in BC. It is now that you...

Here in Calgary, we are eager supporters of the Day of the Honeybee movement, started by Clinton Shane Ekdahl of Saskatoon. To do our part as urban beekeepers here...

I have a vision for urban beekeeping here in Calgary and Alberta. I would love to see a change take place with the views on urban queen rearing and...

  May 22, 2013 Contact: Stacey Cedergren stacey@backyardbees.ca Calgary is a-BUZZ on Urban Beekeeping Apiaries and Bees for Communities (A.B.C) has been dedicated to offering educational programming in urban...

In 2010, approximately 70 Municipal Governments and many Provincial Governments in Canada officially issued Proclamations and dozens of celebrations, festivals and events took place across Canada. The first ever...

So, you wanted bees this season, but were late on the ball on getting those bees ordered. Now you are thinking “how the heck can I get me some...

Hey everyone! THE BEES ARE COMING! If you ordered bees through the Community Hive Collaborative Purchase of Honeybees and Equipment, you can expect to get your bees on the...

A.B.C is proud to launch our first year of offering the Home2Hive Bicycle Tours of A.B.C’s honeybee colonies. This year, we have set up all of our beehives on...

On April 26, the Fairmont Palliser’s two bee hives were moved back to their urban setting. Nestled in the quite community of Inglewood just east of the Fairmont Palliser,...

  Over the weekend of April 20th & 21st Apiaries and Bees for Communities was invited to participate in the Telus Spark! Science Centre’s Special Event Weekend. The interactive,...

This is how the Swarm Catchers Group will work this year. Have a look, it should help you get an idea of how it will work. Please fill out...

I have been telling a lot of people individually about hive succession and what to expect of your bees. Remember that you are always thinking 3 weeks in to...

You can join us in combating this legalization of GMO and the spread of Neonicotinoids in conjunction with their legalization. According to Scott Meers of Alberta Agriculture at the...

Here are some images of the 9 colonies that survived the 2012-2013 winter. I put 12 in to winter and managed to get some really strong and healthy colonies...

A growing interest in local food in Calgary and it’s trending as a movement in the redesign and reconnection of the urban landscape is more familiar than we may...

Hey there honeybee enthusiasts! I am eager to announce the second annual Plan-Bee Swarm Catchers Meeting. Here are the details: PLAN-BEE SWARM CATCHERS MEETING Location: Wolf Willow Studio, #9...

Here with A.B.C, we have been working hard to make beekeeping more accessible to urbanites all over Alberta. In doing so, we have accumulated many free resources that could...

This is the inaugural year of A.B.C’s 22 Week Apprenticeship Program! Each month we will be showcasing the students, their work, and the program as it takes place throughout...

If you have ever had bees here in Calgary, could you please fill out this survey for us? We are going to be trying to gather some great statistics...

If you have bees, you are probably chomping at the bit to get in there and see how they are doing, especially after that warm spell we just had....

Bees in your yard? Want some private hands-on education? A.B.C is pleased to be able to offer affordable and accessible mentorship opportunities to Calgarians every month throughout the summer....

The willows have offered the last of their pollen to the dancing bee-fairies of spring; we are getting ready for the coming season. As a wise man once said,...

Hey there beekeepers! If you know of anyone who is thinking about taking a Level One Beekeeping course in 2013, get them on it! The courses are filling up...

It is that time of year yet again, and as always, I would like to encourage all of you who are interested in keeping bees to attending the ever-excellent...

Your business… With the growing support of local food on menus throughout the city, are you looking for a unique product that is unique to your restaurant or business?...

On December 22nd we will be having the official Grand Opening date of Spirit Hills – honey winery.  The mead is ready and we will be bottling this week...

A.B.C ran its first wax rending course in November and it was a blast! With 15 people we learned how to render wax from cappings wax and burr comb...

Kat and I met in a parking lot in Leominster, Mass in 2011. She in her beat-up old little 1/4 tonne that she had driven from Oregon earlier that...

Have you been trying to come up with a totally unique gift idea for Christmas this year? Well, we have a few ideas for you! Unique, affordable, and experiential,...

Tis the season for giving, and as I look back on the last 3 seasons of beekeeping, I am exceptionally grateful for all of the volunteers and support that...

The Community Hive 4th Annual Collaborative Purchase of Honeybees and Equipment 2013 is just getting underway, and it is going to be better than ever! We are bringing in...

A.B.C’s Apprenticeship Program for 2013 is looking to be incredible! I have been doing a lot of work to ensure that the learning materials, skill set development, and opportunities...

Here I am, out on the Shuswap once again, overlooking the lake and enjoying an excellent cup of coffee. The BC beekeepers association is unique in that it storngly...

There are a few workshops coming up with room for you and a friend to come to! They are great and affordable, and offer you the excellent skills necessary...

The 2012 beekeeping has just ended, but you can prepare for 2013 by registering early for the programs that are now available at A.B.C! You could also gift a...

This is an exciting new program now available to 6 people wanting to learn in a facilitated hands-on and custom curriculum based course. A.B.C is excited to offer this...

Want Bees for 2013? Well, let’s make that happen then! In 2011, Eliese Watson single handedly co-ordinated the Collaborative Purchase of Honeybees and Equipment, and this 2012 year we...

Here is one of our last beekeeping field days for the 2012 year, and this one is going to be a doozie! We are going to have a look...

I would like to send out my great thanks to the following beekeepers here in Calgary who played a primary and phenomenal role in rescuing, hiving, mentoring, and supporting...

This spring, A.B.C was contacted by Jeremy Langemann for the Fairmont Palliser Hotel in downtown Calgary. He had one question: would A.B.C be able to care for the famous...

So, your a TBH beekeeper and your bees are doing amazing, nay, they are flourishing! So what now? We’re in a summer nectar flow and you are worried that...

Learn about what is buzzing in your backyard. Explore the world of pollinators with Eliese Watson, Founder of Apiaries and Bees for Communities and Founder and Director of The...

Become a self-sufficient beekeeper by raising your own queens! Now, A.B.C has a FAQ page just for you beekeepers interested in raising your own queens. After attending the Queen...

If you havent been to a field-day yet, well you should! It is a great opportunity to connect with other beekeepers, ask questions, and do an assisted hive inspection...

So, here is a photo-montage on how I harvest honey from my TBHs! I hope you enjoy! It is really easy, here is what I use. – 2 steel...

A.B.C was called in for an emergency removal: honeybees had taken up residence in a local retired beekeepers house! It’s not that they were unwanted; it’s just that they...

An informative and exciting training session was hosted this past Monday by Dr. Robin Owen of the Community Pollinator Foundation (CPF). Dr. Owen was eager to educate future Bumblebee rescuers...

So… you love bees? SO DO WE! We not only love bees, but we love helping beekeepers, rescueing bees, mentoring new beekeepers by sharing what we have and what...

THIS COULD BE YOU!! This year, A.B.C is pleased to offer a beekeeping apprecticeship program to local urban bee-lovers. A.B.C currently has 10 colonies all over Calgary and is...

Oh wow! Here we go again! Year 3 of A.B.C’s Beginners Beekeeping Workshops and we are offering our first summer offering, with a hands-on beekeeping component oon June 23rd...

A close friend of mine, and A.B.C’s, Bev Jamieson, has made an incredible offer that we could not refuse. As owner of Urban Thrift, a local thrift store which...

As you may know, the honeybees from the Community Hive Collaborative Purchase come in May 13th, 2012. So, about a month after their arrival, I am offering a chance...

2012 Northeast Treatment Free Beekeeping Conference: “The Practical Beekeeper” July 24-29 2012 Leominster, Massachusetts “I spoke at this conference last year and it was a blast!” Eliese Watson, A.B.C...

Ever wanted to buy a locally made bumblebee box? Or wear a custom, locally hand-printed, organic A.B.C shirt? Well now is your chance to support local beekeeping and get...

Did you know? Over 85% of Canada’s honey surplus is created in Alberta, and that Canada is the 5th largest honey producer in the world? And did you also...

An old beekeeper in the Kamloops area who mentored  many beekeepers in his time used to say. ‘Want to keep bees? Take a course, and join a club’ Well...

After answering many emails about how to prepare your honeybee colonies for winter, I have put together a listing of easy resources for the beginner beekeeper to look for....

Winterization 2011 Pt 5 To feed or not to feed, that is the question! If you are in a room of beekeepers and you want to see faces flush...

Winterization 2011 pt 6 Pollen and Winter Bees What role does pollen play in the spring/summer/fall?:  Pollen is a very important part of honeybee health. It is their almost...