Throughout the year we receive program inquiries and interest in joining our NO COST Honeybee Placement Program. During the selection window (January - early February), we consider all inquiries concerning this program. Not all requests, unfortunately, can be accepted. Some are deferred to a secondary list for consideration (the wait-and-see list). This list depends on spring conditions and winter losses. Any remaining requests that are not fulfilled, are then forwarded to a subsequent year as a priority participant.
The first step is to visually check all applicant sites for the most suitable location for a new bee yard. This includes compliance with Ontario By-Law regulations and other factors. Once a site is agreed upon, the Landowner and Golden Goo enters a Letter of Understanding (LOU).
This LOU specifies everyone's duties, responsibilities, and all relevant government regulations. Upon agreement of the LOU, plans are drafted for hive stand installation in the new bee yard, and timelines for beehive arrival and placement.
The Golden Goo Honey bee Placement Program begins with you, a landowner. Persons that have an interest or a particular need for the assistance or support of honeybee pollinators. Unfortunately, we only add a certain number of new locations to this program every year. This allow for proper planning, resource allocation and investment budgeting. The honeybee season usually starts in early March and concludes some time in December. This seasonal period is definitely not stamped in stone, but rather formed in wax and is very malleable, all depending on weather and other conditions.
During the month of January, we sit down and decide on options regarding program sustainability, care, heath, and growth for the new season ahead. We look at interested requests gathered during the past season and any new ones that find us at decision time. We also look for landowners in specific areas that we bee-lieve would provide exceptional honeybee habitat within the Honeybee Placement Program.
We try not to extend our abilities, nor do we relocate hives to new locations after the end of July. For this reason, new participants to this program can only be implemented between mid May and early August. This is where the program bee-gins to shines. First and foremost, there is no monetary exchange for the placement of hives in our program. That means, NO COST ($$$) or WORK is required by Landowners participating in this program. Golden Goo covers it all! We provide equipment, the bees, their care, our bee stewardship, and possibly, at the end of every honey season, some sweet rewards, should there bee any at that time.
Once the hives have arrived and are placed, we begin hive maintenance and healthcare. Scheduled inspections are needed to sustain our honeybee communities. These regular site visits ensure appropriate levels of attention for positives success in each hive and bee yard. These site visits are essential for honeybee health and proper hive care. We follow these established protocols.
If you would like to find out more about our program, please contact us. Happ-Bee Day… 😊
