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Ron Glave to host A-Bee-C’s of Beekeeping on Sunday

The event will be the first Garden Guru workshop offered by the Local Food Initiative this year
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Ron Glave inspects his bees (photo submitted)

Ron Glave says he never expected he would become a beekeeper. Glave had a vague interest, and was dating a woman who was involved in a commercial honey wine operation when he decided to show up to a beekeeping event at the Community Centre.

He says the man holding it had all kinds of gear there that piqued his interest, and that when he walked out he thought to himself, “I could do this.”

Almost exactly six years later, Glave will be hosting the A-Bee-C’s of Beekeeping at the Community Centre on Sunday, which will be the Local Food Initiative’s first Garden Guru workshop of the year.

“Its actually come full circle,” said Glave.

The intention of holding the beekeeping workshop in January is so that others who may be interested in taking up the practice can prepare.

Ordering bees and investing in things like hard boxes and a suit is costly and takes time. But it provides the keeper, Glaves says, with satisfaction, wax and lots of honey.

Though Glave says he has worked in construction for years in order to support his skiing addiction, beekeeping is really his passion.

“It’s super rewarding,” said Glave. “The bees are definitely my thing, and I really want to share the experience.”

Glave was born in Revelstoke and grew up in Vernon.

He said he’s been chasing ski resorts in some capacity since he got out of high school, and after living in Whistler for a number of years he decided to come back to Revelstoke, where his parents still own a small undeveloped parcel of land that has become his bee yard.

It’s really a hobby, and he mostly gives away his honey, but Glave regularly volunteers his time to share knowledge with youth, novice and veteran beekeepers. He often has kids come out to his yard to learn a little about what it takes to be a beekeeper, and what its like to work with bees, and he says he’s even turned a couple of his friends onto the practice.

As much as it is a fun hobby for Glave, he does want to emphasize how important it is to take the job seriously and make sure you’re beekeeping in a responsible way. He says it’s a privilege to be able to keep bees in Revelstoke as there are currently no bylaws allowing or preventing it.

“It is exceptionally important that anyone considering it maintain high standards of respect, consideration, responsibility for our neighbours and wildlife,” said Glave. “It is not something to take lightly and it has an impact on our entire beekeeping community.”

The A-Bee-C’s of Beekeeping is open to the public and will take place between 4 and 5 p.m. at the Community Centre on Sunday. The workshop will look at how to purchase equipment, buy bees, and harvest honey.