Honey and The Bees

The students of Noosa Pengari Steiner School have been developing a living bee ecosystem over the last 3 years. Starting with introducing Australian native stingless (Tetragonula carbonaria) bee hives around the school as part of the gardening program and later with a sculptured art installation by local artists. Many flowering plants and edible foods are grown annually to provide nectar and pollen for the bees in return for a great pollination rate resulting in beautiful biodynamically raised produce to use in school kitchen classes. This then developed into a joint project between woodwork students creating native bee hotels and the primary students creating homes for the native solitary bees every year. In 2018 The high school students began beekeeping as part of an elective subject. With 20 European honey bee hives located at the school they participate in the bee husbandry required to naturally look after bees and in return sell their honey in their own microbusiness to the parents of the school. The students create frames, take part in managing the hives, harvest, bottle, developed their own logo, manage the business side and gain a deep appreciation for the humble life of the honey bee and what is required to ensure their health and sustainability in the future. By developing a love of bees, natural bee keeping and the importance of pollination Noosa Pengari is empowering the youth of today to be our next generation of sustainable bee keepers and bee protectors.