Brookfield Farm Hiveshare + News Summer 2019 

Welcome to your Summer 2019 Hiveshare newsletter.

Hiveshare 2019 Honey Celebration is now set for Sunday September 1st 3-6pm. We can't wait! Please book here if you would like to come for the afternoon on the farm (free to Hivesharers, but need to book). 

Hiveshare 2019 runs from November 2018, and Hiveshare Cert no. 1449 and higher. Any questions on Hiveshare and how it works? We're delighted to answer, just have a look at our FAQ or email ailbhe@brookfield.farm

We have interesting bee information and great farm photos and videos on facebook and instagram - like our page to see them!

Mid summer

The summer has been mostly warm, with enough rain to keep our flower meadows happy.  We have been delighted with the number of swarms we captured!  We noticed our own bees loving the flower meadows - we sow about 10 acres every spring on the farm.

Mentor beekeepers who work with us also have extra hives and feed into Hiveshare, which is great news.

We haven't harvested honey yet on Brookfield Farm, but we will be getting to that lovely golden sticky treasure in coming weeks.

Your Hiveshare honey we plan to get to you late autumn - if you can't come to the Honey Celebration on 1st September. You will receive your honey share at the Honey Celebration if you attend. We will then deliver honey shares to remaining Hivesharers 2019, and we'll be in touch about delivery and collection.

Brookfield Farm in the news!

We have had great interest recently in our beekeeping and farming and candlemaking. 

Have a look here at our recent and upcoming coverage:

Brookfield Farm Sustainability winners! 

Brookfield Farm was buzzing with the super news that we won a high profile farming award. The inaugural  RDS Talamh award for sustainable farming was awarded this summer to Brookfield Farm.

Sustainable Farming

This RDS award celebrates the efforts made by an individual or farm family who are adding value to their on-farm activities through entrepreneurship, new product development, and marketing.

We are so proud...

We are also nominated this year for the Farming for Nature awards for Hiveshare and our efforts to support the native Irish bee on Brookfield Farm.

And the Tipperary Food Producers's  children's book will be promoted this winter - we are participating with our friends in Tipperary Food Producers to promote a fun book about food that we produced together recently. A VR film was made recently on Brookfield Farm and five other Tipperary Food Producers' farms.

Events...

The Taste Of Lough Derg food series will have an event from Brookfield Farm this autumn. We are planning a Yoga session led by Emma from Yoga in Terryglass on the lakeshore at Brookfield followed by delicious nibbles and elderflower drinks.  

Don't miss our other fun days out on the farm - check out Heritage week late August when we plan a badger watch and stargazing evening!

Please vote for Brookfield Farm in the Irish Made awards - Brookfield Farm are shortlisted in the Gift Section. Thank you! 

Pollinator friendly flower meadows 

Goodness, they are colourful! We have about 10 acres of flower meadows sown on the farm to help the bees. All insects like the flowers - Cornflowers, daisies, phacelia, linseed and lots more.

There is a lovely blue and yellow and red show of flowers up on the hill. Cornflower and poppies are dominant in the lower fields and flax flowers have seeded which is really pretty.

These pollinator and bird friendly flower meadows will stand all winter, giving shelter to wildlife and seeds to feed the birds.  

Harvest time

This July we made arable silage with spring barley and undersowed with a multispecies grass sward. We will save the grain barley fields later in the summer.

Emma did a lovely yoga pose on a bale last year, and I thought it should be revisited! 

Brookfield Farm lamb -

We are sold out! Don't despair though, will have a few lambs ready shortly. Order now..and don't miss out. Reserve your tasty and healthy lamb for autumn and winter dinners.

Any questions? Email hello@brookfield.farm