As our Club’s Autumn Day Out this year we were kindly hosted by Club members Simon and Sarah Peacey at their apiary out at Kokopu. There were 29 of us, including partners and a few kids, to be entertained and to learn lots about bees, their importance to us in the food and health industries, and of course their honey.
Simon began the day by taking us through an excellent power point display he’d put together about their bees, the care, the problems and the producing of the honey that comes from their 1000 or so hives located around the Whangarei district. He did a fantastic job with his preparation and we learnt so much that I’m sure most of us would not have known before.
Then we donned bee keepers’ suits that Simon had managed to borrow for us to go in groups with Sarah to see her handling the bees in the few hives they have at home. No, Sarah doesn’t wear a suit, or gloves ! She is so confident with what she does, and with the help of a little smoke to calm them, she is able to take the frames from a hive and search for the ever elusive queen who’s the “boss” , while along the way finding the odd German wasp who has snuck in for a feed of honey, pick it out and squash it before throwing it away. No stings, although Sarah did admit to having felt 1 bee sting, but that she only felt the effect for about 20 seconds, nothing to worry about.(!?*@) What an excellent leaning experience it was for us all, so we must congratulate Sarah and Simon for the show they gave us.
Simon and Sarah were then to get in their car to drive to New Plymouth that day so couldn’t join us for lunch. Nor did we have time for a wood turning demo by Simon ! Damn!! So from Kokopu we headed northwards up the Mangakahia Road to The Old Parakao Store Cafe & Bar for lunch. What an eye opener it was ! Great hosts, great food and plenty of it, all in a “quaint” museum like venue.
The store, like so many rural stores of the past, has long been closed. But these folk have put it back on the map as a place to go, for lunch or dinner, and also cater for the many logging truck drivers who go past their door several times each day. Sitting amongst their collection of old memorabilia (beside a large open fire to be used on a colder day), looking out on a few vintage vehicles parked beside the original Europa petrol and diesel pumps that would have been in front of the store, “back in the day”. Very casual but comes highly recommended. A great way to finish off our Club’s day out.
