A Very Practical Bee keeper.

This man has had a love of bees since his early childhood and youth in the Mallusk, Ballyclare countryside. He spent many years working as a joiner and clerk of works in a Belfast joinery workshop. His talents - honed in a commercial setting were recognized as such that he was invited to get a teaching qualification and share his wood working skills with others. These woodworking skills and his energy to share the fascination of beekeeping have worked in tandem to the benefit of many over the years.

Our Very Practical Beekeeper started teaching in the mid sixties. His first school Dunlambert High School had a Science Dept which kept a few bees. He soon found himself helping to make a few floors and accessories to support the boys interested in beekeeping. Moving schools and location to Cullybackey High School as Head of Technology and Design Department, he constructed a bee house for the Science Department together with other equipment again to get the pupils captivated.

Our Beekeeper of The Year has been keeping bees in Cullybackey for over 35years and has produced many fine harvests of prizewinning honey when others considered it a drought year. He has read widely from his collection of old beekeeping books and experimented with new ideas in his hive construction. His metalworking and woodworking skills have allowed him to design new methods of floor construction and Varroa detection screens.

He was introduced to Randalstown and District Beekeeping by David Hamilton from Ballymena. He has been a very active club and committee member initially designing and building a bee house which has been erected at the apiary in Shane's Castle. He has had a keen interest in educating young beekeepers and has gone into primary schools to hold workshops and taster sessions in the classrooms. He organized the first primary school group to visit the bee house in Shane's Castle. And along with others at Randalstown has been highly instrumental in encouraging beginners with regular hands on experience and above all many years of experience willingly and expertly shared. Looking around the apiary today most things have benefited from his skill with the saw, chisel and hammer.

Having been in the classroom for many years, He knows best how to present information in a very interesting way. He knows how to make his presentations topical and engaging. His skilled woodworking hands have allowed him to design and then construct equipment beneficial to the club and many of its individual members. He has made complete hives, observation hives, demonstration hives, show cases for sections and frames, floors and feeders of all denomination. This year he designed and made an ingenious way of showing a series of photographs in conjunction with the observation hive and a secure table which R&DBKA use at various events and country fairs all over Northern Ireland - which Sheridan would be proud of from a health and safety aspect ! When there is a need in the club Elmer will raise to the occasion.

His most recent project was making intricate shelving to show off honey jars at the club's first show in September. Look carefully at the accuracy of the joints, the precision of the construction and the ingenuity of the design. This is typical of his nature to do his best for other beekeepers. Second best will not do. He works unselfishly modestly and quietly to promote beekeeping, providing materials for others to enjoy and help nurture their interest in bees. R&DBKA and beekeepers in general are very fortunate to have such a dedicated and passionate exponent of the wonderful world of bees.

For those of you who have not already guessed, I am delighted to award the INIB Beekeeper of The Year 2008 to

..Elmer Kennedy.

| Updated: 27.10.2008 |