WESTERN CAPE NEWS - Calling all beekeepers and bee enthusiasts! The Western Cape Bee Industry Association invites you to participate in their honey, beehive products, mead and photographic competitions at NAMPO in Bredasdorp on 13 and 14 September.
This is a great opportunity to showcase your skills, promote the distinctive Cape honeys, and celebrate the remarkable world of the unique Cape honeybee. There are also some generous prizes on offer for the standout entries.
Top-ranking judges, such as Reg Morgan, chairman of the South African Honey Judges’ Guild, will be overseeing the honey competition, well-known Cape Town mead-maker, Dr Ernst Thompson will be adjudicating the mead section, with eminent Western Cape photographer, Phillip de Lange, among others, judging the inaugural photographic competition.
NAMPO, the biggest agricultural expo in the Western Cape, is the ideal venue for the competition. It attracts large numbers of industry professionals and general public alike, providing an ideal platform to showcase your products and talents.
Honey judge, Reg Morgan. Photo credit: Michael Hammond
Whether you specialise in honey production, beehive products, mead-making, or have a keen eye for capturing stunning bee-related moments through photography, don’t miss the chance to be part of this event.
Honey judge, Reg Morgan. Photo credit: Michael Hammond
The Western Cape is reputed to have one of the most diverse range of honeys in the world - from an assortment of eucalyptus and orange blossom honeys to the complex, sometimes medicinal (but still sweet!) fynbos honeys. At competitions, honey is typically judged in three colour categories - light, medium and dark; and in a ‘select honeys’ category, which are those derived from a single floral source.
Mead, a type of honey wine, which is soaring in popularity around the world, has its origins in Africa. It’s made in many different styles - a primarily honey-based type to those that have been infused with fruit or spices. First-time drinkers of mead are often surprised that mead is based on honey as some examples can be very dry, akin to similar grape wines.
Photo: Geoff Tribe
Photo: Alex Rab
So mark your calendars, familiarise yourselves with the competition requirements at www.wcba.co.za and join the Western Cape Bee Industry Association at NAMPO in celebration of the Cape honeybee and everyone’s collective beekeeping endeavours.
Enquiries can be sent to: info@wcba.co.za
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