Let's Build Gonave, Haiti!

 These are now trained beekeepers on the island of La Gonave.  In Anse-a-Galets these locals are now trained in modern beekeeping, which will prepare them for a new income stream.  Notice the wooden observation hive in the top right.  This was installed in the city of Anse-a-Galets, the first of its kind anywhere in Haiti. The "Ray of Hope" shining over the island of La Gonave and her people!

We found existing hives on the island of La Gonave, which was great news.  These hives however are kept in logs and rocks by the beekeeper.  This "Old World" style of beekeeping isn't effective in honey production, hive maintenance, and brood production.  We will be working with this beekeeper to supply our stock of bees, since the deal in Arcahaie fell through. While on the island I successfully trained 6 people in beekeeping with 4 becoming beekeepers.  This is a major success as I had originally planned for only 4 people to be training.  With the help of a translator and using Greater Good's Campus, we were able to build a beginning honeybee project and officially launch the La Gonave Honeybee Association. Also I was there and put up the observation hive for Greater Good Haiti.  I assisted in applying for a grant that launched made this observation hive possible.  This hive will be great in teaching young students, new beekeepers, and the commun...

The countdown to La Gonave is coming up.  During my trip there, I will be teaching 4 adult student apprentices about beekeeping.  The goal is to have them at the certified beekeeper level before I leave the island.  We also will be installing 2 or 3 hives. The observation hive may come in time for our partner to bring it with her to the island.  If that is the case, we will install the hive there at that time.  We do know that the $1,500 hive has been awarded to our partner not-for-profit.  This is the first observation hive to ever have existed on La Gonave, and possibly the entire country of Haiti! Since we lost the grant for the pollinator park, we will be teaming up with the same not-for-profit an reapplying for the grant.  This could allow us to continue down the path of having a pollinator park soon on the island soon!  We are extremely excited about this project and are already finding ways to do more with less funds.  We decided t...

An Observation Hive WILL be heading to La Gonave island in Haiti.  The observation hive is part of a $1,650 investment to the island where the hive will serve to teach children and even locals in the city of Anse-a-Galets about honeybees. This is especially important to me as I wrote parts of the grant.  To get the grant is beyond words.  Our not-for-profit partner Greater Good Haiti will be getting this observation hive.  The hive will be installed this year with honeybees being purchased next month. On top of the honeybees for the observation hive, we will also purchase about two additional hives for honey production which will also be located at Greater Good Haiti.  This location will be our Anse-a-Galets hub for the honeybee network.  Coupled with the observation hive as well as production hives, it will allow La Gonave to have a working and teaching center for honeybees. We still await news on the pollination grant which will build the pollinatio...

As you know by now the honeybee program is starting up.  One project that we are looking forward to within the program is building an observation hive.  This hive will be indoors and will allow visitors to see the inside of the hive, without getting stung! Our plan is to have two different observation hives in the future, but will build one at a time.  The hives will allow visitors to see how a hive works, any pests that exists in a hive, and hive development.  The biggest part of the program is for teaching new beekeepers.  The observation hive will allow students a safe way to study the hive, look at pollen and nectar storage, as well as brood management. To our understanding this will be the first observation hive in Haiti.  We know for a fact that such a hive doesn't exist on La Gonave.  The general public will be allowed to view the hive as we will offer hive tours.  The main goal is to get students to view the hive and study how the hiv...