Seaweed Salon — NATURE-BASED BEEKEEPING with POLYFORAGE

INTRODUCTION TO NATURE-BASED BEEKEEPING w. POLYFORAGE

Bianca, of Polyforage, will inspire you to reimagine beekeeping, moving beyond human-centric models to adopt the perspective of a bee, whose resilience is intimately linked with her environment. This holistic workshop introduces Bianca's Nature-based Beekeeping Principles, going beyond conventional methods to empower backyard gardeners and beekeepers.

We will explore how to apply these principles to and the practical elements of keeping European honey bees, Australian native stingless bees, and other native pollinators in your area. You will learn how bee health and resilience is directly linked to access to high quality nutrition (flowers), and how we can directly support this through close observation, knowledge and application.

You will receive practical guidance on exploring different beekeeping options for your backyard, including both native stingless bees and honey bees. The session also features a live demonstration on how to create your own bait hive at home to attract a wild swarm, as well as examples of how to set up a pollinator house.

This workshop is for anyone wanting to support local pollinators, curious minds seeking a holistic approach, and existing beekeepers looking for a deeper perspective.

PARTICIPANTS TO BRING:

- Pen and notebook
- Drink bottle

Tea, coffee and snacks will be provided on the day.

ABOUT POLYFORAGE:

Bianca's deep curiosity and passion for bees has led her to work across the beekeeping spectrum over her 10 year career, spanning commercial Manuka honey production to permission-based intuitive beekeeping.

Through her business, Polyforage, Bianca spent 8 years mentoring backyard beekeepers in the Northern Rivers, gaining firsthand insight into how high-quality pollen nutrition drives a colony's resilience, naturally mitigating the need for excessive intervention. This inspired her to research and develop an api-centric planting model, applicable from backyards to organic farms, that optimises bee nutrition while mindfully integrating with and benefiting the local ecosystem.

Today, Bianca teaches her 5 Principles of Nature-Based Beekeeping, offering practical guidance for both native stingless bees and honey bees. Her core message goes beyond the beehive itself, recognising that bees are only as healthy as the environment around them, and through planting high quality nutrition we can build their resilience naturally.

It's Bianca's greatest pleasure to share this perspective and empower Australian backyard beekeepers and gardeners to foster a deeper, more reciprocal relationship with pollinators and nature.