Our family has lived in the Okanagan for 40 years and we have had a small farm for about 28 of those. We became interested in bees 20 years ago and have been involved with them ever since. Bee farming has become a bit of a passion for us and we enjoy it immensely. We have educated ourselves through courses, avid reading, studying and trial and error. Chris has also served two terms as president of the North Okanagan Bee Keepers Association.

Honey production was our first priority but as years went by, we now find we are really more interested in bee rearing. We are full supporters of sustainable beekeeping and use organic practices in our program. We take a very personal interest in our endeavors and work diligently to produce healthy strong bees.

We are a very small operation that specializes in producing nucs (nuc = short for nucleus which is a small hive). We produce about 100 nucs per season. Because of this smaller production we feel that we have more time to produce, in the end, a healthier hive.

We never use the conventional harsh chemical miticides and never feed antibiotics prophylactically. We keep the mite load down by using our own management techniques (including IPM-integrated pest management).

If chemicals become necessary, we then use the “soft chemicals” such as formic acid and oxalic acid. Both are found in their natural state in plants like rhubarb and spinach as well as in insects such as ants.

We try not to stress the bees by monitoring nectar and pollen flow and supplementing their diet as needed. Sustainable beekeeping is our goal.

Chris Boulanger & Lynne Cherot