Lockdown And Perspective Things

Our life as beekeepers is one of routine based on the seasons. In winter, just like our bees, we slow down and our focus shifts to keeping the girls fed, strong and free from disease. In spring, our focus shifts to raising queens and managing bee numbers in hives by making new hives (splits), along with sending our girls to pollinate orchards to help grow the food that many of us eat on a daily basis.... If you like avocado that is!

But this season is one that us beekeepers haven't prepared for.... The COVID season.

We are very fortunate that as essential workers, Jim can continue to go to work ( He works for a commercial company as well) and I can continue the long road ahead of bringing our dream for Meraki Honey alive. But this lockdown could not have come at any more of an awkward time!

Just before lockdown, I ( Caitlin) left my full time beekeeping job to pursue my dream job.... Running my own beekeeping and honey business! With Jim of course!

The last four years of my life have been that of a commercial beekeeper... Get up, sometimes early, sometimes VERY early and dive straight into the day ahead. Whether that be feeding hives and checking strength or moving hives to liquid gold mines ( Some people call these manuka blocks), the day started and ended the same., excited for what the day could bring and ending in a few itchy stings, smelling of smoke and propolis with probably mince and pasta for dinner (its quick and easy, but Jim can't say I didn't cook!).

Leaving was never going to be an easy task as I was going to have to find a new normal, a new routine to my days when they don't consist of opening beehives and covering myself in liquid sugar syrup, and it definitely was not!

The day after my last day, our country went into lockdown again. Fast forward two weeks, and we are just about to enter into level 3. As my part time job is in a gym, I haven't worked since I left my last job, and our markets in Tauranga have been put on hold until level 1. We cannot see our landowners, look for sites, or have face to face communication with all the people that help us the most.... Our customers! Things have been odd, it's like I'm floating in an abyss of uncertainty, yet at the same time the sense of gratitude grows with every sale we make, with every orchard owner we make happy, and with every beehive that I crack open and hear the humming noise of the bees.

So I guess touching on the title of my life in lockdown.... A lot of this lockdown for me has consisted of trying to create a balance of Meraki and my new part time job, without the actual work of the new part time job. Because we are essential, we are still able to check on the girls and move bees around, this time to blueberry pollination which is both new and exciting, and I'm sure we will learn a lot which is cool! I am getting ready, and rather over excited, at the prospect of rearing my own queens at a larger capacity this year, and then there's all the boring necessities like getting the girls treated for varroa before they head off to the land of the liquid gold (Also known as Taranaki). When I write it down, this all looks like the period of time we like to call "The calm before the storm"!

I understand a lot of you out there aren't as fortunate to have work or to be able to do what you love when you want at this point in time, and it is a very funny period for everyone. I would be lying if I said this time in lockdown hasn't challenged me mentally more than anything, which is why the one thing I take away the most from this lockdown is gratitude.

I am grateful that we can still do what we love when others can't, and most of all, I am grateful that there are people out there still following our journey each and every step of the way. We appreciate each and every one of you, for the likes, comments and shares on our posts, the orders of honey or the cheeky pack of fudge and just learning about bees with us. All of this, even during these crazy times is part of our why, so thank you!

Be grateful for what you have, spread love and positivity, keep moving and stay sweet!

Caitlin xoxo