A Journey to the Hives
Margaret River region boasts diversity – from the coastal heathland, which face the western evening sunsets to Karri forests, which have majestic clean cream trunks and a towering canopy 75m up.
Inland the native, wild Jarrah and Marri forests, boast an array of plant and animal species.
Foragers honey has a small apiary, based on the edge of the native forest.
As we head East inland from the townsite of Cowaramup, a small town, historically built on dairy farming. We leave the comfort of a sealed road and wind our way on a dusty red gravel road, with the dust cloud rising behind. On the road edge native trees tower, some gnarly and roughly barked, cast shadows of light over the verge and offer windows of views across the fields.
We reach the edge of the forest, turning down a narrow track. As we drop down into low ground, a natural creek line, a pair of wedgetail eagles soar above in the blue skies, owning the sky. The calling of wild mountain duck can be heard, possibly alarmed by the eagles presence. The creek line has a range of species, enjoying the natural water supply. A greener strip of vegetation, tea tree, with blackbutt trees rising above the lower bushes.
A further few hundred meters we are surrounded by the native bushland, casting dappled light over the golden grass. The sounds of the bush echo, with a flock of Black cockatoos calling each other from the tree canopy, the leaves rustle and a small thud of as they chew nuts, which fall to the forest floor. Parrots flutter from tree to tree, with their distinctive chirp, a flash of their green feathers glisten in the sun rays. Beyond this a hum of bees, can be heard as the background rhythm of the forest sounds.
In the dappled light a group of paperbark-coloured boxes sit, with a small opening facing east, the darting of bees coming and going from the hives become distinct as we approach. Foragers pride themselves on being caretakers of bees, allowing them to naturally forage the surrounding bush. The buzz of activity from the hives becomes more apparent. The entrances of the hives bees, peppered with bees, peeking their heads out and a second later they take to the sky to forage the trees and plants for nectar and pollen. Others arrive at the entrance, landing with their legs, shining with florescent orange pollen and crawl inside the hive to share their foraged bounty. The sweet smell of the hives drifts in the slight breeze, a sweetness along with the smell of dry grass, makes an appealing combination.
The bees are capturing a moment of time, a season, a place and the properties of the flora. Many of the species have natural wellness benefits and healing properties.