BEGINNERS’ BEEKEEPING in Kilkenny

Bee hives are no longer the preserve of the countryside, with urban beekeepers popping up in towns all around the country. If you’ve got the room and the inclination, then producing your own honey is one super sweet and rewarding activity. Francis Nesbitt of Croan Cottages in Kilkenny is one smallholder with big ambitions. His introduction to butchery courses are in high demand and he o ers a selection of interesting courses covering matters like starting a smallholding or home smoking and curing with guest chef Steven Lamb from the UK’s River Cottage. Guests can stay in one of five eco-friendly traditional self-catering cottages, neatly located beside handsome Croan House. The leafy location will inspire you, with a tranquil walled garden, an abundance of fruit and vegetables growing, and some cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, geese, ducks and chickens in residence too. The one-day Beginners’ Beekeeping course is suited to novices, covering everything from the honey bee colony to the hive, equipment, hygiene, swarm control, and harvesting your crop. BOOK IT One-day course, September 4, €165 including lunch.

Course plus overnight accommodation, €215, croancottages.com.