Earlier this year, Darfield High School reached out to the Malvern Farms Veterinary club charitable trust for financial assistance in beginning a beekeeping and apiculture programme at the high school. The grant was successful and a total of $9,487.17 was generously donated to the school in support of the new and positive project.

The project “Reka Ano He Honi” (Sweet as Honey) originally came to life from the need for more extensive learning opportunities for students and the incredibly valuable learning experience coming from agricultural programmes already running. As a kura, we are on our journey to building our local curriculum, in honouring our commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and plan to harness the rural setting we are privileged to live in and the land-based focus of our small community. Many of our leavers move into primary industries in our community and we believe, by targeting and enabling learning, we are allowing basic training and study to flourish in sectors that interest them. The opportunities for other aspects in wider study and industries are endless with honey and wax from the hives, basic construction of hives and fencing and many more practical skills that will enhance our ākonga’s confidence and experiences that will prove invaluable for future pathways.

The community has a huge range of local talent and knowledge with Apiculture, with a number of staff (and students) having experience in the area. Local knowledge is extremely handy, and the hope of enabling students to share this knowledge and gain qualifications/credits in Level 2 and 3 NCEA Agriculture courses is hoped to become reality in 2023. Currently a Year 12 student MacKenzie Butler and HOD of Mathematics, Carrie Whyte are completing a Level 3 Apiculture course through Land Based Training. The course runs over basic training in areas such as establishment and preparation for hives, varroa and other disease treatments, swarm management, lifecycle and behaviour of bees, and safe chemical handling. We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to be able to further our knowledge in Apiculture and are looking forward to sharing this knowledge and experience with students and the wider community.

Departments including Agriculture, Commerce, and Mathematics are also on board with the plans to introduce Apiculture and new, practical ways of learning into their curriculums for 2023 onwards. Talks are already in progress about how different products could be utilised as a part of commerce/enterprise products in relation to furthering learning for students.

In Week 6 of this term, during a Year 9 community day, a group of students will be learning about bee friendly planting and having their first introduction to beekeeping. This will be the first real opportunity for students to begin the discovery of Apiculture at Darfield High School with many more experiences and projects hopefully coming in the future.

Darfield High (Hive) School would like to thank Malvern Farms Veterinary Club Charitable trust, Ecrotek NZ, Glynn Cleaver, Rex Smith and Lynda Milner for the assistance and support in making this project possible. We are ecstatic to see what the future brings and any future help with materials, financials, knowledge and support is most welcome!

Pounamu Carving with Tūhono Taonga, Tūhono Tāngata