BEElive!

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Finished 23 / 05 / 2018
Funded!
Received
£ 2,926
Minimum
£ 2,642
Optimum
£ 4,144
52 Backers
  • Contributing £ 9

    Wasp Reward. Wasps are insects predators, and contribute to pollination.

    Your name painted on a hexagonal tile, will be part of a "honeycomb" of acknoledgment, at the entrance of the earth BEElive! Aknwoledgment in blog / Web.

    > 04 Backers
  • Contributing £ 17

    Beetle reward. The beetles opt for flowers with larger petals and for those that are more aromatic.

    Your name painted on a hexagonal tile, will be part of a "honeycomb", at the entrance of the land BEElive !. Acknoledgment in the blog and web. Environmental education digital materials. Take part in a guided tour to get to know the garden and the bees!

    > 09 Backers
  • Contributing £ 26

    Butterfly Reward The Butterflies feed from the nectar of the flowers, fulfilling their role as pollinators.

    Your name painted on a hexagonal tile, will be part of a "honeycomb", at the entrance of the land BEElive !. Aknowledgment in the blog and web. We plant a tree to your name or dedicated by you to whoever you want! You can follow its growth through the blog or come and see it, by joining a guided tour to get to know the garden and the bees!

    > 13 Backers
  • Contributing £ 43

    Ladybird Reward. In addition to being a small pollinator, the ladybird eats aphids and woodlice, contributing to the health of the garden.

    Your name painted on a hexagonal tile, will be part of a "honeycomb", at the entrance of the land BEElive !. Acknoledgment in the blog and web. We plant a tree to your name or dedicated by you to who you want and that you will be able to follow in the blog or to know participating in a guided visit to BEElive! land. Environmental education digital materials . Online assistance about organic vegetables gardening and pollinators keeping.

    > 10 Backers
  • Contributing £ 60

    Hummingbird Butterfly Reward. The flight of this Butterfly resembles that of the hummingbird bird. Feeds from flowers in flight, and loves the jasmine!

    Your name painted on a hexagonal tile, will be part of a "honeycomb", at the entrance of the land BEElive! Acknoledgment in the blog and web. We plant a tree in your name or dedicated by you to who you want and that you will be able to follow in the blog or to know participating in a guided visit to BEElive! land. Environmental education digital materials. Online advice about organic vegetables gardening and pollinators keeping. Selection of seeds from bee-friendly plants grown on BEElive! land. Join an environmental education workshop BEElive! (Italy), or in Barcelona / Madrid.

    > 01 Backers
  • Contributing £ 86

    Bee Reward. When a bee finds a good source of nectar, she can communicate where it is to her companions. For example, flying in a circle it indicates that the meadow is nearby. Flying in the form of 8, that the meadow is far.

    Your name painted on a hexagonal tile, will be part of a "honeycomb", at the entrance of the land BEElive! Acknoledgment in in the blog and web. We plant a tree or honey plant in your name or dedicated by you to whoever you want and that you can follow on the blog or meet participating in a guided tour in BEElive! land. Environmental education digital materials. Online assistance on organic vegetable gardening and pollinators keeping. BEElive! original t-shirt "BEEnice" to bees. Selection of seeds from bee-friendly plants grown on BEElive! land. Environmental education workshop at BEElive! (Italy), or in Barcelona / Madrid.

    > 05 Backers
  • Contributing £ 172

    Bee Reward. In a hive they can live between 50,000 and 80,000 bees. They maintain constant temperature inside thanks to the movement of their wings.

    Your name painted on a hexagonal tile, will be part of a "honeycomb", at the entrance of the land BEElive! Acknoledgment in the blog and web. Selection of seeds from bee-friendly plants grown on BEElive! land. Join an environmental education workshop BEElive! (Italy), or in Barcelona / Madrid.
    Basket (medium), of ECO vegetables grown on the BEELive land! You'll receive it at home if you are far away. (We will support local ECO peasants closer to you).

    > 00 Backers
  • Contributing £ 429

    Bumblebee Reward. With its abundant striped fur, the Bumblebee is a nice "stuffed" insect, and perhaps the most effective for pollination.

    Your name painted on a hexagonal tile, will be part of a "honeycomb", at the entrance of the land BEElive! Acknoledgment in the blog and web. BE our guest for two days, to know the land and works at BEElive!, and know the beautiful villages of Salento and their excellent gastronomy!
    BEElive! original t-shirt "BEEnice to bees". Basket (LARGE), of ECO vegetables grown on the BEELive land! You'll receive it at home if you are far away. (We will support local ECO peasants closer to you).

    > 01 Backers

About this project

Ecosystems favorable to the proliferation of pollinating insects, in support of ecological agriculture.

Needs Infrastructure Minimum Optimum
TREES, PLANTS and FLOWERS
Native trees and plants, particularly attractive to bees and other pollinating insects. In particular: varieties of trees, plants and flowers with different eras of flowering. Among them: peach trees, pear trees, orange trees, medlars, lemon trees, pomegranates, thyme, rosemary, broom, clover, calendula, lemon balm, dandelion ...
£ 772
Three "TOP BAR" hives.
It is a hive model that respects the nature of the bee colony. It is developed horizontally, and the apiary is formed by mobile panels, this due to the fact that within the wooden strips only TOP BAR acts as a support for the construction of the honeycomb, in addition the use of the strips simplifies the inspection of the apiary without altering too much habitat that the bees have built inside.
£ 618
Two packages of Italica Bees, with two Queen Bees.
Colonies of bees of domestic type that will occupy the beehivesTOP BAR.
£ 206
TREES, PLANTS and FLOWERS
We implement the number of native trees and plants, particularly attractive for bees and other pollinating insects. In particular: varities of trees, plants and flowers with different eras of flowering. Among them: peaches, pear trees, orange trees, medlars, lemon trees, pomegranates, thyme, rosemary, broom, clover, calendula ...
£ 334
Two "TOP BAR" hives.
With two more beehives we would reach the optimal number of beehives that we want to implant in our land. € 500 Two packages of Italica bees, with two queen bees. These colonies of bees would install in the two TOP BAR provided in additional expenses if we achieve the optimal financing. woodenˈwo͝odn Definiciones de wooden adjetivo made of wood. a wooden spoon sinónimos: wood, timber, woody, ligneous like or characteristic of wood. a kind of dull wooden sound Ver también With two more beehives we would reach the optimal number of beehives that we want to implant in our land.
£ 429
Two packages of Italica bees, with two queen bees.
These colonies of bees would install in the two TOP BAR provided in additional expenses if we achieve the optimal financing.
£ 206
Needs Material Minimum Optimum
2 beekeeper suits.
Two suits for beekeepers, which allow you to approach the bee colony to verify its good health, make treatments and maintenance of the hive.
£ 223
Health of the apiary
Treatments to prevent diseases and possible pests (varroa in particular).
£ 34
Tiles, t-shirts
Small ceramic tiles, made by an artisan from the village, in the form of a honeycomb cell, which will decorate the entrance to the land BEElive! Printed BEElive!T-shirts.
£ 135
Awards delivery expenses
Award delivery expenses
£ 69
Shelter to protect bee hives from excessive sun exposioure and high temperatures
Due to the climatic conditions of the area, it would be advisable to protect the hives at certain times of the year, especially in summer due to the high temperature, waiting for the planted trees to reach a favorable height to be a natural protection.
£ 129
Awards
Small ceramic tiles, made by an artisan from the village, in the form of a honeycomb cell, which will decorate the entrance to the land BEElive! Prented BEElive! T-shirts.
£ 43
Awards delivery expenses
Awards delivery expenses.
£ 34
Needs Task Minimum Optimum
Environmental education initiatives
we consider the expenses to make materials for workshops of environmental education, informative material, displacements in the territory for the organization and realization of environmental education workshops and meetings, useful tools for environmental education workshops in the same garden ...
£ 386
Commissions
Goteo, Paypal and bank commissions.
£ 200
Dissemination
Dessemination and promotion among local and Spanish organizations.
£ 214
Commissions
Goteo, Paypal an Banck commissions.
£ 113
Total £ 2,642 £ 4,144
Necessary
Supplemental

General information

BEElive! will develop a favorable ecosystem for the proliferation and permanent habitat of pollinating insects, rehabilitating former agricultural land used until September 2017.
We want to recreate and provide a natural and varied environment, with the aim of attracting large numbers of pollinating insects, and offering a favorable environment for bee colonies that will be installed in this natural space. Together, on the same land we will cultivate an ecological vegetable garden, in symbiosis with the different plant species, and with the pollinating insects providing fundamental support for the health of the vegetable garden

For this purpose we will install "insect hotels" created with recycled materials and "TOP BAR" hives . These hives respect the requirements of the colony, since they are very similar to the hives found in nature. They need minimum maintenance, and facilitate the mixing of domestic bees with wild ones, promoting their diffusion and strengthening the colonies.

Our purpose is not to produce honey, since we do not plan to exploit the hives; what fascinates us is the life and organization of bees, their fundamental importance for biodiversity, and the cultivation of healthy and local-grown vegetables. Every time we see a buzzing bee, we should remember that not only most of our food depends on bees and other pollinating insects, but the entire ecosystem and its plant richness. All this we would like to transmit, since we believe in the importance of reactivating the care of bees through family apiaries, (usual in the farming society of the past), promoting a simplified apiculture available to everyone.

Description of the project. Main features, strengths and differentials.

The project is carried out in a land located near a small town, in the region of Puglia, in southern Italy. The land, which we acquired in September 2017, and where we have started to plant trees, is now flat and without vegetation in its most part, since for years it was dedicated to intensive agriculture.
We need trees and plants that are especially attractive to pollinating insects. (fruit trees such as peach trees, pear trees, cherry trees, almond trees, rosemary plants, thyme, lemon balm, clover, sage, dandelion, marigold ...)
We will install three to five hives of the "Top bar" type (each one will host a bee colony).
We will install "insect hotels".
On the same land an ecological garden will be cultivated. The health of plants and vegetables will depend on the surrounding ecosystem. In an area with high occupation of land for intensive agriculture, we want to differentiate ourselves, promoting a new perspective for small scale farmers: where organic farming and the interest towards the repopulation of pollinators predominate, where quality and proximity production is pursued , and where the farmer's work has direct contact with the final consumer.
We believe in the social value of the project, and we will offer environmental education and awareness activities in parallel. We will also promote dissemination at various levels and areas: schools, community, farmers, civic centers, urban gardens, green roofs, and similar projects.

OBJECTIVES:

  • Create a favorable environment for the reproduction and dissemination of pollinating insects.
  • Support biodiversity through practices that increase plant diversity, offering availability of flowers for pollinators in all seasons.
  • Support a healthy and sustainable agricultural model.
  • Offer healthy, good and local grown vegetable products to the community.
  • Spread the family beekeeping.
  • Raise awareness of the importance of all pollinating insects, (not only of domestic bees) and the need to maintain a healthy environment for their survival.
  • Encourage the creation of an "apicultural zone" (through a network of family beehives).
  • Involve small landowners, supporting them in the creation of spaces "friends of the bees".
  • Involve also the local community through visits and workshops, (dissemination of the organic garden model).
  • Dissemination at local, national and international level.
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Why this is important

The use of pesticides and other agrochemicals, and the loss of natural ecosystems in favor of intensive agriculture are some of the main factors that have contributed to the dramatic decline of bees and pollinating insects. Food crops depend heavily on pollination, and it is estimated that between 60 and 90 percent of wild plants depend on the pollination of insects for reproduction.

Intensive agriculture, based on the cultivation of a single crop over vast areas, is one of the main causes for the disappearance of biodiversity.
The experience in the cultivation of the Ortantó vegetable garden has made us notice and appreciate the life inside the ecological garden. The visits of pollinators attracted by flowers have multiplied: wild bees, bumblebees, butterflies and other insects. The presence of reptiles (including turtles), diurnal and nocturnal birds has also increased. Every morning we have been able to observe a surprising life and hence the idea of promoting, through bees, an ecosystem that autonomously develops its defenses, without the intervention of chemical and insecticide products. Our motivation comes from the firsh hand experience which has brought us closer to the world of bees, and has allowed us to understand their fundamental importance for the health of the ecosystem, and the conviction for the need to adopt a model of agricultural production, alternative to intensive monoculture and supporting small producers and the local market.

We are also motivated by the challenge that our project supposes: inserted in a context of intensive agriculture, where there are also small abandoned plots of land, we want to create an important focus for the repopulation of bees and where a different model of agriculture is promoted. Caring for bees and the ecosystem means being able to offer healthy and quality vegetables. Our beneficiaries are mainly our allies: the bees. And consequently the ecosystem, the local production, the consumer and those who will be involved to spread the model through a network of family apiaries.

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Team and experience

For the past seven years, Antonio has been Ortanto's main driver: an organic vegetable garden born of first-person experience, passion and the principles of Antonio, who grows vegetables for family consumption, and for sale through solidarity consumption group. Peasant from the South of Italy, works in the respect to the land and to the care of the quality of the vegetables in front of the quantity. That is why he prefers to call himself a peasant and not a farmer. He does not only use chemical products and follows the calm rhythm of the earth. Quality not only refers to a good and healthy product but also to be able to work observing a living garden: insects that help its care, pollinators that come and go among flowers, animals which find water and shade ...

From this experience comes BEElive! In the team, Antonio takes care of preparing the land, planting more trees and suitable plants, carrying the ecological garden and monitoring and care of the hives.

Simona lives with one foot in the land of Ortanto 'and with another foot in Barcelona. Always with a suitcase at hand and a dream trip in the head. In spite of this dynamism, she is then able to spend whole hours observing a caterpillar eating a leaf or following a bumblebee from one flower to another. Language teacher for adults, environmental educator and passionate about illustration, she has found in the communication the common ground between her passions. She loves working with people: for her, teaching is a continuous learning, sharing and building in common. It will be responsible for the organization of workshops, information sessions and dissemination of the project, in order to promote and support similar initiatives in favor of the creation of bee friendly areas (whether it is a land, a garden or a balcony).
Maurizio is an expert beekeeper, who will help in the implantation of bee colonies and the monitoring of their good health and maintenance.
Bees and other pollinating insects are an indispensable part of the team! They are the indicator of environmental health and of fundamental importance for biodiversity.

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Social commitment

Sustainable Development Goals

  • Affordable and Clean Energy

    Energy is central to nearly every major challenge and opportunity.

  • Responsible Production and Consumption

    Responsible Production and Consumption

  • Life Below Water

    Careful management of this essential global resource is a key feature of a sustainable future.

  • Life On Land

    Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss