Castries, Saint Lucia (Tuesday February 9^th, 2021) – The second phase of The GEF SGP UNDP Knowledge Fair 2020/2021 organised by the GEF Small Grants Programme UNDP and coordinated by the Caribbean Youth Environment Network- Saint Lucia (CYEN) is being held from February 15th to 17th, 2021.

In addition to the UWI Open Campus Saint Lucia Country Conference 2021, another major event being held under The GEF SGP UNDP Knowledge Fair is the island’s first National Honey Show Training Workshop to take place on February 15th and 16th. The workshop is a precursor to the first National Honey Show scheduled to take place in December of this year.

According to the President of Iyanola Apiculture Collective (IAC), Richard Matthias “For many beekeepers across the world, the highpoint of the season is exhibiting at the various honey shows that take place in their country. Our aim therefore is to encourage every beekeeper to enter the National Honey Show. The discipline involved in preparing the exhibit teaches a lot about the proper way to present honey and other hive products.”

A honey show consists of a range of different categories or classes, with a challenge for all levels, from the novice to the expert. There are classes for beekeepers to show their skills at honey presentation in all its forms, e.g., in wax presentation, honey cookery, crafts, gadgets, art and photography. In fact, there are classes for almost any activity related to bees and the hive products.

Jennifer Holmes

Leading Expert and Certified Honey Judge, Ms. Jennifer Holmes has been contracted to deliver the training workshop to prepare entrants for the National Honey Show.  Ms. Holmes who with her family run the award-winning Hani Honey Company, in Stuart Florida is a UF/IFAS Master Beekeeper, UF/IFAS Senior Honey Judge, current President of Florida State Beekeepers Association, and Chair of Slow Food Treasure Coast.

Over the two-day period of the workshop, participants will be trained virtually on how to prepare their entries for submission into the various listed categories, as well as provide information on the competition schedule and rules.

Categories for the honey show include:

1. Honey in Jar (both a Standard Category – Light, Amber, Dark as well as a Novice Category – Light, Amber, Dark)
2. Comb Honey
3. Wax (Candles and Bees Wax Blocks as well as Beauty Products)
4. Mead (Classic Mead and Flavored Mead)
5. Baking with honey (standard recipe and an open class)
6. Art and Photography.

While his activity is organised and implemented by the IAC, President Mathias acknowledges that this event would not have been possible without the support of GEF SGP UNDP.  He also acknowledges the support of in-kind co-funding from Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Government of Saint Lucia.

The IAC invites the public to attend the virtual workshop by registering at www.iyanolaapiculture.org