Oh Honey

Outside & In Magazine was thrilled to sit down with the Queen Bee herself, Mokgadi Mabela, founder of Native Nosi, the honey brand taking SA by storm, to find out what goes on behind the scenes in her honey hive, why we should be introducing bees into our gardens and what it takes to run a thri-hiving business!

Q: How did you get into beekeeping? It’s such a unique and niche profession.

My grandfather was actually a crop and livestock farmer and kept a few beehives to help pollinate his crops. My father was particularly interested in the beekeeping aspect of it and introduced it to me. I spent a lot of time as a youngster around the hives and watching my father, so I feel as though I have been doing it for all of my life. One day I had a genius idea to sell my father’s honey, it was delicious of course, but I was also observing the demand for honey grow and I knew we had a product that could service this growth. My dad suggested I get a few beehives to start making my own honey, and just like that, Native Nosi was born.

Q: What made you create the brand name 'Native Nosi'?

Native Nosi comprises of 2 words – 'Native', meaning homegrown, indigenous, authentic, pure, rich and 'Nosi', which is a Sepedi (my home language) term, refering to the honey bee.

Q: How many beehives do you currently manage and how many employees help you?

We currently have approximately 300 active beehives. We employ 2 full time beekeepers, and 2 employees who run our Emporium. The rest are casual employees who are on site as and when needed, depending on the season and the beekeeping work required.

Q: Your hives are placed on farms around Gauteng. Does the location of the hive change the texture and taste of your honey?

The flowers and crops that the bees feed on will determine the colour, taste and thickness of the honey. Our bees are mostly exposed to Avocado, Macadamia, Sunflower, Acacia, Boekenhout and multiflora (indigenous vegetation).

Q: Beginner beekeepers! Say one of our readers is considering establishing their own hive… How would they go about doing this in their own garden?

We highly recommend interested candidates undergo a beginner beekeeping class to learn the basics of how to handle bees while remaining safe. There are a few companies that offer this. A beekeeping starter kit can be bought, including a beehive and protective clothing. A beekeeping course can assist you to naturally attract bees to the hive by using products, such as wax and propolis to line your beehive in spring. In order to give your hive a better chance at attracting a strong, healthy natural swarm which will build, brood and make delicious honey.

Beginner beekeeping courses and equipment providers near you!

Honeywood Farm in the Western Cape runs a 2 day beekeeping course throughout the year. This includes food, accommodation, the course and course material. For more information, check them out: www.honeywoodfarm.co.za

Bee Ware in Cape Town offers both beekeeping courses and beekeeping starter kits and protective wear. A one stop shop if you ask us! www.beeware.co.za

BHive, based in Pretoria, offers beekeeping courses, protective clothing, starter kits and smokers – everything you might need when starting out.

www.bhive.co.za

Highveld Honey Farms in Benoni, sells an array of equipment from gloves, to wax strips, to boots and overalls. www.highveldhoney.co.za

Overberg Honey Co. sells all the equipment and clothing for beginner beekeepers and they’re based in Hermanus, Stanford, Grabouw and online!

www.overberghoney.co.za

If you’re still stuck – contact the Southerns Beekeeping Association www.beekeepers.co.za or the South African Bee Industry Organisation (SABIO) at www.sabio.org.za

Native Nosi

Mokgadi Mabela

www.nativenosi.co.za

@nativenosi @nativenosi

Q: How do you tell when a hive is happy or stressed?

It’s difficult to articulate, but the long and short of it is that unhappy bees will normally abscond the beehive, while happy bees remain in the hive. As the beekeeper learns their bees, they are likely to start understanding their behavior and what it means.

Q: When is it time to harvest the honey and how do you go about doing this?

Responsible beekeepers harvest excess honey that the bees have stored. A beekeeper will put on their smoker, smoke the entrance and exit of the beehive to make the bees believe there is a fire. While the bees are preoccupied with preparing to leave, the beekeeper will harvest the honey and close the beehive as soon as possible to allow the bees to realise there is no fire, so that they can continue with their business.

Q: Why should our readers introduce bees into their gardens?

Bees are critical for human survival, without bees we wouldn’t have fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts. Bees use scent to find flowers from afar, so choose sweetly scented, nectar-rich plants. Interestingly, bees can only see the colour of plants when they get closer to them. Bees are attracted to blue, yellow, white, purple and violet flowers with violet being their top choice.

TO ENCOURAGE BEES INTO YOUR GARDEN, HERE ARE SOME PLANTING SUGGESTIONS:

FOR HERBS, PLANT:

Borage, garden mint, lavender and rosemary.

FOR PERENNIALS, PLANT:

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Blue Mealy Sage (Salvia farinacea ‘Victoria’), Cape Marguerite (Osteospermum ecklonis), Blue Lily (Agapanthus praecox) and Ribbon Bush (Hypoestes aristata).

FOR ANNUALS, PLANT:

Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus), Pot Marigold (Calendula officinalis), Sunflower (Helianthus annuus), Fairy Primula (Primula malacoides) and Cape Forget-me-not (Anchusa capensis).

FOR SHRUBS, PLANT:

Aloes (Aloe spp), Heather (Erica spp), Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) and September Bush (Polygala myrtifolia),

"BEES ARE CRITICAL FOR HUMAN SURVIVAL, WITHOUT BEES WE WOULDN’T HAVE FRUITS, VEGETABLES, SEEDS AND NUTS."

Q: What is the difference between raw and creamed honey?

Raw honey is honey that has not been tampered with in any way, it should be as the bees made it. This is the honey we sell at Native Nosi. We also take some of our honey and cream it, this is when the honey crystalises and becomes grainy or hard, you beat the honey to breakdown the small pieces until the honey is smooth and creamy. Raw honey and creamed honey are the same product, just different handling which results in different textures of the product. Creamed honey is great for spreading on cheeseboards and serving on harvest tables.

Q: What are some of your favourite recipes to pair honey with?

When I host, I love to have some honey on my harvest boards or cheeseboards. I make vinaigrettes and marinades with honey and add it to stews or even drizzle it on roast veggies. I also make a variety of warm drinks to keep the cold away as a healthy alternative to processed sugars.

Q: What are some of your products under your brand and where can our readers find them around South Africa?

We have a variety of honey products including honeycombs and infused creamed honey options. Some of the infusions include hemp, chilli, coffee, chai, citrus and garlic. We also have an Emporium which sells both ours and other local entrepreneurs products. You can visit our store at Greenlyn Village Centre in Menlo Park or alternatively visit our online store.

Q: How do you hope to expand the Native Nosi brand in the coming years and what are some interesting or exciting products you have on the horizon?

We are hoping to launch a skincare range in the near future and expand into beekeeping equipment for wholesale in both South Africa and Africa, thus employing more people and contributing towards the growth and sustainability of the beekeeping business.

Mokgadi Mabela- Founder of Native Nosi

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