Bees.
And what do bees make?
Honey.
So the Otago Golf Club got its thinking cap on, put some hives near the back of the green on the 12th hole and before you know it, the golf club was selling honey to raise funds.
Otago Golf Club director of golf Shelley Duncan said the idea was a combination of her own thinking and help from club life member Lou McConnell.
Duncan had put a hive at her house late last year, and thought about using the open grounds of the course at the club for the same purpose. McConnell was supportive and got involved. Honey contractor Farm Gate provided the hives and oversees them. It then on-sells the honey to the golf club which has it in different-sized jars, which are then sold at the club house.
Duncan said the hives are near some manuka and kanuka trees, and the honey had come out well.
She said they had sold plenty of honey already, it proving popular with club members. It was a good way to use the land.
She was learning a lot about honey bees and how hard they worked. Bee keeping had become very popular in the last couple of years as honey becomes a more valuable and recognised product for its health benefits.
