Withrow Park Farmers' Market - Bee keeper's hammock demo!

So what do bees, hammocks, and a farmers' market have in common? Brian Hamlin!

If you visit the Withrow Park Farmers' Market you can meet Brian Hamlin. Brian Hamlin is a honey guy that has also been expertly weaving hammocks for the last 40 years. Brian learned to weave his first hammock in Mexico where he studied under traditional Zapotec hammock weavers. Brian puts a lot of love and care into these beautiful creations, merging the beauty of a traditional hand crafted item with function and durability. The result is a product that will last a lifetime! Brian uses heavy duty hemp fibre which is naturally antimicrobial, fray resistant, and increases strength with wear and use. Join Brian for these special demos where he will share his knowledge of this ancient tradition, and will gladly answer any of your questions. Watch him as he weaves a hammock right before your eyes!

About Brian:

Not only can you ask Brian about hammock weaving, but you can also ask him any questions you may have about bee keeping! Brian has been a beekeeper for nearly four decades, and his honey is as local as you can get. His hives are scattered throughout the city in such locations as the Leslie Spit, Toronto Islands, the Portlands and even the 8th floor of University of Toronto's New College at College and Spadina. According to Hamlin, the diverse vegetation in the city leads to honey with more complex tastes than honey from rural areas, where bees generally gather pollen from mono-cropped fields. Each city location produces honey with its own unique taste. Also, since pesticides are banned in the city you can be assured that the bees are not gathering nectar from sprayed plants and flowers.

Unlike commercial beekeepers, he raises his bees as naturally as possible, with no antibiotics, no sugar supplements to boost production and no access to sprayed fields. The result is healthier bees. He believes the city offers enormous potential for beekeeping, but currently Toronto is far behind cities like New York, Paris, Chicago and Vancouver where by-laws are less restrictive. In addition to pure honey, Brian sells honey infused with organic spices like cocoa, cinnamon, ginger and turmeric. He’s happy to offer tastes at the Withrow Park Farmers' Market and to answer any questions to anyone interested in learning about the wonders of bees and bee keeping.

Dates:

Saturday, June 22

Saturday, July 7

Saturday, July 21

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