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Emdoneni News

Emdoneni Lodge’s Beekeeping Diaries by our beekeeper Craig Munro

8/8/17 Both hives now have bees in them. Exciting times! The strength of the swarm will be checked regularly before Spring and Summer. 19/12/17 Full inspection of all frames were done today. They are doing great and I’m very happy with their growth and health. The one colony had a minor hive beetle infestation but all have been destroyed so the bees can work without pests. Both hives are almost ready for the honey supers but I put them on now as I am satisfied the colonies are strong and ready. God willing we will have a honey harvest within the next two months 30/1/18 Ok, inspection done! Some good news, some great news and some exciting news! Good news: Number two hive, is very strong and very healthy. Packed with happy, working bees and no evidence of disease or pests again. Not even one hive beetle seen. The brood chamber is full, all ten frames with a huge honey crown above the brood combs (slight concern that they are not using the space above in the super but will monitor this). They are drawing out the comb in the super now which is good but if the queen excluder is slowing them I will remove it next time. Great news: number one hive is phenomenal! From a small colony that moved in during winter and through a dearth period they have exceeded expectations massively! These guys are the real deal? The super is filling up fast, seven nearly full frames and drawn comb in the other three. They will need another super chamber within the next week. Gorgeous acacia honey coming soon!! Exciting news: The eucalyptus plantations are just coming into flower, from now until April/May there should be a rich abundance of nectar available to the bees in every direction! If the weather conditions are right they should produce a very good crop. Hold thumbs and pray. We can split the hives after the harvest and create another colony as well. 25/4/18 I inspected all your hives yesterday. They are healthy, with no obvious pests or parasites present. They seem to have just stopped making, this was evident on the last inspection as well. A bit strange but possibly because the source of nectar was abruptly cut off. Anyway, the bees are fine. Perhaps they will reward you with a nice spring crop. 13/6/18 Your new hive is in place and ready for bees which I will bring soon. (Unless a swarm moves in by themselves) I have returned the empty super chamber and placed it on top of the 3rd hive, I also returned the frame to the 1st hive. I have completed a full inspection of all three occupied hives and am very happy with their overall health. Number one and two are still strong with plenty of honey in the brood chamber to see them through winter. Number three is a bit weak with less honey but I am not worried about them as they have a healthy laying queen and eggs in the cells. There are no parasites or signs of disease in any of the hives. I have removed the new swarm from the cupboard area and cut away all the combs, the queen is also captured so there is no chance of re-establishing themselves. I will check the hives again around end of July, there are signs that they have found some winter food which will mean strong colonies ready to take advantage of the spring nectar. 5/2/19 There are now four healthy beehives situated in the peace of the bush at Emdoneni. The bees have done very well to maintain their strength through winter and a few tough months so far this summer with almost no surplus nectar around. The latest inspection shows that they are now finding a good strong flow of nectar and starting to produce a divine Acacia and Eucalyptus honey which should be ready to harvest soon. 28/3/19 Beekeeping course today at Emdoneni! Four interested beekeepers arrive with huge excitement to learn more about this amazing specie. Over the last two years Emdoneni experienced joyousness moments as we observed the healthy activity of our local liveliness bees. Our beekeeper carefully planned the process and unquestionable worth the wait, our bees’ produced the most delightful pure, raw, natural organic honey. We recently bottled our second batch of honey, made with utmost love, at Emdoneni by our hard industrious and diligent bees. What a beautiful (bee-autiful) natural event to witness! We are really chuffed with our resident busy bees who have worked extremely hard throughout the drought to offer us their exceptional natural gift. Emdoneni’s owner, Cecillie Nel also qualified as a beekeeper and will take on the duties along with Craig Munro to make sure the hives and bees are happy and healthy. What a privilege to be able to observe and to work with these clever little creatures!

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Emdoneni News

These are how many travellers from Africa visited KwaZulu-Natal

Looks like KwaZulu-Natal is fast becoming a must visit destination for travellers from Africa.  The latest statistics from South Africa Tourism confirm that an increasing number of tourists are already visiting KZN from across Africa-and that they represent the biggest portion of international arrivals to the province.“In 2017, almost 60% of the international arrivals in KZN were from the African continent, which demonstrates the importance of this growing key market,” said Phindile Makwakwa, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of TKZN.“For the past two weeks we’ve hosted “Spotlight on Africa” workshops in Lusaka, Zambia, Gaberone and Namibia to engage key trade partners through workshops to educate them more about the province, so to ultimately bring more numbers from these regions to KZN.  “Our aim is to get KZN in the all-important holiday brochures that the agents give to their clients.”TKZN is currently hosting 34 tourism buyers from 17 countries across Africa who are already keen to sell KZN and other South African regions to their customers.The hosted delegates, who form part of the Central, East and Land trade team, arrived in the province on Sunday and will be exploring the region’s hidden gem tourist attractions.The SA Tourism research revealed that more than 7, 5-million tourists from across Africa visited the country in 2017, which represented 73,5 % of the total arrivals into South Africa. Between January and October, 2018, arrivals from Africa increased by 2.9% to 6.4million.Arrivals into KZN from across Africa in 2017 were 485 775, up from 464 863 from the previous year. Further research reveals that the top activities that international tourists enjoy in KZN are the beach, theme parks, adventure and wildlife followed by visiting natural attractions.The visitors come from a range of countries and do not hold back when it comes to spending on their holidays and business trips when they get here. When it came to the Africa arrivals who flew into KZN in 2017, the top four source countries are Nigeria (3 564 passengers), Tanzania (3 013), the DRC (2 582) and Kenya (1 968). These visitors stayed the longest and were among the top spenders. While the number of visitors from Ghana (726) was low, the tourists stayed the longest and spent the most and thus this was a market with potential to grow, researchers felt. The Ugandan and Angolan markets had similar potential.As for the tourists who arrived via land borders, Swaziland topped with list with 292 038 visitors, followed by Botswana (49 741), Lesotho (48 922), Zimbabwe (40 799) and Zambia (9 690).The top big spenders were Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Lesotho. And those who stayed the longest in the province hailed from Malawi, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and Mozambique.From May 2-4, KZN will host to the Africa Travel Indaba, which is a meeting place for buyers where the gems of South Africa will be marketed and sold.“These platforms have provided TKZN with an opportunity to position KZN as a top-of-mind ‘must visit’ destination. It’s a chance to educate agents about the province’s wide diverse tourism offerings as we drive the campaign to grow the number of tourists and get more people arriving at King Shaka International Airport,” Makwakwa said.   Source credit: www.iol.co.za  

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Emdoneni News

7 benefits of aromatherapy massage

Aromatherapy is a form of Eastern medicine that has been in use for over 4,000 years. There are many powerful benefits of using aromatherapy massage for both physical and mental health. Here are 7 of them. 1. Better circulation With an aromatherapy massage, parts of the body are gently manipulated, which increases blood flow to the muscles and vital organs. An aromatherapy massage enhances the flow of blood via the absorption of oils through the skin and into the bloodstream. Essential oils used to encourage circulation and strengthen capillaries are cypress, frankincense, grapefruit, juniper berry and sandalwood. 2. Decreased anxiety A massage combined with aromatherapy can calm the senses and induce relaxation. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, aromatherapy massage decreases anxiety levels by stimulating the release of endorphins, which are the body’s natural painkillers and stress reduction hormones. Essential oils used to eliminate anxiety are rosewood, sandalwood and vanilla. 3. Enhanced mental awareness The scents of essential oils and stimulation of massage on the body activates the olfactory nerves in the brain, which amplifies serotonin production and enhances a person’s mental capacity. Essential oils that are used to stimulate the body and mind include juniper berry, sage and vetiver. 4. Headache relief Individuals who suffer from constant headaches may possibly find relief with an aromatherapy massage. Essential oils typically used to conquer headache pain include peppermint and ylang ylang. 5. PMS relief Premenstrual syndrome affects millions of women each month, plaguing them with bloating, fatigue and increased sensitivity to pain. Fortunately, the unpleasant markers of PMS are known to be eliminated via aromatherapy massage. Oils that are used to treat PMS symptoms are birch, jasmine and patchouli. 6. Restful sleep To help prevent bouts of insomnia, calming methods like aromatherapy massage are recommended to induce sleep. When used as a tool to encourage sleep, it’s advised to receive an aromatherapy massage in the later afternoon or evening. Oils that promote restful sleep are lavender, marjoram and spikenard. 7. Toxin removal The gentle manipulation of the body along with the purifying scents of essential oils encourage lymphatic drainage, which assists in the elimination of toxins. Lemongrass and myrtle are a couple of essential oils helpful in the removal of toxins from the body. Caution Many common health issues have been known to improve with the use of aromatherapy massage. Please note that individuals with bleeding disorders, heart failure and kidney failure are advised not to receive this type of massage.   Book your Aromatherapy Massage at Emdoneni Spa now for the ultimate relaxation treatment! Aromatherapy Massage 60 min A gentle, therapeutic full body massage using a blend of aromatic plant oils to induce relaxation and equilibrium in the body. Contact Emoneni Spa at: office@emdonenilodge.com +27 (0)35 562-7000/7001 +27 (0)82 713-3686   Source Credit: www.yellowpages.ca

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Emdoneni News

5 Practical Tips to Help Save the Bees

Our world’s food supply depends on honey bees.   One of every three bites of our food originates from bees pollinating the flowers that produce our fruits, nuts, vegetables and even coffee–coffee production has been found to double when purposely pollinated by honey bees. Each one of us benefits from a healthy honey bee population. Honeybee populations have been declining for decades, (due to colony collapse disorder and other stressors) and they continue to struggle for survival. Honey bees are biological indicators, meaning that honey bee health reflects the general health of the environment. Bee losses are possibly a symptom of a much greater environmental problem. Some organizations and governments have taken steps to try to reverse the trend but it’s not enough. Here are 5 things you can do to help Save the Bee: Rethink the manicured lawn Dandelions and clover could not be any easier to grow–all you have to do is nothing. Let dandelions, clover, and other bee-friendly plants grow in your garden and yard.   Community gardens The benefits of a community garden go way beyond helping to Save the Bee. They help improve air and soil quality, increase plant and animal biodiversity, and when you plant fruit, vegetable and grain crops, you will have a source of fresh food that does not need to be “trucked in” to your community. Keep away from toxic chemicals Bees do not stand a chance against toxic chemicals designed to kill weeds and pests. You can actually see the effects of spraying toxic chemicals on a bee or a beehive–the bees die. What you don’t see right away are the effects on you, your family and your pets. Weed killers and pesticides are marketed as being safe as long as you follow the instructions and allow the chemicals to dry before permitting children or pets to enter the area where the chemical has been applied. But, there is plenty of evidence that these chemicals are not safe for any living things, and some have been linked to certain cancers. Organic weed and pest control is a safer and healthier choice for you, your family and the bees. No-kill bee removal solution When bees nest inside your home you might be inclined to grab a can of pesticide and get them out. Or, you might call an exterminator who will use toxic chemicals and wipe out the entire colony. Consider instead a bee-friendly option that will save the bee–humane bee removal. Many pest removal services are educated about the plight of the honey bee and now offer humane bee removal. They’ll save the bee without using toxic chemicals and they’ll remove the honeycomb, which if left intact, will create a mess and attract other animals and insects. Contact your local beekeeping association or search online for “humane bee removal” or “live bee removal” to find a local service. Find out where your honey comes from CCorn-basedsweeteners are spectacularly energy intensive in growth and production, and cause a plethora of ethical problems. Honey is a great alternative but cheap, highly processed honey is very likely to be manufactured by companies that are not concerned about the treatment of their bees and the quality of the honey. The honey you can get from small local beekeepers is typically raw honey in its sweet, pure, most natural state. It’s unfiltered, minimally processed and contains protein-packed bee pollen and enzymes.   Source credit: www.countrylife.co.za Images: Pixabay.com  

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Emdoneni News

Recognition of Excellence Award

We are super proud to announce that we have received a #RecognitionofExcellence ranking from HotelsCombined.com Emdoneni Lodge was chosen, based on a strict set of criteria. In order to be considered, properties must meet the following criteria: • At the time of judging, a winner is rated 8.00/10 or over with a minimum of 50 customer reviews certified by HotelsCombined. • No major customer service problems, nor recurring or unresolved issues were detected. Moreover, HotelsCombined is taking in great consideration the way the hotel staff answered the Hotels communication team, demonstrating their commitment in providing quick assistance. Emdoneni Lodge boasts a high satisfaction rating among guests and travel industry experts, receiving 391 reviews for an impressive rating of 8.9 out of 10. “We are thrilled to be working with the best hotels in South Africa and Emdoneni Lodge is certainly among them” What is different about the Recognition of Excellence is the way information is gathered and analysed: it all depends on the guest and his or her experience with that particular accommodation.” – Alberto Castellucchio, Market Manager of HotelsCombined South Africa

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Established in April 1993

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