What started out as just a hobby for Belinda Foley has turned into an award-winning product and one that's critical to life on the planet.
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The woman behind Beelinda's Bee Hive recently received Champion in the small producer category for her honey at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
In addition to the award for her honey, Belinda also took home six first places for her beeswax candles, making for a grand total of seven firsts, five seconds and one third.
It's a long way from when she first started taking care of bees almost a decade ago with the help of a lifelong bee lover.
"There was an old beekeeper that used to live on the property by the name of Joe," she told the Post.
"He'd worked with bees his whole life. So he started me with the bees in 2013, he ever married or had kids so his life was the bees and I was really keen to learn.
"He passed away last year at the age of 80 and I inherited all his bees."
Fast forward to 2022 and Belinda's 18 hives, located on the family farm outside Crookwell, are flourishing and garnering some serious attention.
"I'm a bit hooked on showing now!" she said.
"Last year I went to the Tamworth and I clean swept the place with two champions and best exhibitor.
"It's gone crazy! I'm actually out packing honey as we speak because I keep running out getting ready for Laggan market tomorrow."
While the products may taste and look great, Belinda said looking after such an important part of our ecosystem was vital.
It's a pertinent reminder as the world stops to celebrate International Bee Day on Friday (May 20).
"Bees are so instrumental to what we need as a society," she explained.
"The way we live our lifestyles we cannot survive without the European honey bee...they can pollinate and make honey much faster than any native bee.
"Without them we're doomed as a race. It's so important to keep them alive and healthy.
"They are a farmed animal and have been designed to produce way too much honey for themselves. They'll actually take up the spaces where they have their babies and make honey in it.
"So if you don't manage them, give them space and take some honey off them they will kill themselves."
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