Dean from Dean’s Bees has been a stallholder at the Perth City Farm Farmer’s Market for about 13 years. On a Saturday morning, his local honey shines in the sunlight with a beautiful golden glow. Ask Dean for a taste before you buy, and he’ll tell you what flavour notes to expect from this batch of honey. Last Saturday at the markets, the honey was rich in Jacarandah.
A Buzzing Passion
Working as an architect for most of the week, Dean became a beekeeper almost by accident when he found a swarm of bees in his back garden. When he couldn’t find a beekeeper to come and collect them, he began researching bees for himself. The deeper into the research he got, the more fascinated he became. It brought up childhood memories of his grandfather’s farm in Zimbabwe, where he would eat fresh honey from bees kept on the farm in his morning porridge.
Part of the City Farm ‘Farmily’
It didn’t take long for Dean to become totally hooked by bees. Within a year he went from zero to 16 hives, and an abundance of honey. That’s when he found City Farm and started selling his honey to the local community here. He also set up some bee hives on the Farm to support pollination in the market gardens, and sometimes you’ll find City Farm honeycomb for sale at our stall.
In true cross-pollination style, Dean also has seven hives at a biodynamic farm in Muchea run by Michelle and Mario who have been bringing their produce to the City Farm Farmer’s Market for twenty odd years. Dean also has some hives that he manages in Maylands and Mount Lawley.
Dean says the Farmer’s Market is a nice way to start his weekend, feeling connected to a community of people who care and look out for each other. Being a stallholder here for so many years, he’s developed relationships with his customers and even seen children grow up and people reach life milestones. The first time he met his grandson-in-law was at the Farmer’s Market!
Ethical Beekeeping
Dean sees himself as somewhat of a custodian of the bees, and this requires an ethically responsible approach. Part of that responsibility involves treating the bees with respect, giving them a stable and natural environment to flourish in and researching deeply to understand their needs.
In becoming an urban beekeeper, Dean says he’s learned so much more about the local environment. The bees invite him to learn what plants are flowering when, and to notice the seasonal changes more closely than ever before.
Urban Beekeeping Workshop
Dean’s passion for beekeeping hasn’t faded over the years. When he’s out working with the hives, he gets drunk on the sound of the bees: it’s a totally immersive experience. He’s full of knowledge and keen to share what he knows with others. Stop by his stall on a Saturday morning and have a chat with him.
Dean runs urban beekeeping workshops seasonally at City Farm. The next Urban Beekeeping Masterclass is on the 8 March 2025. If you’re interested in beekeeping, or just want to learn more about the fascinating life of bees, come and join us. It’ll be a hands-on class with a chance to harvest and taste honeycomb from the hives at Perth City Farm.
Follow Deans Bees on Instagram.
Follow the Perth City Farm Instagram and Facebook for a weekly update of which stallholders will be at the Saturday Farmer’s Market.