FEBRUARY 4, 2010 ISSUE
Beginner Beekeeper Course at ASU February 20
A one-day beginner beekeeper course will take place at ASU’s I.G. Auditorium on Saturday, February 20. Photo submittedSponsored by the ASU Sustainable Development Department, the Watauga County Beekeepers Association will offer a one-day beginner beekeeper course on Saturday, February 20, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at ASU’s I.G. Greer Auditorium.
The cost is $15 per person or $20 for a family of two, and free parking is available at Rivers Street Parking Deck on Rivers Street. Lunch and a resource notebook will be provided to all participants, and the snow date for the class is February 27. To register, call the Watauga County Cooperative Extension Office at 828-264-3061.
Anyone interested in learning more about the amazing insects or interested in beekeeping should not miss out on this local event. Participants will learn about useful equipment, where to locate a bee yard, how to install a package of bees and how to manage a beehive year-round in the High Country. Attendees will also be eligible to attend a beekeeping field day in the spring at Amy Johnston’s farm in Vilas, during which they will get up close and personal with her bees and gain hands-on experience in hives.
Speakers this year include Shane Gebauer from Brushy Mountain Bee Farm; Will Hicks, president of the Eastern Apiculture Society and N.C. apiary inspector; and Burton Moomaw, former vice president of the Watauga County Beekeepers Association.
Vendors will be onsite selling beekeeping-related items, such as a large selection of books and beekeeping supplies, and attendees can speak with onsite representatives about ordering bees. Because of the recent increase in beekeeping, bees are in high demand and interested beginner beekeepers are encouraged to research where to buy bees ahead of time.
Watauga County Beekeepers Association meets the first Tuesday of every month, March through November, at the Cooperative Extension Office in Boone. Beginners are encouraged to become members and attend the meetings to continue their beekeeping education.
From August 2 to 6, Boone will host the Eastern Apicultural Society Conference (EAS). In 1955, EAS was established with the purpose of “promoting honeybee culture, the education of beekeepers and excellence in bee research.” An estimated 500 people from around the world are anticipated to attend this conference.
For more information about EAS, click to www.easternapiculture.org/programs/2010.
Community Interest
News & Notes
Events
Arts & Entertainment
