Speakers
Future Speakers
Brandon Simmons
April 11, 2024
Brandon Simmons is a third-generation beekeeper and owner of Foothills Farm & Apiary who has been beekeeping for over 20 years. Under his leadership, Foothills Farm & Apiary has been in the forefront of honey bee breeding for seven years. The breeding program employs an innovative approach incorporating artificial insemination to precisely control genetic selection. Brandon’s dedication extends beyond the apiary as he actively engages in research aimed at understanding genetic factors influencing honey bee traits. Come hear a fascinating presentation on his research and findings at our April Beekeepers Meeting!
Dr. Dana Stahlman
May 9, 2024
Dr. Stahlman will be presenting some incredible information about honeys and different varieties, highlighted by some honey tasting of 10 different varieties at the beginning of the meeting, and followed by some insight into honey harvesting and usage of all things from the hive – including wax products! You will not want to miss it!
Dr. Stahlman writes:
I was born into a commercial beekeeping family, I still remember my grandpa got me a smoker for Christmas. I was encouraged to go to college and I have had two careers -- bees and teaching. I took over the business full time in 1993 moving bees from Ohio to Georgia and back. I learned to graft queens by the time I became a teenager. One high point of my beekeeping life was knowing Vick Thompson and Walter Rothenbuler at THE Ohio State University in the early 1980's. I was manager of The Ohio States Buckeye Gardens on the West Campus. I developed two lines of queens that no longer exist (Buckeye Belle & Buckeye Reb). I sold Stahlman Apiaries in 2015 and moved to Raleigh. There are still individuals who contact me about queens, but now I just have fun with bees and working with the new beekeepers from Wake County Beekeepers Assoc. I have written four books and during the 1990's and early 2000's I wrote articles for Bee Culture Magazine. I currently write a weekly beekeeping newsletter.
Doug Vinson
June 13, 2024
Our speaker for June will be Doug Vinson. He will be talking about overwintering in reduced nest cavity size.
Dr. Doug Vinson, a retired dentist lives and keeps bees in Catawba County.
Learning the craft from his father at an early age, he has many years of experience. Honey production has been his primary goal but in recent years his interest in nuc production and management has become an important part of his beekeeping routine.
Doug finished a three-year term as NCSBA president in 2023.