News & Events: Information on Meetings and other News & Events
ACBA April Meeting
April 13, 2023
Hello to all!
Finally, Spring is peeking through and I am so ready for it! I'm looking forward to seeing you all at the Ashe County Beekeepers Association Meeting this week. We'll be meeting on Thursday, April 13 at 6PM at the Asche County Cooperative Extension Office conference room. We have lots to discuss and an interesting presentation to share from Dr. Megan Damico on Probiotics for honey bees. We'll also learn more about festooning - not sure what that is? Come on out and we'll explain. See the attached agenda for more details.
As always, we appreciate donations for door prizes. We'll have pizza and soda beginning at 5:30PM. Also, if you haven't yet paid your 2023 dues, we invite you to find Treasurer David Tanner while you're at the meeting.
See you soon!
Wayne Pitts, President
Ashe County Beekeepers Association
Beekeeper Training Opportunity
March 31, 2023
HS Greene from Hidden Happiness called to let the Ashe County Beekeepers know that Robert Smith will be offering an advanced beekeeping course to help prepare for the NCBA Journeyman's exam beginning this weekend. As you may know Mr. Smith is on the Master Beekeeper Committee for the NC Beekeepers Association and that he is the one who prepares the study guides and online quizzes.
The class will meet at the Hidden Happiness Bee farm classroom at the following times:
Friday (3/31), 5-8PM
Saturday (4/1), 8AM-noon)
Friday (4/7) , 5-8PM
Saturday (4/8), 8AM-noon)
The cost is $100/person.
Hidden Happiness Bee Farm is located at Chestnut Mountain Rd, Deep Gap, NC 28618.
I'll be there, I hope you will too! Please let me know if you have questions about the event. Also, let me know if you plan to attend.
Happy apiaries,
Wayne Pitts
ACBA President
May Meeting of the ACBA
May 11, 2023
A message from Wayne Pitts:
Hello to all,
Our next meeting is coming up this week, Thursday May 11 at 6PM at the Ashe County Cooperative Extension Office.
Rickey Roark will be presenting on horizontal hives and asking, “Is a horizontal hive the right choice for you and your bees?” Come here more about how the Roark's entrepreneurship has allowed them to expand into new markets.
We'll have pizza beginning at 5:30PM (please share some $$ to cover expenses). And as always, feel free to bring a dessert or a gift item to donate as door prizes.
Best regards,
Wayne Pitts, President
Ashe County Beekeepers Association
March Meeting of the ACBA
3/9/23
A message from Wayne Pitts
Hello to all!
I have Spring Fever, though I expect more cold weather and even snow might be in our future. I certainly hope your bees have thrived through the winter. We've had losses but from what I've heard, most beekeepers are reporting solid success at overwintering their colonies.
Our next ACBA meeting will be this Thursday (3/9) at 6PM at the Agricultural Extension Office in Jefferson, behind Bojangles. Notice the time - we meet at 6PM. Also, if you have an item or two to donate for door prize drawings we always appreciate them!
We'll have pizza available at 5:30PM if you want to come a bit early and catch up with fellow beekeepers. We have an exciting agenda planned with Todd and Donna Swanson speaking on two important topics. Please plan to attend!
Best regards,
Wayne Pitts, President
Ashe County Beekeepers Association
ACBA Regular Meeting
CANCELLED
A note from President Wayne Pitts:
Hello to all,
Looks like we might have a couple of good days to take a peek inside our hives this week. I sure hope so. I'm pleased to report that the WCC Beginning Beekeeping Class met this week with 15 students enrolled!
We will have the final "winter" meeting of the ACBA on Thursday, February 9 from 6-8PM. As for topics, we'll be discussing
* Honeybee Seasonal Life
* Plants, Pollination
* Harvesting and Marketing Honeybee Products
I look forward to seeing you all there!
Best regards,
Wayne Pitts, President
Ashe County Beekeepers Association
Wayne Pitts Note About Upcoming Meeting
January 12, 2023
Hello to all!
Happy New Year to all! Kim and I are just back from the 2023 Hive Life Conference in Sevierville, TN. Wow - what an experience! I was so pleased to see about a dozen ACBA and other Ashe County beekeepers there. Besides the Roarks, all of our local bee vendors were there. I think Northwest NC was well represented. Start making plans to go next year.
We will be meeting this Thursday, January 12 from 6-8PM. The format is a little different in the winter months. Travis Birdsall from the Ashe County Agricultural Extension Office will make a presentation and we will continue with some more in-depth discussions of honey bee diseases, beekeeping history, and pesticides. We'll have pizza too!
The Wilkes Community College Ashe Campus will be offering the Beginner Beekeeping Class again this Spring and the ACBA is offering scholarships to cover tuition ($70) and 2023 dues ($15) for applicants who are selected. Last year, we funded three scholarships and there could be more this year. Please share the attached flyer within your social networks and encourage your friends and neighbors to apply. We hope you will apply too!
The Beginner Class (AGR-3001-308 Beginning Beekeeping (63594)) is held on Mondays from 6-9PM, Feb 6-Mar 27. Also, there is an Advanced Beekeeping class (AGR-3001-309 Advanced Beekeeping (63595) being offered at the WCC Ashe Campus on Tuesday nights from 6-9PM from Feb 28 to Apr 18)! I am already aware of 6 persons who intend to take the course, besides Kim and me. Please sign up and encourage others to take a look. Here's the schedule of classes where you can register: https://www.wilkescc.edu/wdce/
Best regards,
Wayne Pitts
ACBA President
ACBA Scholarship Announced!
January 5, 2023
All,
Please link to the below PDF which has information about the new scholarship being offered by the Ashe County Beekeeping Association!
Great news and hopefully many, many will look to apply...