Last fall (2019), a committee was formed to investigate starting a club bee yard that would serve to raise North Carolina queens for members of the club plus be able to sell outside of the club as a way to help support the needs of the bee yard. The project would grow out of the NCSBA Born and Bred Queen Rearing program helping to facilitate queen rearing education and also starting to raise more Carolina queen bees.
The committee has been meeting on a regular basis and has presented plans to the membership on two different occasions since first forming. In addition to planning the set up and financing of the new bee yard, the committee has found space for the bee yard — property managed by NC State off of Zephyr Mountain Park Road in Dobson.
The first year of operation (2020) will be growing strong colonies that will be available for queen rearing operations in 2021.
The committee consists of:
Chair | Davie Simpson (336) 320-8363 |
Member | Eugene Brown |
Member | Dawn Albin |
Member | Ed Reynolds |
Member | Bill McArthur |
Member | Kerry Symanowicz |
Member | Matt Kazee |
Member | Barbara Smith |
Member | Alan Gordon |
Member | Ed Snow |
The committee received a grant from the NC Pesticide Environmental Trust Fund on March 10, 2020. The proposal for the grant may be viewed here: Grant Proposal.
There are also sponsorship opportunities for businesses or individuals wishing to help support the project. Sponsors pay $200 and will be able to “adopt” a hive. The hive will have a plaque with their name on it. Sponsor names or logos will be added to the SCBA banner used at public events and will be highlighted on our website as well. Anyone interested in sponsoring a hive should contact SCBA Treasurer Ed Reynolds at 336-352-3345.
To learn more about how this project is shaping up, read the following posts (most include pictures):
- Monitoring Hives with Broodminder
- Bee Yard Project Receives Grant
- Hive Stands for Bee Yard Complete – Part 1
- Hives Are Ready for the Bees – Part 2
- Painting 101
- Hive Setup 101
- Setting Up the Bee Yard – Part 3
- Getting Ready for Hungry Bees – Part 4
- The Bees Have Arrived!
- Installing 3 Pound Packages
- Tending New Bees
- Releasing Queens
- Configuring Your Hive
- Oxalic Acid Treatment
- First Hive Inspection & Queen Marking
- First Hive Inspection
- Field Day – Updated Date: May 1st at 12:00 pm
- Field Day Spring 2021: Pictures from May 1st
- Come see us at Elkin Trail Days and buy honey – Saturday, June 5th
- Surry Beekeeper Honey for Sale
- Nucs for Sale
- Treating Varroa in Bee Yard
- January 2022 Meeting: Results of Bee Yard Testing – January 10th
- Grant Presentation: January 25th, Raleigh
- SCBA Completes Requirements of Grant
- SCBA Efforts Featured in NC Beekeepers Quarterly Magazine
- April 2022 Meeting: Are you thinking about raising queens? – April 11th
- Spring Field Day – Rescheduled to May 7th, 11 am
- Mentor Program @ SCBA Bee Yard on 7/16
- New Positions for Bee Yard: October 10, 2022
Also, many of our “How To” videos are in the bee yard and you can learn more about how the bees are by watching these: