Dr. James D. (Doug) Vinson is a semi-retired dentist living in Catawba County. His dad was a beekeeper and he instilled the love of the honey bee in Doug. Education, career, etc. kept him away from the bees for a number of years. About eighteen years ago he bought two packages and the rest is history. Today he tries to maintain about twenty-five colonies for honey production at several locations in Catawba and Avery counties.

Doug is currently serving as an NCSBA Regional Director for the Mountain Region and VP of the Catawba County Beekeepers club. He is in the NCSBA Master Beekeeper Program and is currently at the Journeyman level. Membership in other organizations includes the ABF and EAS.

Doug’s presentation, “Summer Splits: Timing and Techniques for Mite Load Reduction” will explore some colony manipulations that interrupt the reproductive cycle of the Varroa mite at a critical time in the beekeeping year.

Time and Location:  April 13th – 7:00 – 9:00 pm at the Surry County Cooperative Extension Office, Dobson, NC [ map ]