Submitted by:
Sharon Christ, WCBA Sec-Tres, 927-1775
Dale Cunningham, WCBA President, 354-6916
A group of citizens from Calhoun, Clay, Roane, and Wirt Counties have recently established a new beekeeping association known as West Central Beekeepers' Association (WCBA). In conjunction with Brandy Brabham, WVU Extension Agent, the new club was established May 1st of this year, in hopes of gaining more education and knowledge on the art of beekeeping and honey harvest.
At each meeting, the association tries to obtain a well-informed and knowledgeable speaker, who can teach about the necessity of having bees in the area, as to food crops; how to enlarge the population of bees; introducing new bees to hives; treating for mites and other diseases, which might be contracted by the bees; and the best part of all, HONEY HARVEST.
Some of the many uses of honey include food preparation, health and beauty aids, soaps, and much more.
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture assists with bee prorogation in West Virginia in the way of providing reduced costs to beekeepers for new bee packages and medication.
Many of the larger food producers, such as Kraft Foods and Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream make very large contributions to several universities across the country for research in the science of bees.
The WCBA is currently seeking grants from several sources for the purpose of aiding new beekeepers in start-up and equipment.
Monthly meetings are held alternatively at the Roane County High School Vo-Ag rooms and the West Fork Community Building in Arnoldsburg. Anyone interested in more information or joining the association is invited to contact Dale Cunningham, President at 354-6916 or Sharon Christ, Sectary/Treasurer at 927-1775.
The next meeting will be Sunday, August 24, 2008 at the West Fork Community Building in Arnoldsburg at 2:00 p.m.
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