Calhouner, Dale Cunningham unloads
full beehives after delivery to Spencer
Beekeepers collect their hives at delivery
West Central Beekeeping Association held their monthly meeting April 24 at the Roane County Committee on Aging facility in Spencer. At this meeting, arrangements were made for Dale Cunningham and David Tatterson to make a trip to Southern West Virginia to pick up a load of bees, which were purchased from Wade Stiltner, a member of the West Virginia Queen Bee Producers Association.
Effort is now being made for more honey bees to be introduced to our local area, which have been produced within our own state, believing that the bees might possibly fare better having already been acclimated to the local weather conditions, rather than follow previous procedure of purchasing honey bee packages from producers in the Southern states.
The bees purchased were raised in a nucleus (nuc) hive, which contains only 4 or 5 frames of bees, then they were transferred into full size hives to be transported back to Roane County and surrounding counties.
It is believed that honey bees which have been produced in nucleus hives get off to a better start and remain more sustainable, having been established on the brood frames that are transferred into hives, verses packages of bees that are introduced to a new queen when they are installed into a new hive.
West Central Beekeeping Association, which was established in 2008, has developed new programs each year to help create a greater population of honey bees in the local agricultural areas, as well as tree planting programs, including deciduous trees which were placed into the Calhoun County Park, and a fruit tree program which was distributed into various counties by participating members of WCBA.
West Central Beekeeping has enjoyed much success in their beekeeping efforts, as witnessed by the increased number of members, which now stands at 60, as well as the increase of available honey and related products, not to mention the improvement in other farm crop production due to the pollination by the bees.
WCBA has been supported through various grant programs through the WV Dept. of Agriculture, the WV Division of Forestry, The WV Legislature, Our Community's Foundation, just to mention a few, and WCBA works closely with Brandy Brabham, WVU Extesion Agent. WVU has been very helpful in providing educational programs, as to beekeeping and the tree and bramble programs.
WCBA appreciates Dale Cunningham, David Tatterson, and all who have participated in the efforts and success of their beekeeping ventures, including the Hur Herald and WV Market Bulletin who provide informational publications to inform the public as to the importance of the promotion of beekeeping.
Submitted by Sharon Christ, Secretary - WCBA 304-927-1775.
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