Through the Kentucky State University Small Farm Project and Beginning Farmer Grant and a collaborative program with the University of Kentucky Extension limited resource farmers learn information about honeybees. 

These classes were taught once a month through the Russell County Bee Club at the Russell County Extension Office.The club over the past 5 years averages now 18 people in attendance at each meeting including several young adults. I instruct beekeepers in topics such as “Bee diseases”, “Harvesting Honey” “Different plants produce what color and flavor of honey”, and “Bee Laws in Kentucky”, just to name a few

.Several club members such as Joe Gray, of Casey County Kentucky, participate to learn how to have bees on his farm for pollination. One third of all our food is produce through pollination. Without honeybees we would still have apples but less of them. 

Gray plants a garden each year for home use as well to have extra to sell at the farmer market in Russell County. He realized after attending his first honeybee class he needed honeybees so his vegetables would be darker, richer in color and more favorable. Pollination can make a large difference in the quality of farm produce. 

Gray got his first hive through the Beginning Farmer Grant program of KSU five years ago. After its failure he stated, “You know if I am going to have bees I might attend something in order to learn how to take care of them! Honeybees have been a learning experience. Not as easy as one might think.” After 4 years of attempting and working Gray produces 12 quarts of honey in 2017!  

Gray stated, “I made a lot of mistakes but I have sure learned a lot and the bee meetings have helped me to figure what I need to do along the way.”

Iva Wade of Casey County had attended meeting for the last two years.  Wade started out with some equipment he received from his uncle’s estate and a bee swarm. The first year of attending the bee club he won a hive through a drawing at the club. I made a farm visit and inspected Wade’s hives. Instructed Mr. Wade on how to feed the bees and treat for Varroa Mites. Now after numerous classes Wade has 8 hives and has plans of continuing to increase the number of hives. 

Through the club he learned to plant food for the honeybees. I instruct, “We plant food to feed all our other livestock why don’t we plant food for our honeybees. Honeybees our most valuable resource and they are left the scrap of the land to feed on. On top of that we expect a bumper crop of honey.” After attending this class Wade went home and planted a garden spot of about ¼ acre in buckwheat for his bees.  Thereby increasing the strength of hives due to having enough food storage for the bees.

The Russell County Bee Club meets once a month. However it has been a great tool to encourage people about beekeeping. Without this I am sure several beekeepers would have stop raising bees because they did not know what to do. Now it is through gathering up and talking out solutions and learning more about beekeeping as the club is doing small problems are turning into large successes.