Author: Keith Hackworth
Planning Unit: Floyd County CES
Major Program: Beekeeping
Plan of Work: Agricultural Education and Production
Outcome: Long-Term Outcome
Extension continues to support the Floyd County Beekeepers Association by offering programming, guidance, and assistance while promoting their efforts. The county continues to have increased interest in beekeeping and trying to preserve this tradition. Since the association officially formed four years ago, their membership has grown to sixty individuals with attendance at some of their monthly meetings reaching more than forty. Topics covered at their meetings have been basic beekeeping skills, making honey, queen rearing, hive diseases, insect problems, wildlife damage, making equipment, and uses of bee wax. These educational programs are provided by Extension, leaders, and other related organizations. Hives are used for hands-on training for new and beginning beekeepers. Their annual meeting event held in February was co-sponsored by the County Extension Service and the association. The association provided twenty-five nucs to members that attended a certain number of meeting and reached participation goals as set by their by-laws. The bees were paid by fundraising efforts of their members. This program is responsible for bringing several new hives of bees in the county and keeping beekeepers involved in the association. At the end of the programs, participants are asked to evaluate the programs. The overall rating was a ninety-three percent positive with the participants stating that seventy-five percent gained new knowledge. Nearly sixty percent of the participants have increased their hive numbers within the last year. There continues to be an increase in the interest in beekeeping in the county and these numbers involved are expected to keep rising. One of the best outcomes is that experienced beekeepers are mentoring new beekeepers or those interested in becoming beekeepers. They are educating their own with hands-on involvement.
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