Beekeeping School Offered in 2019

— Written By
en Español

El inglés es el idioma de control de esta página. En la medida en que haya algún conflicto entre la traducción al inglés y la traducción, el inglés prevalece.

Al hacer clic en el enlace de traducción se activa un servicio de traducción gratuito para convertir la página al español. Al igual que con cualquier traducción por Internet, la conversión no es sensible al contexto y puede que no traduzca el texto en su significado original. NC State Extension no garantiza la exactitud del texto traducido. Por favor, tenga en cuenta que algunas aplicaciones y/o servicios pueden no funcionar como se espera cuando se traducen.

English is the controlling language of this page. To the extent there is any conflict between the English text and the translation, English controls.

Clicking on the translation link activates a free translation service to convert the page to Spanish. As with any Internet translation, the conversion is not context-sensitive and may not translate the text to its original meaning. NC State Extension does not guarantee the accuracy of the translated text. Please note that some applications and/or services may not function as expected when translated.

Collapse ▲
bees on honeycomb

The benefits of keeping bees are plentiful! The first things that most people think of are the rewards of harvesting your honey and the positive impact the increased pollination will have on your garden.

Fresh honey not only tastes great but also can be beneficial to those with allergies. The theory is that since the bees are collecting pollen where you live, eating the small amounts of pollen present in local honey can immunize the body against the pollen so that there is minimal irritation during allergy season. Many former allergy sufferers swear by it.

However, did you know that honey also has a variety of other uses? Honey, with its anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties, is currently being studied as wound treatment, especially for burns, and it has also been used for centuries as a skin and hair beautifier in recipes for face masks, shampoos, and bath oils. Bees create a variety of other substances, including propolis, bee pollen, and royal jelly. Propolis is made from the sticky resin found on trees. This substance is used to “caulk” cracks in the hive to keep out wind and rain, make entrances smaller, or attach comb to the side of the colony.

Royal jelly is a honey bee secretion that is used to nourish the larvae and the adult queens in the hive. It has powerful anti-bacterial properties. Bee pollen is a ball or pellet of field-gathered flower pollen packed by worker honeybees and used as the primary food source for the hive. Bee pollen is touted by many to be one of the complete foods available, with a wide range of nutrients including polyphenols, enzymes, beneficial fatty acids, free amino acids, vitamin complexes, chelated minerals, and trace elements.

Whether you have a flower garden or grow vegetables and fruits, honey bee pollination will make a huge difference. Flowers and plants will be much more vigorous, and fruit and vegetable yields will increase dramatically.

Not only do honeybees have an enormous positive impact on your garden, but their nectar-gathering range allows them also to pollinate an extended area. This pollination helps the ecosystem remain diverse and sustainable.

The Rowan County Beekeepers Association will be offering a Beginner’s Beekeeping School January 15- March 26, 2019. The cost for the school is only $75/person. This fee includes a beginner beekeeping book, hands-on workshop, experienced Journeyman and Master Beekeeper speakers, week prize drawings, and your first-year membership to RCBA. Class size is limited to the first 60 paid participants. To register, bring or mail your registration form and checks *only (Payable to RCBA) to N.C. Cooperative Extension, Rowan County Center, 2727-A Old Concord Rd., Salisbury NC 28146. Registration forms are available online or call the office 704-216-8970, and we can mail you one.