Keeping a hive of bees can be an educational family experience, according to the Central Texas Beekeepers Association, as well as providing honey for your table and pollination for your garden and flowering plants. Most city ordinances allow up to two bee hives per city lot.
Interest in beekeeping has exploded over the past 10 years. As an example, seven years ago, there were 13 bee clubs in Texas. Today, there are 56 active clubs and more being created.
Honey bees are an important part of our environment and help produce 2/3 of the food that we eat. But, honey is not the only thing bees do for us. Bees also aid in pollination and produce wax that is used in candles. Bee sting therapy can also be used in medicine.
To learn how to keep bees and use their products, you can attend the 12th Annual Beginning Beekeeping School to be held March 26 in Brenham. Sponsored by the Central Texas Beekeepers Association, the school will include sessions on beginning beekeeping, apitherapy of the use of bee products in medicine, how to extract honey, where to get your bees and many more topics.
The one-day school is open to the public, and families are welcome to attend. The cost of the school is $65 per adult and $25 for students. The admission includes a catered barbecue lunch with Blue Bell Ice Cream. There is even the opportunity to “suit up” and visit a live bee hive while a beekeeper opens the hive and shows you the queen and honey inside. Prior registration is required.
To learn more about the school, you can visit http://www.tinyurl. com/2022BeeSchool. For more information, call 979-277-0411.
