NRVBA President Richard Reid will hold a field day at the Hale-YMCA Community Gardens on June 14.

New River Valley Beekeepers Association President Richard Reid, owner of Happy Hollow Honey and Apiary will host the second in a series of informal beekeeping field days on Sat., June 14 from 12:30-2:30 p.m. at the Hale-YMCA Community Garden at 300 Maywood St., Blacksburg. The membership is welcome; no sign-ups are necessary.

The field day will include inspections of up to eight of Richard’s treatment free hives with discussion afterwards. Please bring your own veils and protective equipment, and attendees are encourage to bring their own drinks and snacks. These items will not be provided as part of the event. Carpooling is encouraged, as parking is limited.

Richard has kept colonies at the community garden, a project of the YMCA at Virginia Tech for several years, helping to pollinate the vegetables, flowers and fruit trees grown there. The garden – started decades ago by the late Emily Stuart, the first woman to direct the YMCA in Blacksburg – is a 15-acre site that includes the Roper Solar Greenhouse, community garden plots, demonstration civic agriculture gardens, permaculture gardens and a bluebird trail.

Inclement weather notice: If it is raining in Blacksburg on the day of the event, it will be postponed.