Please join the New River Valley Beekeepers’ Association at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, February 11^th 2016 at the Montgomery County Health and Human Services Building at 210 Pepper St., Christiansburg when Richard Reid, NRVBA Past President will talk on “Nucs and Splits- Expansion Model Beekeeping”.

Richard Reid started keeping bees in 1973.  His landlord charged him with taking care of 10 beat up old hives that came with the property.  He caught 9 swarms that first spring.  He was part beekeeper and part beehaver until 1995 when the last of the hives had died out from varroa mites.  He bought his first package of bees.  They were dead in two months.

Eight years ago he jumped back into beekeeping again.  Every spring after the honey production colonies are set up, he is splitting hives and raising queens in every way he can. Most years the limiting factor is lack of boxes for more splits.  Based just outside of Blacksburg, Richard enjoys operating Happy Hollow Honey for honey and nuc production, and he raises a few extra queens for sale after the splits are made.

We will also have our monthly equipment raffle, information on what we should be seeing in our hives this month, and suggested management techniques for the spring.

Please consider bringing a snack or drink to share.