Please join the New River Valley Beekeepers’ Association at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, March 10th 2016 at the Montgomery County Health and Human Services Building at 210 Pepper St., Christiansburg .
Long-time NRVBA member Jerry Borger will give two queen-related presentations, both appropriate even for those with only a couple of hives.
The first will be “Queens for Pennies,” a step-by-step presentation reviewing equipment and procedures on how to raise about 10 queens at a time for pennies apiece using a Randy Oliver method of grafting (not the commercial procedure) that can easily be practiced by almost anyone. No exceptional experience or skills needed.
Jerry will also present “Hobbyist Queens Using a Doublescreen,” which many of you will remember is a means of raising a handful of queens without grafting. Its threefold purpose is to minimize the swarming urge, maximize honey production, and to encourage the bees to produce large, well-fed queen cells to keep the line of a good queen going, all without taking a hive out of production. Again, no exceptional experience or skills needed.
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.