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The Polk County Beekeepers Association is offering a beginner beekeeper course that will meet 5 consecutive Thursdays beginning February 6 through March 5. The classes will meet from 6:00-7:30 PM. The classes will be held in Columbus. The course instructor will be Mr. Larry Vickery. Mr. Vickery has been keeping bees for over 15 years and has been supporting the Spartanburg Beekeepers Association and also teaching for the association. 

Beekeeping follows a yearly cycle. The first step is to establish new hives in early spring. In Polk County, bee packages and nucs can be ordered for delivery in March and April. The course is held in February and March to prepare the new beekeeper for hive set up and management of the hives through the spring and summer honey flow and late summer and fall including preparation for winter. 

The cost for the course will be $20 and will include the 5 classes and course materials. The course enrollment is limited to 20 students. To register for the class, contact David Smith at 828-275-2873 or d.smith.7363@gmail.com. Please send a check payable to David Smith and mail to 200 Woodland Dr, Columbus NC 28722 to reserve your spot.

The Polk County Beekeepers Association holds monthly meetings on the third Thursday of every month from 6:00-7:30 PM. The meetings feature a speaker and also include a question and answer period. The goal of the meetings is to learn from the speaker and also from each other to support local beekeepers manage their hives. New beekeepers are encouraged to take advantage of the group as a resource.

For more information about the Beekeeper Association and/or to join the Polk County Beekeeper monthly email list, please email David Smith at d.smith.7363@gmail.com.