The Webster County Extension office is launching a new club this December. The Webster County Beekeeping Group will have its first meeting on December 5 at 6:00 p.m. at the Webster County Extension Center located at 800 S. Marshall Street, Marshfield.
The group is made possible by a grant from the Specialty Crop Block Grant from the Missouri Department of Agriculture. The grant was written and submitted by Marshfield High School Junior Drew Henry.
According the Extension Office, the new group is for anyone from experienced beekeepers to those who are just interested in learning more about honey bees. While the club is brand new, the Extension Office is excited to get it up and running.
“The goal is to educate individuals and organizations about beekeeping. If you have interest in learning about bee keeping or have many years of experience this group is for you,” shared Kyle Whittaker, County Engagement Specialist for the MU Extension.
Webster County is home to several bee keepers, including Whitney Stevens who has been bee keeping since 2018.
“I think community is very important,” shared Stevens when asked about her thoughts on the new bee group coming to the area. “You’ve got to have people you can learn from and bounce ideas off of…”
Beekeeping isn’t for the faint of heart, there is a lot of work that goes into the art of beekeeping and honey collection.
“I enjoy opening a hive and feeling the energy of the bees. It’s a crazy feeling having thousands of bees flying all around you,” reflected Stevens. “But let’s “bee” real…HONEY! Getting to harvest honey from a hive you’ve tended is extremely rewarding.”
While the group sounds like a fun place to learn about bees, it also has a focus area.
“The goal of the grant is to promote honey bees and other pollinators to increase specialty crop production and provide education and outreach to experienced and beginning beekeepers alike,” shared Whittaker.
“Taking care of pollinators in general is important. Creating an environment to help them thrive will be beneficial to the trees and plants in your area,” added Stevens. “Honeybees aren’t native to this country, so they are more delicate than other bees. Beekeeping is a way to provide them with shelter, food and protection from pests.”
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