Forty-one local and area beekeepers and people interested in saving the honeybee met last Monday, April 11 at the Pine Crest Inn Conference Center and formed the Carolina Foothills Beekeepers. This association, a chapter of the N.C. State Beekeepers Association, is a non-profit group open to first-time, novice and experienced beekeepers, as well as non-beekeepers that are interested in honeybees or beekeeping.

The group is focused on fostering information and equipment sharing among area beekeepers, improving beekeeping methods and best practices, educating the general public regarding honeybees including schools and community groups, encouraging and assisting people who may wish to enter into the field of beekeeping and, most importantly, the healthy proliferation of honeybees in our area.

The association was organized by Carl Caudle, innkeeper at the Pine Crest Inn, who was also elected president of the newly formed group. A board and charter were adopted by the group and projects and monthly meetings for the year were planned. The next meeting will be Thursday, April 21 at 7 p.m. and will again be held at the Pine Crest Inn Conference Center. The meeting will feature a presentation on preventing swarming, as well as a Q&A session for people with recently hived package bees.

For more information, contact Carl Caudle at (864) 457-6288 or via email at polkbeekeepers@gmail.com.