The Polk County Extension Center in cooperation with Holbert’s Bee Supplies will be offering a series of five classes on beginning beekeeping.

Phil Holbert, beekeeper for more than 25 years, will teach the classes. The classes will begin on Thursday, Feb. 20 at 6:30 p.m. Anyone interested in enrolling in the class should contact the Extension Center at 828-894- 8218.

The classes will be on five consecutive Thursday evenings and it is limited to 25 participants. There will be a small registration fee.

“Our staff continues to be very concerned about the decline of our native honeybee population,” said John Vining, Polk County Extension Director. “We want to encourage gardeners and others interested in trying beekeeping to consider these classes.”

The previous three seminars were well attended. The five-session course will cover the basics of bee care from starting a new hive to maintaining and caring for mature hive of bees. There will be a modest registration fee for the sessions.

For more information contact the Polk County Extension Center at 828-894-8218.

– article submitted by Sarah Gottfried