New beekeeping club (Photo by Alex Rike)

Novice and experienced beekeepers alike will be pleased to hear there is a new beekeeping club in Polk County. The Polk County Beekeeping Association is a collaboration of Lisa Krolak and a group of avid beekeepers in Polk County with assistance from the Polk County Office of Agricultural Economic Development and grant funding from the Polk County Community Foundation.

The grant provided by the Polk County Community Foundation gave away two hives to Cooperative Extension’s beginning beekeeping course, provided a library of beekeeping books housed at the Mill Spring Agricultural Center, funded guest speakers on beekeeping topics and provided a group dinner and transportation to the Spartanburg Beekeeping Association meetings.

At an initial interest meeting held on March 30, it was decided Polk County beekeepers would most benefit from an informal beekeeping organization that met once a month during peak beekeeping season.

The Polk County Beekeeping Association will meet the third Thursday of the month at the Mill Spring Agricultural Center at 6 p.m. starting April 21 through the fall. The meetings will be potlucks and to prevent waste, all meeting attendees are asked to bring their own plates, silverware and cups.

The meetings will feature speakers on different beekeeping topics that are of interest to Polk County Beekeepers. This month, Phil Holbert of Holbert Bee Supply in Saluda will talk about spring beekeeping issues and how to solve them.

If you have questions about beekeeping in Polk County or the Polk County Beekeeping Association, please contact Ansley Roberts at the office of Agricultural Economic Development at 828-894-2281 or ansley@polkcountyfarms.org

-Submitted by Ansley Roberts