Bee School

For two weekends in February, I attended classes all day on Saturday and all afternoon on Sunday at the Folk Art Center off of the Blue Ridge Parkway, along with 299 other eager beekeeping students. It was the largest beekeeping class they've ever had. Apparently interest among hobby beekeepers is growing exponentially in this area. We learned about the bees themselves, their history, anatomy and variation. We learned about the hives and their parts. We learned about setting them up, keeping them low on pests and problems, and harvesting honey. I filled a notebook with notes, and my head with bee facts. After some minor wavering and cold feet, I decided that there was a future for some bees in my backyard.