Establishing Somerset Beekeepers

Faithful readers of my blog might be aware of the plight of the environmental activist in central Maine–which is that the clubs and programs to encourage participation and education among the community are all but non-existent in this area.  This is true of the Maine State Beekeeper’s Association as well.

As an extension of my organic-gardening pursuits, I set up my first beehive this year and was quickly consumed with what is referred to as “bee-fever”.  I was anxious to learn more about the handling and care of my bees, and as a passionate eco-enthusiast and homeschooler I was eager to share my fascination of bees with others.  The logical place to start was with my local beekeeper’s club.  ….Imagine my disappointment when I learned that Somerset County did not support one!

I mulled this over during the summer and fall as I worked my hive and prepared my colony of bees for the impending winter, grinding my teeth in frustration at the lack of environmental coordination in my region.  How could I participate in the environmental movement if I couldn’t get to the organizations!?

Then in November I posted a tentative query on the MSBA Facebook page asking how to go about starting a new chapter of the MSBA in Somerset County.  Since that day the ground-work for the Somerset Beekeeper’s Association has rolled out before me and I am very proud to say that the first-ever meeting will be held at the Somerset County Co-Op Extension in Skowhegan, Maine on January 12th at 6pm.  It couldn’t have been easier to get the club underway–the president of our MSBA, Erin Forbes, as well as Kathy Hopkins at the Co-Op Extension, were only too eager to help, and I discovered that these organizations want more clubs to be established.  All it seems to take is a healthy dose of enthusiasm–and that I have in spades.