The Northern Neck Beekeepers Club provides its members with a forum for sharing knowledge about beekeeping and is dedicated to educating and promoting the benefits of beekeeping to the public.
Joining a beekeeping club is a great way to learn more about beekeeping, get answers to questions you have, and meet other folks with similar interests. We serve the 4 counties of the Northern Neck as well as the Middle Peninsula.
Northern Neck Beekeepers Club meets monthly to follow along with the bee year and discuss what’s happening in our hives. We attend area events and schools to further educate about the importance of pollination and honeybees to our food chain. We host an 8-week class to teach the basics of beekeeping to those interested in learning the craft and starting a bee yard of their own. We are a self-sustaining bee club which means that we can provide local bees to new beekeepers in an effort to keep new diseases and pests from coming into the area with bees ordered in from elsewhere.
Our dues are $15.00 annually and are due each year in June. The fee for the Basic Beekeeping class is $100.00 and includes first-year membership to the club. You can just show up at any of our monthly meetings – no need to wait until June! We are a friendly bunch and welcome all (including children of appropriate age with an interest in becoming beekeepers) who wish to get involved.
Meetings are held at the Heathsville United Methodist Church in Heathsville, VA on the second Monday of each month beginning at 7 pm. Meetings are canceled if the schools in Northumberland County close due to inclement weather.
History/Tidbit
The NNBC story – In Feb-Mar 2008, Maggie Piell, Catherine Bennett, and Susan Christopher attended the first Gateway Basic Beekeeper Class in King George.
It was well attended (40+ interested folks). A discussion at that meeting, verified by a show of hands, was the catalyst to start the group and in late 2008 a community Q&A was held at the Heathsville Extension Office the club was formed and the first class was held in Feb/Mar 2009 at the Heathsville Library. The club has been in the area ever since promoting beekeeping to folks of the Northern Neck!