As wild bee populations in the United States are declining, groups of dedicated apiarists, also known as beekeepers, are hoping to educate the population on the importance of beekeeping.
On July 21, a group of apiarists who are part of the Liberty County Beekeepers Association (LCBA) held their Fifth Annual Honey Harvest Day at the Liberty County AgriLife Office at 501 Palmer St., Liberty. The purpose of Honey Harvest is two-fold – to harvest honey from the association members’ hives and to share information and give demonstrations on beekeeping.
Leading the demonstrations were Cameron Crane and Ron Bentley. Bentley, with the assistance of beekeepers Eric Escobar and Mike Gahan, used a hand-spun honey extractor to collect honey that was poured into five-gallon buckets. Children who attended were also given a chance to spin the honey extractor.
Attendees also could taste different varieties of honey to see how the flavors are influenced by plants, flowers and trees. Raw local honey, as well as beeswax lip balm, was also available for purchase.
The Liberty County Beekeepers Association currently has 60 members with monthly meetings averaging around 24 members. The meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the AgriLife Office, 501 Palmer St., Liberty. Meetings are held every month except July and December.
For more information on LCBA, go online to http://www.libertycountybeekeepers.org
