Topic: Queen Rearing the Easy Way

Greg Burns, along with his wife Susan and their seven children, made the intentional decision to leave city life behind and embrace a more resilient, homesteading lifestyle on their land. Their mission centers around teaching and learning meaningful life skills as a family, continuing the tradition of passing down the old ways. Beekeeping naturally aligned with this way of life, and together they have transformed their passion into a business that supplies high-quality bees and equipment to beekeepers nationwide. Greg and Susan are dedicated to mentoring others, sharing knowledge, and preserving the time-honored practices of beekeeping. They believe that nature is the greatest teacher and that farming in harmony with nature allows them to care sustainably for the land and their family for generations to come. Through their journey, they invite others to join them in living a simple life filled with joy and happiness.

Topic: Apitherapy - An Overview

This talk features an introduction to apitherapy and a history of how many people use products from the hive for personal health applications.  Mary will discuss complementary medicine and the varied  products from the hive that help people.  

Topic: Apitherapy:  Honey and Bee Venom 

This talk discusses two readily available products from the bee hive.  Mary will discuss the most popular uses of honey and bee venom.  Come learn about how you can use honey and bee venom in your own health journey!  and a history of how many people use products from the hive for personal health applications.  Mary will discuss complementary medicine and the varied  products from the hive that help people.  

Mary Cahill-Roberts is a Master Beekeeper that has been involved with beekeeping since 2008. She is the owner of Swarm Chasers Apiaries and a Senior Honey Judge. She has served at the local and state level in various positions of Secretary through President, in Georgia. She recently relocated to North Carolina and is enjoying the ‘new’ challenges of beekeeping in the new microclimate. She is a member of the state organization and local club. She has maintained her apiaries by the Certified Naturally Grown method since the beginning. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge and helping other beekeepers be better producers of hive products such as honey, wax, and comb. She speaks at the local, state and national level about bees and honey production, as well as judging honey shows. She strives to continue to improve her own knowledge of bees, hive products and Apitherapy.

IN HIVE SESSION

Topic: Efficient 5-Minute Hive Inspections: A Practical Beekeeping Guide - Learn how to conduct quick and effective 5-minute hive inspections while covering all the essentials: identifying eggs, larvae, and pupae; checking brood chamber space; and spotting swarm cells. This session also includes demonstrations on the oxalic acid dribble method, queen marking, making hive splits, adding honey supers, and using a queen excluder. We'll wrap up with tips on taking clear, useful notes right on the hive lid. Perfect for beekeepers looking to save time while staying thorough.

Qualifications:

*2012 Certificate in Permaculture Design and Organic Farming at the Regenerative Leadership Institute

*2013 Certificates in Biology, Ecology, Chemistry, and Astronomy at Coursera

*2014 Certificate in Astrobiology and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life at Coursera from The University of Edinburgh

*2015 Appalachian Valley Organics and was one of the 3 founding members of McDowell County Farms

*2020 Awakened Artwork Farm

*2021 Peer Mentor and Member of The Appalachian Beekeeping Collective with 3 Apiaries

*2024 Mentor for Hives For Heroes

*2024 Certification of Instrumental Insemination

*2024 West Virginia Master Level Beekeeper

Topic: Fest’ ‘Tooning with Bee-ing Apis - Have some fun making some pollinator cartoons with Bee-ing Apis!    For kids ages 3 - 103, drawing skills NOT required!  

What is a cartoon?  How does one get started drawing a cartoon?  Come draw or color a Bee-ing Apis bee, create your own unique cartoon characters, or just scribble along!

Bee-ing Apis is a webcomic about bees and beekeeping.  It tries to find the intrinsic humor in honey bees, beekeeping, and life from the point of view of the honey bee.  It's appropriate for everyone, extra funny for beekeepers, entomologists, and bee enthusiasts.  The artist, Rob Hull, started keeping bees and drawing Bee-ing Apis in 2015.  He is involved with/supports his local and (Maine) state beekeeping organizations, and EAS.

BIT PROGRAM

Karen Davis is a dedicated STEM educator at Eastwood Elementary, teaching grades K–5 and inspiring curiosity for over 23 years. For eight of those years, she led educational outreach for NASA, bringing the wonders of space and science to students and communities. Since 2020, Karen has been an active beekeeper, even maintaining hives right at her school. She runs the Beekeeper in Training program with the Mon County Beekeepers Association, helping new beekeepers gain hands-on skills. Her favorite passion is creating engaging outdoor learning spaces where students can explore, discover, and connect with nature.

BIT PROGRAM

Jackie co-founded Sleepy Holler Homestead with Jeremy in 2022. Initially skeptical about keeping bees, she embraced the challenge alongside Jeremy after they completed a beginner’s beekeeping course. Their journey began with installing their first packages of bees into separate hives, sparking a friendly “his and hers” hive competition. Jackie quickly developed a passion for beekeeping and is dedicated to improving their bee colonies, creating quality hive products, and continually expanding her knowledge in the field.

IN HIVE SESSION

Topic: Inspecting in Fall - Planning For a Successful Winter

Shanda is the State Apiarist with the West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) and is responsible for managing the WVDA Apiary Program throughout the state.  She works with beekeepers across West Virginia and is very involved in education through working with local beekeeping clubs, schools, and other organizations to increase awareness of the wonderful world of keeping honeybees.  Shanda is a graduate of West Virginia University’s Biology Department and also holds a master’s degree in biology from Missouri State University.   

IN HIVE SESSION

Topic: Queen Spotting, Marking, and Tips Inside the Hive

Mark is the Head Beekeeper for Appalachian Beekeeping Collective. Mark has been keeping bees in Raleigh County, West Virginia for over twenty years.  He left the insurance industry after 30+ years and joined ABC as a beekeeper/educator. He has a business administration degree from Concord University. Mark is an EAS Master Beekeeper, WV Master Beekeeper, WVBA Beekeeper of the Year 2022, and President of the Raleigh County Beekeepers Cooperative Association.

IN HIVE SESSION

Topic: Hive Dives 101: Getting to Know Your Bees - Join the Newbees for a laid-back, hands-on look inside a working hive! We’ll walk through a standard inspection—how to approach your bees, what to look for, what not to freak out about, and a few tricks to make your time in the hive a little less sticky. Perfect for new beekeepers or anyone who wants to feel more confident at the hive!

Meet The Newbees – Mike, Christian, and Paxton – a dynamic group whose journey into Apiculture began amidst the uncertainties of 2020. This trio, each bringing unique expertise to the hive, discovered a profound connection with the world of bees, evolving their interest into a deep commitment to beekeeping.

Mike, serving as the President of the Monongalia County Beekeepers Association actively works to serve beekeepers and pollinators of West Virginia. His dedication extends beyond the hive as he helps develop programs like the WV Honey Trail to support and enhance the beekeeping community.

Paxton, with a role as a Seasonal Apiarist for the WV Dept of Agriculture and as the head of Newbees Creative, brings a wealth of hands-on experience to the team. 

Christian, adds a scientific touch to the trio with a degree and background in biology. This educational experience enriches their understanding of the intricate lives of bees and the ecological systems they influence.

The Newbees live by the philosophy of "ALWAYS KEEP LEARNING," grounded in humility, recognizing beekeeping as a continuous journey. Their mission extends beyond personal passion; they aim to foster a community of beekeepers, nature lovers, and curious minds. Through The Newbees, they inspire and educate, sharing their passion through events like LIVE Hive Inspections, and contributing to a thriving beekeeping community. 

Topic: Beekeeping Math and Not So Stupid Questions

Topic: From Cappings to Wax, Let’s Get Sticky!

Francis is a West Virginia apprentice beekeeper, and is working on completing his master beekeeper certification by presenting at this year’s bee fair.

He has been retired since 2008 after 25 years in the sports car business. His primary residence is in the state of Maryland and he is enjoying his second place of residence in a private mountain place in Union, WV in Monroe County.

His love of beekeeping developed from his family beekeeping apiaries in Europe, and in honor of his father he is working to keep the family beekeeping tradition alive. He was also drawn into beekeeping through apitherapy.

Francis is a member of multiple beekeeping clubs in Maryland and West Virginia and enjoys passing his experience to new beekeepers in all aspects of beekeeping and apitherapy. Francis is studying to become an EAS Master Beekeeper and is working toward earning his certification in Maryland. Thus far he’s completed one year of certification. He is also studying to achieve master beekeeping status in the state of West Virginia with the West Virginia Beekeeping Association in their master beekeeping program.

Currently he serves 75 honeybee colonies in three different apiaries in two different states. Since 2018 he has been finding enjoyment in engaging in honey shows. He loves it! Francis believes that there is more to beekeeping than getting stung and harvesting honey. Mostly he loves that the honeybees provide a connection to nature.

Good luck Francis!

Topic: Mindfulness & Beekeeping - Exploring Beekeeping as a Mindfulness Practice and the Impact on Our Overall Health and Wellness

Jasmine Steptoe is a life-long resident of Bluefield and a first generation hobbyist beekeeper. She belongs to the Appalachian Beekeeping Collective as a beekeeping partner. With many eclectic interests and hobbies, she is an enthusiast with a passion for not only beekeeping but vintage collectibles and antiques, flower gardening, wellness, and all activities related to enjoying the great outdoors of the Appalachian mountains. With nearly 14 years of experience in adult male corrections, in varying roles, she has dedicated her career to rehabilitation and growth, most recently providing individual and group counseling to individuals in a residential-style addiction recovery program with special emphasis on cognitive behavioral change and mindfulness-based treatment. When she's not working, she's likely to be spotted at the local thrift stores, on a hiking trail, styling one of her antique booths, or driving around town in her Smart ForTwo with her adorable Yorkie, Axel.

Topic: Nectar Management - Excluders, Swarms, and the Curse of the Honey Dome

Topic: Let There Be Mites! Can we Breed for Varroa Resistance Without Heavy Losses?

Ryan Williamson of Sourwood Farm is a second generation beekeeper running a full time bee farm with his family in Earlysville, Virginia.  Ryan manages a diverse operation of 250-300 colonies, producing high-quality honey, candles, nucs, and queens. Working mostly solo, Ryan has a proclivity to tinker, often experimenting with new approaches to improve genetics, production, and equipment. Through his talks, he shares his practical insights, DIY solutions, and lessons learned from his hands-on experience.