How you can protect and promote these critical pollinators
Information for new and experienced beekeepers
Keep up to date with meetings, exhibits, and other activities
Join the association and access the members-only section
News
Articles and news for beekeepers and friends of bees, plus, updates on our upcoming activities and events.
How Can We Help You?
These are just some of the services we offer to community
Capture a Swarm
If you’ve spotted a swarm of bees outside their nest, we can help re-home them.
BEES IN YOUR BUILDING?
If bees are living in your house, outbuilding or anywhere else they don’t belong, we may be able to help.
REQUEST A SPEAKER
Ask our experienced beekeeping experts to talk to your group, class, or gathering.
BUY BEES OR QUEENS
Some of our members sell packages, nucs, and queens. Many are bred for our higher altitudes.
Find Bee Supplies
We maintain a relationship with multiple vendors in the area. From hives to tools and protective clothing, they have you covered!
Buy Honey
Buy local honey, including our famous sourwood honey, as well as beeswax and products made from beeswax
Did You Know?
When honey bees collect nectar and pollen from blossoms and flowers, they help pollinate some of the fruits, vegetables, and nuts we eat, increasing harvests and helping farmers feed the world. The bees consume some nectar but turn much of it into honey and store it for later use. At the peak of the season a beehive might contain 100,000 bees and more than 100 pounds of honey.
TCBA members provide local bees with a safe, secure place to live and help protect them from predators, invasive mites, and deadly viruses. In return, we collect honey the bees have made from a wide variety of sources, including tulip poplars, wild flowers, clover, basswood and sourwood trees.
About us
Promoting the art and science of beekeeping
The TCBA is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping bees and beekeepers flourish in our neighboring communities. We achieve our goals via education, outreach, cooperation and mentoring.
Association Officers
Here are the dedicated beekeepers that keep our association humming.
When I was five years old, my mom ordered package bees from Sears Roebuck. I used to spend hours watching them. In 1986 we got bees and kept up to 16 colonies. In 1993 we sold all the bees and moved to Southwest New Mexico. Now, I have about 10 colonies in the South Toe River.
Ed Geouge
President
I currently manages two bee yards: one in the town of Burnsville with my son-in-law and the other on my farm in Little Switzerland. I love the challenges of understanding the life-cycle and behavior of the honeybee. I also enjoy the comradery of mentoring new beekeepers and working in the bee yards with fellow members.
Susan Spruill
Vice President
After keeping bees years ago, I returned to it in 2020 and have been excited by the advances made in testing for and treating mites. Keeping bees in the Appalachians has made me more aware of and attuned to the seasonal changes and great variety of plants that surround us.
David Reeder
Secretary
Bees are fascinating and such a good fit in our beautiful community. The sharing and support of club members is invaluable.
Ann Coomber
Treasurer
Two years ago, my wife expressed an interest in getting into beekeeping, being the daughter of a beekeeper. After nearly a year of studying and being TCBA members, we finally have 3 hives and both enjoy volunteering with the association.
Brian Brumbaugh
Member at Large
