More than 30 percent of honey bee colonies die over the winter, according to the Honey Bee Health Coalition. The number is even higher for new beekeepers. Master Beekeeper Debbie Griffith will present details on how to strengthen your honey bee hives in the fall to decrease your winter losses at the Toe Cane Beekeepers Meeting on August 22, 2023. The meeting is open to the public and  begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Spruce Pine.

Proper nutrition, mite control and other preparations for successful overwintering start in the late summer and fall. A few hours of work now can save beekeepers hundreds of dollars’ worth of bees.

Griffith has been a beekeeper for more than 7 years, and has about 10 colonies in her Whippoorwill Hill Apiary in the Ingalls community of Avery County. She is past president of TCBA and currently serves as the chair of the North Carolina State Beekeepers Association’s Certified Honey Producer Program. She enjoys mentoring new beekeepers and giving talks and demonstrations at area schools and events.

The Toe Cane Beekeepers Association is a nonprofit organization serving the bees and beekeepers of Mitchell, Avery and Yancey counties. It offers educational and training opportunities throughout the year for new and experienced beekeepers and engages in community outreach through area schools and at special events.