The Toe Cane Beekeepers Association is pleased to announce the addition of durable, commercial-grade picnic tables to its educational apiary pavilion, creating a welcoming, lasting gathering space for members, visitors, educational groups, and community organizations looking to learn more about honey bees and pollinators.
Mountain Air Community Fund provided funding for the new picnic tables, helping expand the pavilion’s use for educational programs, training, and community visits for years to come.
The educational apiary is a partnership among Toe Cane Beekeepers Association members, Mayland Community College, Mountain Air Community Fund, and the local community. Mayland Community College provides the site and has also provided financial support for the pavilion and development of the apiary. Mountain Air Community Fund has contributed funding for the apiary’s startup and pavilion, as well as funding for the new picnic tables. Local businesses and community members support the apiary through donations and participation in TCBA fundraising events and programs. TCBA members contribute bees, equipment, expertise, funding, and volunteer time.
Together, these partners are creating a lasting community resource for hands-on education about honey bees, beekeeping, agriculture, and pollinators. Recent visitors have included members of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension 4-H Bee Club and Sue Wasserman, Travel and Tourism Director for Yancey County.
Mayland Community College has become an affiliate of the Bee Campus USA program, which encourages educational campuses to support pollinators through habitat, education, and responsible land-management practices. The goal is to sustain pollinators by creating and enhancing healthy habitat, increasing native plants, reducing pesticide use, and promoting pollinator education. Pollinators play a critical role in our environment and food supply. About three-fourths of the world’s flowering plants depend on animal pollinators to reproduce, and some scientists estimate that one out of every three bites of food we eat exists because of animal pollinators.
Educational activities at the apiary include hands-on training for new beekeepers working alongside experienced members, as well as advanced instruction in colony management and queen rearing.
The Mayland Earth to Sky Park Gift Shop has also recently begun carrying TCBA honey. Visitors can stop by the gift shop to purchase local honey, with proceeds helping support the educational apiary and its programs.
Community organizations, schools, and other groups interested in arranging a visit to the apiary or having a TCBA member speak at an upcoming program or event are encouraged to contact the association. For information about TCBA, arranging an apiary visit, or requesting a speaker, email beek@toecanebeekeepers.
The Toe Cane Beekeepers Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit association dedicated to helping bees and beekeepers flourish in our neighboring communities. We achieve our goals through education, outreach, cooperation, and mentoring.
