# Ohio looking for wana beekeepers. Hurry and act.



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

A new beekeeping initiative is being offered to 12 eastern Ohio counties, including Muskingum County. The program is called The Don Myers Eastern Ohio Apiculture Project, funded by the Governor's Office of Appalachia, Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation, and USDA Rural Development.Successful applicants will receive approximately $500 in bees and beekeeping equipment if selected, including two bee hives, honeybees, hat/veil, smoker and other related hive tools.

Now you are probably wondering, "What's the catch?" I contacted the Crossroads Resource Conservation and Development office in New Philadelphia, and received the following:

The Don Myers Eastern Ohio Apiculture Project has the goal of assisting and establishing 100 new beekeepers with two complete colonies of honey bees plus the necessary material and basic supplies needed to maintain the beehives. Selected participants will be required to attend four three-hour sessions of classroom training, spend a day in an apiary working with honey bees, and join a local beekeeper association in their area. A small investment of $70 which includes membership in the Ohio State Beekeepers Association is required; plus there will be a minimal fee to join the local beekeeper association. A mentor or advisor will be assigned to each new beekeeper. The project value to each beekeeper is in excess of $500.

The purpose of the program is to promote beekeeping as a small business to those interested in learning about caring for and maintaining colonies of honeybees. Along with a primary focus of pollination, the sale of honey and other hive products such as pollen or soaps, lotions and candle making from the wax are benefits of beekeeping and can help increase household income.

Recent losses to Ohio honeybees leave many orchards and small gardens without adequate pollinators. Although common pollinators such as native bees, butterflies, birds, etc. contribute to pollination, studies have shown the honey bees to be the most efficient due to the large number of bees in a colony. Honeybees will pollinate within a two mile range of where they are located.

Project sponsors include the Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association (OMEGA), The Ohio State Beekeepers Association, and Crossroads Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council. Counties in the project area are limited to Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Coshocton, Guernsey, Harrison, Holmes, Jefferson, Monroe, Muskingum, Noble, and Tuscarawas.

This program applies only to participants that have never been a beekeeper, but are truly interested in the opportunity. Applications must be completed and returned no later than 4 p.m. July 1, to be considered. Contact Crossroads RC&D at 330-339-9317 if you have specific questions about the application process.
For more information or to pickup an application and fact sheet, stop by the Muskingum SWCD or OSU-Extension-Muskingum County offices located at 225 Underwood Street in Zanesville. We are both located in the Rural Services Building. If you would like to further discuss this initiative, you may contact me at 740 454-2027.

Richard E. Sorg is district program administrator for the Muskingum Soil & Water Conservation District and can be reached at 740-454-2027.

This isn't the first program of this type...North Carolina, New Jersey and others have made this happen in their states. You can too...

 Al


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## marvella (Oct 12, 2003)

wow! i'd do it in a heartbeat, if it were in tn.


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## roostercogburn (Mar 12, 2007)

Sounds great, but I'm in Ashtabula county, Ohio.


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## saremca (Jun 19, 2008)

Darn. Wrong part of the state.


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## RedTartan (May 2, 2006)

Oh! So close! I'm in Portage county!

 RedTartan


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

Interesting... looks like a cool program! I spent most of the 70's in Holmes county...


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I think I would call even if I were not in the county(s) listed just in case they don't have the amount sign up they would like.

 Al


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## turtlehead (Jul 22, 2005)

I'll pass this info along to my beekeeper's club. I'm in central WV but some of them belong to the "Mid Ohio Valley" beekeepers association, which might include some of those counties.

It's a heck of a deal. I just hope those new beekeepers take the endeavor seriously. Sometimes when you're given something for nothing, you don't appreciate it like you would if you'd set the goal yourself and worked for it.

But it's definitely an idea worth trying, as it will get folks into beekeeping that otherwise might not be able to do so. And it's apparently worked in other areas.


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## pheasantplucker (Feb 20, 2007)

I'm in Noble Co. and my wife and I have been discussing bees for about a year now. think I'll check it out. thanks


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Wow! If this came to Indiana, it might push me off the fence. Sounds like a great idea for the bees, beekeepers and the land.


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## stranger (Feb 24, 2008)

The people will probably have to pay federal tax on the gift.
personally i wouldn't take anything that i had fill out a form and be considered for.
why can't it be first come, first served?.


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## Durandal (Aug 19, 2007)

Man, our county always gets gets left out...


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## roostercogburn (Mar 12, 2007)

We contacted Crossroads, and left a message with all our contact information. I didn't get to talk to anybody, but at least I let them know we are interested. Maybe they'll consider us, even though we're in Ashtabula County.

We also emailed a "copy & paste" of the original posting to our local OSU Ext Office contact. He wasn't aware of the program, since our county isn't involved. BUT he did say he would get with our local RC&D in Lake County to see if we couldn't get added to this program or a similar program started.

keljonma and roostercogburn


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## pheasantplucker (Feb 20, 2007)

Since my wife and I are only "part timers" in Noble Co. I was turned down:bdh:


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