Bee Smart

Bee culture conference in Richmond

Hear from some of the world’s foremost honeybee experts, along with hands-on training, vendors, and more, at the 2014 Eastern Apiculture Society of North America (EAS) annual conference at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, July 28-August 1. (Registration available online May 2014.) Go to 2014 Eastern Apiculture for more information.

Top supplier of bees, supplies, and equipment—classes too
The Walter T. Kelley Company in Clarkson is no “newBEE” to the business of bees, but they are a valuable resource to those who are. This 90-year-old company is the largest beekeeping supply manufacturer in Kentucky and one of the largest in the U.S.

With the bee population on the decline, Kelley does all it can to help keep these vital pollinators alive and thriving. That often means easing the uninitiated into the world of beekeeping by setting them up with hives, protective clothing, and virtually anything else needed to start a productive, healthy apiary.

A good foundation for the hive is one of the keys to success, and Kelley is one of only two companies in the country that make their own wax foundations. This crucial component gives the bees a head start on honeycomb and egg production.

Kelley prides itself on educating beekeepers, whether they are novice hobbyists or experienced commercial operators, by providing beekeeping classes and offering advice to those struggling with the myriad of issues that often plague beekeepers.

In the spring, the company is a beehive of activity. Most Saturdays in April and May, the facility buzzes with approximately 1 million bees awaiting shipment or customer pick-up.

To learn more go to Walter T. Kelley Company‘s Web site or call (800) BEE-BUZZ or (800) 233-2899.

Read the Kentucky Living March 2014 feature that goes along with this web exclusive, Bee Friends.