TOPIC

The Value of Nucs and a Club Nuc Yard” by guest speaker & Master Beekeeper Karla Eisen

For MCBA members, ringing in the New Year means placing our orders for Bee Packages and NUCs. It’s exciting to anticipate their arrival, but not so much fun laying out the cash.

Is there an alternative?

Guest speaker Karla Eisen will explain how some clubs coordinate and collaborate to create their own NUCs.

No more ordering from out of state -- these clubs are bee self sufficient. Should MCBA start our own NUC farm? What are the pros and cons? What is involved? Who does the work? Who benefits?

What are the first steps?

Come to the January MCBA meeting so you can help us make an informed decision!

BIO 

Karla was inspired very early in her beekeeping endeavors by some very wise beekeepers and embraced their ideas of a sustainable apiary. She brought these to her local bee club, the Prince William Regional Beekeepers Association, envisioning a sustainable bee club whose members could produce enough nucleus colonies to supply bees instead of importing packages. Using a Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) grant as a catalyst, she led the efforts that transitioned the bee club to adopt more sustainable beekeeping practices and the club has maintained a successful nuc program for many years. She teaches beginning beekeepers as part of the Virginia Beekeeping Teacher’s Consortium, was a team leader in a successful effort for beekeeper friendly zoning laws in PW county; and was thrilled to receive her Eastern Apicultural Society (EAS) master beekeeper certification in 2015 on the first try. She has also engaged with the British (BBKA) master beekeeping program and has made it through module one! She took the road less traveled and ended up as the EAS VA State Director and then EAS Program Chair for 2018. With the help of her husband she runs a small sideline operation in the remaining semi rural areas on the outskirts of Northern Virginia and is frequently found hanging around honey shows.