A large part of our time spent at festivals, market days and craft shows is spent educating, or in most cases, re-educating the public on honey and honeybees. We take that responsibility very seriously here at Georgia Gold Honey & Farm. An informed consumer is the best consumer!
This year we made our way up to Louisville, KY for the annual North American Honey Bee Expo (NAHBE). Our main purpose for going was the educational aspect that they provide. The science of beekeeping as well as the biology of the honeybee (apis melifera) is, largely unconquered territory, but that is not due to lack of trying. Engaging in the educational part of the expo really proved that there ARE lots of scientists and researchers focused on this very subject. That is great news! We are already dealing with a host of issues in the world of honeybees with more being added as time goes on. Having more eyes on these problems will hopefully help us arrive at solutions to them faster. In light of that, it is our job as beekeepers to educate the public thereby bringing awareness to these problems as well as inspiring the next generation of beekeepers: the kids!
At our most recent event in Ocilla, Georgia, I found myself using educational tools that we purchased at the NAHBE to teach several youngsters about the life of a honeybee. The parents and grandparents stuck around for the talk as well! It is wonderful to watch the light bulb switch on in the eyes of a child when they begin to make connections between what you are teaching and real world concepts. We are committed to increasing these efforts to go even further to educate and inspire others!
In the apiary, the nectar is flowing, colonies are building and pollen is flying and we are working hard to maintain the health of each of our colonies and grow our operations. In the office, we are gathering materials to establish hands-on connections to the talks that we give at each of our events. We will work on adding an educational tab to our website for educators, parents and beekeepers alike but, until then, here are just a few resources, created by the National Honey Board, to get you started.
National Honey Board: Educational Materials
To schedule us for an in-person learning event for your homeschool co-op, classroom or club, please contact us at info@georgiagoldfarm.com.
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