In exactly two months, Maryland will play host to one of the great beekeeping events each year, the Eastern Apiculture Society’s (EAS) annual conference. I always feel like it’s beekeeping Disneyland – one week with so many things to see and take in, opportunities to learn and chances to have fun. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes you can get around in. You are going to be busy! Speakers are world class, research is cutting edge, and solid practical information solves problems for you.

And the best part is that you are surrounded by hundreds of beekeepers! You know how the eyes of all your friends and family glaze over after a polite interval when you start to talk about bees? That doesn’t happen at EAS! Instead, people listen, and people share (no matter what their level of beekeeping). Your conversation might be a commiseration with someone having the same trouble you have been having, or a major bee lab researcher with an idea on the issue, or a vendor with a solution. You can learn as much from the networking as the formal presentations and start some lifelong beekeeping friendships.

It’s not ALL work and no play though. There are casual social opportunities with events like the Picnic evening, which will be a feast at Larriland Farm this year, and a BBQ night the next evening. The Bee Olympics are a hoot. Join in and test your skills. Previous years have included drone spitting, frame assembly and smoker lighting. The Live Auction is also a lot of fun, and a great way to snag some hotly contested fun items. It’s also the place to receive your Honey Show winnings, because you know you have some quality items to enter. The final night features a banquet with entertainment, and the announcement of our new EAS Master Beekeepers. The hard working, hard studying Maryland Master Beekeeper candidates have had a strong showing for the past few years, and we are expecting great things from them again this year.

Next year, EAS will be in Detroit. This year is the closest it will be for a while, and the perfect opportunity to see what all the excitement is about. Come for the week, or just for the two-day short course, or the three day conference. Volunteer to get a little bit of your registration fee back. Or dive in to the whole wonderful weeklong experience. See you there!

[Return to June 2024 BeeLine newsletter]