The Back Yard Beekeepers Association will host author and Master Beekeeper Theresa Martin for an in-person presentation on nature-based beekeeping at 7:30 p.m. at Norfield Congregational Church in Weston.
Martin, author of “Dead Bees Don’t Make Honey: 10 Tips for Healthy Bees,” will discuss research and techniques aimed at improving honey bee survival and honey production by modeling how bees survive in the wild. The book includes a foreword by biologist Dr. Thomas Seeley, who described it as “remarkable … candid, fact-based, and sensible.”
The event will begin with a social gathering at 7 p.m. at the church, located at 64 Norfield Road. Admission is free, but registration is required through the organization’s website. Martin will also sign copies of her book, which will be available for purchase for $18.
According to organizers, Martin has achieved a 99% colony survival rate while maintaining 20 to 25 bee colonies in Kentucky. She practices nature-based beekeeping, a method that emphasizes bee health, integrated pest management and minimal intervention.
Martin is a Cornell Master Beekeeper, the 2024 Kentucky State Beekeeper of the Year and president of the Kentucky State Beekeepers Association. She also writes for Bee Culture Magazine and previously worked in information technology and operations management for Fidelity Investments and Procter & Gamble.
Organizers said there will be no virtual attendance option, though recordings of the presentation and past monthly meetings will be available to club members through the members-only section of the association’s website.
The Back Yard Beekeepers Association, which has more than 400 members, describes itself as one of the nation’s largest regional beekeeping clubs. The organization’s mission is to promote education, knowledge-sharing and public awareness about beekeeping and honey bees.
For more information or to register, visit Back Yard Beekeepers Association.
