Story and Photos by Jim Hamilton
The Beekeepers of the Bitterroot conducted their monthly meeting July 13, 2019 at the Teller Refuge apiary location. The apiary is located near Quast Lane, thanks to the generosity and cooperation of the Teller Wildlife Refuge, the bee club, and the Corvallis FFA chapter under the guidance of FFA advisor and Agriculture Education teacher Neela Andres. The five hives can be seen from Quast Lane because of the Blue Devil paint job adorning each box.
The Bitterroot Beekeepers serve as advisors to the students and Teller provides an ideal location because it has everything bees need: food, water and protection. Loren Stormo from Florence is president of the beekeeper’s club and Senior Apiarist Al Pernichele, who lives east on Quast Lane, gave presentations during the hive inspections.
These presentations and inspections are important for beginning beekeepers. Situating the apiary within Teller Wildlife Refuge fits quite well with the refuge’s ongoing ecology and naturalist community programs and having over 50,000 pollinators flying around benefits the farm and gardens adjoining Teller. The Beekeepers will be set up next month at the Ravalli County Fair in the Agriculture barn for those interested in beekeeping and honey tasting.