Next weekend, the Botetourt Farmers Market and the Botetourt Beekeepers Association present Botetourt County’s first Honey Fest. The event takes place at the Daleville Town Center on October 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The Botetourt Beekeepers Association formed in February of 2011. Their mission statement is, “an association comprised of volunteers dedicated to promoting all aspects of apiculture.”
Sarah Melendy recently spoke about the event in an interview stating, “We are working closely with the Botetourt Farmers Market to plan the Honey Fest. This Honey Fest will serve as a test-run for a much larger Honey Fest that we are planning for next year.
“We hope to see a nice turnout for the Honey Fest on Saturday, October 9 like we did for the Tomato Fest. Our hope is that this will be both entertaining and educational. Four of our beekeepers will set up booths to sell their honey, as well as other products from their hives. We will also have beekeepers running and information booth, and some might help at the Plants for Pollinators booth.”
Melendy thanked Botetourt County for generously allowing the group to have their “keep a honey bee sanctuary” at Greenfield. Many of their members keep hives at the sanctuary, and they hold educational demonstrations at the sanctuary from time to time.
Honey Fest also includes a honey tasting and competition, live music, beekeeping demonstrations, a local plants and pollinators booth, and local honey and beeswax products available for purchase.
For more information, visit the Botetourt Farmers Market’s Facebook page.
