Chippewa Valley Beekeepers Invited to Participate in Community Apiary
The Chippewa Valley Beekeepers Association, in partnership with Xcel Energy and Beaver Creek Reserve, is offering plots for area beekeepers in a new community apiary in the town of Hallie in Chippewa County.
The apiary is particularly suited to individuals who wish to keep bees, but live in an area that is not suited to beekeeping, or in a community that heavily regulates or taxes beekeepers. Participants in the community apiary will be offered plots of 16 feet by 16 feet, suitable for up to four hives. The plots are set among 32 acres of developing wildflower habitat next to an Xcel Energy substation located just off Business 53 and 40th Ave. in the town of Hallie.
Beekeepers can rent a plot in the apiary for $20 per year. They must provide their own equipment and bees. Other requirements include a commitment to keeping bees safe and healthy and a commitment to follow access and safety guidelines. Plots will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications are available through the club’s website chippewavalleybeekeepers.com.
Participants in the program are required to be members of the Chippewa Valley Beekeepers Association. Annual dues for a family to join the club are $10, and association president Galen Klisiewicz said the benefits of club membership are well worth it, especially for first-time beekeepers.
“Mentorship is critical for any new beekeeper,” said Klisiewicz, “and the club is full of individuals excited to share their knowledge with fellow beekeepers. The club also builds camaraderie, and we have honey extraction equipment that is shared within the club.”
Klisiewicz said the community apiary will have something to offer for beekeepers of all ranges of experience, including access to what will become prime bee habitat, avoidance of city beekeeping permit fees, and the promotion of pollinators of all kinds.
First-time beekeepers are eligible to rent a place in the community apiary, but are required to take a beekeeping class. Club vice-president Corey Grotte pointed out that the Chippewa Valley Beekeepers Association partners with Beaver Creek Reserve to offer training sessions.
“Our Beekeeping 101 course in March is a day-long course that covers basic beekeeping skills, bee biology and needed equipment,” said Grotte. “The second class take place in May, and focuses on handling bees, bee health and hive-maintenance – and includes a hands-on experience with the hives the club keeps at Beaver Creek. The August class features presentations on preparing hives for winter, and class members will extract the honey from the Beaver Creek bees.”
The day-long classes at Beaver Creek in 2020 will be held on March 7, May 2 and August 8, beginning at 8:30 a.m. each day. Cost of each session is $40 for Beaver Creek Reserve members, $45 for non-members.