NC Honey Standards Committee

The NC Honey Standards Committee of the NC State Beekeepers Association was invited to the governor's mansion in Raleigh NC on Wednesday September 8th 2010. During this visit, the committee met at the NC Farmer's Market restaurant for lunch and a brief meeting. Then we all headed to the governor's mansion for a meeting with Commissioner of Agriculture Troxler and Governor Purdue. We had opportunity to explore the grounds of the governor's mansion grounds as well as take photos of the governor's beehives, the beautiful grounds and the house.

The governor came out to meet us all and we had a photo with her before she pronounced September as Honey Month in NC. This whole event was also to recognize and announce the existence of the new honey standard in NC. This new standard has been adopted by the agriculture department and press releases have gone out. It allows for regulation within the existing NC agriculture laws and will allow enforcement to stop selling of adulterated honey in NC as well as honey sold as sourwood when it is actually some other type of honey. More will be forth coming on the regulation of this standard.

Personally, I took advantage of this opportunity to take my daughter, Mackenzie, to NC State University for a tour. I am proud to announce she is VERY interested in attending there like her dad did. Mackenzie was very excited to meet the governor and also to take in the NC Museum of Natural History. WHEW! What a day! The photo shows Commissioner Troxler, Governor Purdue and Mackenzie as well as others at the event.

Did you know that September is National Honey Month?

Celebrate by buying honey from your local beekeepers. Here in Buncombe County you can find local honey at our farmers’ markets (http://buyappalachian.org) and at Earthfare and Greenlife.

You can become a beekeeper yourself and produce your own honey!
Check out these beekeeping resources on Buncombe County Beekeeper’s website: http://wncbees.org/ReferenceDocs.cfm and also on Cooperative Extension’s Growing Small Farms website: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/chatham/ag/SustAg/beekeeping.html

Visit the NC State Beekeepers’ Association website to find a local beekeepers’ chapter: www.ncbeekeepers.org

Here’s the web page for our Buncombe County Beekeepers’ Chapter: www.wncbees.org
Also, plant a pollinator garden to help provide nectar (and pollen) for our honey bees! Learn more at http://wncbees.org/ReferenceDocs.cfm and http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/chatham/ag/SustAg/chathammills.html

Hug your local beekeeper!

2010 Terra Madre

One of our very own beekeepers, Lady Cerelli was one of the eight people in our region chosen to attend the 2010 Terra Madre in Italy this October. The five-day meeting will bring together food communities, cooks, academics, youth and musicians from all over the world, who are united in a desire to promote sustainable local food production in harmony with the environment while respecting knowledge handed down over the generations. While attending the conference, Lady will have the opportunity to tour bee yards in Italy with a 30 year beekeeper. She will also be visiting with the Entomology Department's Apiary Program. Terra Madre will be paying for Lady's conference registration, but not her travel to the event. Lady needs our help! On Septmeber 18, Slow Food Asheville will be hosting a Terra Madre fundraiser entitled "Mountain Fire" dinner. This fundraiser will be held at Sunswept Farm Conservancy in Spring Creek, Madison County and will include a scratch-made, home-grown, gourmet feast as well as a silent auction of fine, local products and services. Event collaborator, Chef Mark Rosenstein, who founded The Market Place restaurant and has been dedicated to local, seasonal ingredients for the entirety of his 40-year professional cooking career, has designed the menu to be a medieval fantasy of fire-kissed offerings including Slow Roasted Porcetta,Chargrilled Chicken, Woodfired Breads, Riot of Fall Salad, Woodfire baked Ratatouille, Sicilian Cannoli, and Rustic Apple Tarts. The cost for this event is $45

More details of the event can be found here: http://www.jeweloftheblueridge.com/SLowFoodTerraMadreEvent.htm

Buy tickets in advance here http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/125156

To donate for the auction or to volunteer event help, please email MountainFire@charter.net.

We will need volunteers on the 17th, 18th, and 19th. Please inquire about free or reduced ticket prices in exchange for volunteering.

Hands on Beginner Beekeeping Workshop, September 12th, Call Jon Christie @ 828-689-4095 or visit www.wildmountainbees.com for details