Although 2019 was not the first year that EJBees had set up a booth at the Jefferson County Fair, this one was a great success, both enriching and enjoyable for the participants.

Education was our focus: everything about bees and beekeeping. About 20 enthusiastic bee club volunteers took shifts during the three Fair-days, and had significant conversations with quite a few of the ~700 guests who spent time enjoying our exhibits.

An observation hive was front and center, humming with activity: nurse bees busy tending brood, workers building new wax comb. Kids and adults gathered to watch closely and to get answers to their bee questions.

Continuously showing on a large screen were fascinating close-up videos of activity deep within a hive, recorded using fiber-optic techniques. Posters and photos lined all the walls, illustrating and explaining a variety of topics.

Hands-on experience is a great way to learn! A special Kids’ Table was loaded with specimens of bee queens, drones and workers, with wasps and hornets too, and all sorts of items to handle and study. Illustrated flash cards challenged young visitors to discover captivating facts about bees and the wonderful things that they make, such as honey, wax and propolis.

For the adults, there was also a hands-on display of specimens and samples. On other tables, a great variety of items could be explored, from mason-bee houses to beekeeping tools; from solar wax-melter to complete wooden beehive; from commercial honey and wax products to bee-friendly garden plants — and more!

Our amiable EJBees mascot could be found lingering in the booth or roaming the fairgrounds to inspire visitors’ interest in bees. He even took a wild ride on the mechanical bull!

We’ll be back in 2021 with another great beekeeping booth. Please join us!