MCDOWELL COUNTY, W.Va. – The McDowell County Order of the Honey Bee welcomed 3 new members at their latest meeting.

The collective group of beekeepers now has a dozen adult members as well as 3 children that regularly participate in beekeeping education.

Founder Jonathan Cox is a certified Apprentice Level Beekeeper servicing 101 hives across McDowell County as a private contractor with the Appalachian Beekeeping Collective. He also works as a peer mentor within the same organization at 6 apiaries all registered with the state of West Virginia through the Department of Agriculture.

For a small annual fee, The McDowell County Order of the Honey Bee offers education and access to all club activities. The group meets once per month to discuss honey bee management and will also feature specialists and other experienced beekeepers as guest speakers to expand the education of all members.