Santa Rosa Beekeepers Association

09/03/2026

09/01/2026

We get asked a lot at what age can kids start helping with the Bees ? This kid has been playing with Bees since before he could walk. It’s all I can do to get him to keep a veil on.

08/30/2026

🐝💛 Building a Strong Future for SRBA

We are excited to share that our fundraising efforts this month raised $860 for the Santa Rosa Beekeepers Association!

A huge thank-you to Elementree Yoga Studio for the generous Full Moon Yoga donations and to the Brava Hair Studio & Boutique staff for their hard work on our Save the Honeybees fundraiser.

Even better news: through successful fundraising and careful budgeting, SRBA currently has more than enough funds to operate until 2028 at our current budget—including insurance and paid educational speakers!

We’ve also heard a few questions about why SRBA became a nonprofit, so we wanted to explain.

Nonprofit status does mean more paperwork, recordkeeping and financial accountability for the board—but those are safeguards we believe are important. It helps ensure that association funds and assets remain with SRBA, are used for its mission, and are protected as officers and boards change.

For our members, very little changes. You still attend meetings, vote, enjoy speakers and programs, volunteer and participate just as you always have.

Becoming a nonprofit wasn’t about the current board. It was about building a strong foundation for future boards and future members.

🐝 Our goal is simple: leave SRBA stronger than we found it and ready for its next chapter. 💛

08/28/2026

🐝 Let’s Talk About the Primal Hive! 🐝

I first learned about the Primal Hive at Apimondia 2025, and since one of our members already had one, I decided I wanted to give it a try too!

My first season with it was definitely a learning experience. 😂

I got my bees into the hive later in the spring than I would have liked because I was out of town during the early part of the season. Instead of starting with a full package of bees, I shook bees from a few frames into the hive and taped a queen cage inside.

Considering their late start and small population, they actually did pretty well!

The biggest challenge was getting those HUGE Primal Hive frames built out from scratch. These frames are massive, so a small colony has a lot of work to do before they can really get established.

I also learned that apparently frogs and giant cockroaches think a Primal Hive makes a lovely home. 🐸😂 That was an unexpected challenge!

Ultimately, they just didn’t have enough time or enough bees to build up the population and resources I wanted them to have going into winter. I recently combined them with another hive so they’ll have the numbers they need.

The good news? Those beautiful, partially built Primal frames are now safely tucked away in the freezer.

🌸 Next spring, we’re trying again!

This time I’m starting EARLY with a full package of bees so they have the entire season to build out those enormous frames and establish a strong colony.

That’s one of the things I love about beekeeping — every hive and every season teaches you something new. Sometimes the first attempt isn’t about success or failure. It’s about figuring out what you’ll do differently next time. 🐝💛

Primal Hive Experiment: Round Two coming Spring 2027!

08/27/2026

BUCK’S DIY BEE WATERING STATION — HOW HE BUILT IT! 💧

We’ve had so many people asking how Buck built the bee watering station from our video, so here are the basics!

This was built mostly from scrap lumber and materials he already had, so there aren’t exact measurements. The idea is to show you the basic setup so you can adapt it to what you have available.

💧 THE WATER TANK
Inside the wooden structure is a 30-gallon square plastic tank that was repurposed. Tractor Supply sells this same style of tank, but really, any sturdy plastic container that can be enclosed and supported properly should work.

🪵 THE FRAME
Buck built the wooden stand around the tank using scrap lumber. Because 30 gallons of water is HEAVY, he made sure there was plenty of support underneath the tank.

🚰 THE WATER SUPPLY
A 3/4-inch PVC pipe runs from his well-water irrigation system to the back of the tank.

Inside the tank is an automatic float/shutoff valve, similar to the way a toilet tank automatically stops filling when the water reaches the correct level. This keeps the tank supplied with water without having to constantly refill it.

🏠 THE ROOF
The little roof was made from a scrap piece of metal, helping protect the tank while also making the whole thing look pretty cute in the yard!

The beauty of this project is that it doesn’t have to be built exactly like Bucks. Use what you have, make it your own, and give your bees a dependable source of water. 🐝💦

We’ll add more details about the actual watering area and how the water flows down the cypress board in the next part!

08/26/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1MBSvqAkYd/?mibextid=wwXIfr

🐝 Remembering Dolly Parton and Her Honey Bee Roots 🐝

Like so many people around the world, we were saddened to learn of the passing of Dolly Parton at the age of 80. Her music, generosity, humor and unmistakable East Tennessee spirit touched generations of people.

As we remember Dolly, we wanted to share a little piece of her story that has a special connection to the beekeeping community.

Dolly grew up in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, and her father, Lee Parton, raised honey bees. Dolly even joked that those childhood memories might have had something to do with the famous hairstyles she would later wear. She once recalled, “My daddy used to raise bees,” adding that some of her hairstyles looked like a beehive and perhaps she was influenced by that. 🐝❤️

It's a small and charming connection to a woman who never forgot where she came from. From humble beginnings in the mountains of Tennessee, Dolly went on to become one of the most beloved entertainers and philanthropists in American history, while always keeping a little bit of Appalachia with her.

Today, the beekeeping community joins millions of others in remembering a true American original.

Rest in peace, Dolly. Thank you for the music, the laughter, the kindness and for never forgetting your mountain roots. ❤️🐝🎶

Maybe there was a little more “bee” in that famous beehive hairdo than we ever realized.

Source: https://www.allure.com/video/watch/dolly-parton-explains-the-evolution-of-her-look?

08/25/2026

This is a great video! Who knew that this was more effective than an alcohol wash?

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

08/23/2026

🐝💦 How Cool Is This DIY Bee Watering Station?!

Buck Brignano came up with this awesome watering station for his bees, and we just had to share it! 🐝💛

He used a 30-gallon plastic container for the reservoir and repurposed old fence boards around the outside to give it a rustic look.

💧 Water flows gently down a cypress plank, giving the bees a safe place to land and drink.

At the bottom, he used the top of an old birdbath filled with lava rocks to catch the water and provide even more landing spots for thirsty bees.

And the really clever part? The reservoir is connected to well water with an automatic fill valve—similar to the valve inside a toilet tank. As the water level drops, it refills automatically and shuts off when the container is full.

No constantly remembering to refill the bee waterer! 🙌🐝

Such a creative way to reuse old materials while making sure the bees have a reliable source of fresh water—especially during our hot summer days. ☀️

08/23/2026

The Association Is Ready for Its Next Chapter!

The current leadership has worked hard over the past two years to strengthen the association and build a solid foundation. As we approach our November elections, we’re looking for members who would like to bring fresh ideas, energy and leadership to SRBA.

Systems, contacts, programs, membership and finances are already in place to help make the transition easy.

Could It Be You?

💛 President
💛 Vice President
💛 Treasurer
💛 Secretary

Watch for future announcements and details about the upcoming elections. SRBA needs members who are ready to step forward, lead and help shape the association’s next chapter.

08/21/2026

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who came out to last night’s meeting and Honey Show!

We are especially grateful to Roy Smith, who taught us so much about how to properly prepare and present our honey for competition—and even showed us how to put together a mini honey show of our own. We truly appreciate him sharing his time and knowledge with us. 💛🐝

And thank you to everyone who brought honey and participated! 🍯 It was so much fun seeing—and tasting—the results of all that hard work from our bees and beekeepers.

And can we talk about that potluck buffet?! 😍 Unfortunately, I didn’t get a single picture before we descended on it like a pack of hungry animals. 😂 Apparently, documenting the food was much less important than EATING the food!

Thank you to everyone who helped make it such a fun, educational, and delicious evening. This is exactly what makes our beekeeping community so special. 🐝💛🍯