Our 2026 season kicks off with The Beginner Beekeeper Class.  

7pm: Candle Making  by Cindy Blye

I’ve been making and selling candles for over six years, starting with a few candle molds I received as a Christmas gift from my family. I began selling candles to complement my husband’s honey business, and later expanded into other beeswax products. Some of my candles have been recognized with awards at beekeeping conferences and the state fair. What started as sharing our products with friends and family has grown into a small local business, and today we’re happy to offer our honey, candles, and beeswax products at a local farmers market.

7:30pm 

Topic: Swarm Techniques

Speaker: Jason Van Duyn 

Jason Van Duyn is a North Carolina craftsman, beekeeper, and small-business owner based in Raleigh, NC. He holds a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from NC State University and owns/operates both Van Duyn Woodwork as well as Van Duyn Bees. 

Van Duyn Bees is a chemical-free apiary of around 30 (current) stationary hives devoted to producing pure, raw honey from the heart of the Piedmont region. Jason has been keeping bees for around 15 years, transitioning to chemical free management around 7 years ago. 

His management preferences looks to mimic the bees’ natural cycles and patterns so as to develop natural colony resilience. Thus, he seeks to strengthen colonies through genetics via swarm capture, nutrition, hive construction, and habitat diversity. Aside from general hive management, most of the beekeeping activities are spent in swarm collection, construction of large insulated stationary hives, native wildflower propagation, and the rearing of heavy nectar producing perennial trees and shrubs.