Free Bee information at WV Beekeepers Spring Meeting

The biggest event of the year for the WV Beekeepers Association is their Spring Meeting. It is being held near Fairmont this year. It is being sponsored by the Marion County Beekeepers Association. Attend the free public sessions this Saturday afternoon. The next paragraph is a note from one of their members who is also a Master Gardener.

"There will be a free informational session at the WV Beekeepers Spring Meeting Saturday March 28, 2009 at the Trinity Assembly of God church in Fairmont. The session will be open to the general public from 1-2:45 pm and will include information about the honeybee and beekeeping. I imagine the session could be used for educational hours for Master Gardeners."

The Church is located on Rt 73 South. If you were leaving the Middletown Mall, drive south a couple of miles. On the left you will see the Church's sign.

More details and a map are located at the West Virginia Beekeepers Association web site. Click on the title to get there.

Daily Red Meat Raises Chances of Dying Early

Eating red meat increases the chances of dying prematurely, according to the first large study to examine whether regularly eating beef or pork increases mortality.

The study of more than 500,000 middle-aged and elderly Americans found that those who consumed about four ounces of red meat a day (the equivalent of about a small hamburger) were more than 30 percent more likely to die during the 10 years they were followed, mostly from heart disease and cancer. Sausage, cold cuts and other processed meats also increased the risk. The rest of the story at the Washington Post. Click Title for the link.

Don't miss this presentation on Helleborus

You are invited you to hear Barry Glick in Clarksburg on March 21. The Goff Plaza Garden Club is organizing this. Barry will be speaking on Helleborus. I've never met Barry, but I love Helleborus. The cost is $5,which goes to cover his expenses and future educational programs sponsored by the garden club. There will be lots of good 'eats' afterwards. Invite your friends. It is open to the public.

You can read more about Barry Glick from the Garden Lady.

Dollars from Dirt - Home Gardening Boom

With the recession in full swing, many Americans are returning to their roots -- literally -- cultivating vegetables in their backyards to squeeze every penny out of their food budget.

Industry surveys show double-digit growth in the number of home gardeners this year and mail-order companies report such a tremendous demand that some have run out of seeds for basic vegetables such as onions, tomatoes and peppers.

"People's home grocery budget got absolutely shredded and now we've seen just this dramatic increase in the demand for our vegetable seeds. We're selling out," said George Ball, CEO of Burpee Seeds, the largest mail-order seed company in the U.S. "I've never seen anything like it." Click on Title to continue