CCHBA History
From an early promotional brochure:
CCHBA was established in 1980 by a group of area beekeepers including John Sparks, Clarence Franklin, & Carole Booth (local Dadant & Maxant supplier). The charter group adopted a line drawing of a smoker & hive tool as the logo. Clarence promoted the logo and constructed miniature smokers & hive tools as decoration when CCHBA hosted the Plano ’91 TBA State Convention. Leslie Talbert, the ’91 CCHBA Honey Queen, and Esther Wright, the ’93 CCHBA Honey Queen, have advanced to Texas State Honey Queens. Early presidents included: John Sparks, Carole Booth, Clarence Franklin, Carol Marthens, Bill Johnson, Joy McCarty, & Ted Vance.
From the beginning, members have promoted scientific approaches to beekeeping. In 1984, the club hosted its first of many annual beekeeping workshops at the Heard Museum. Over the years, topics at the workshops have included:
WildflowersQueen rearingSwarmsVarroa mites (a new pest that arrived in the U.S. in 1987)DiseasesOrganic pest managementBasic beekeepingAssembling woodenwareGadgets & gizmosPreparing honey for the honey contestState Fair honey boothHive productsBeekeeping book reviewsFall & winter hive managementWaxcrafting workshopMany topics are similar to subjects presented by the Texas Beekeepers Association and the American Beekeeping Federation at their present-day conventions. Local beekeepers in North Texas have always had an interest in “best practices” in beekeeping.
The Traveling Beekeeper by Larry Connor, PhD, excerpt from the May 2008 American Bee Journal
Texas Bee Club Stresses Education and Youth Involvement, Part 1 by Mary and Bill Weaver, excerpt from the September 2015 American Bee Journal
Texas Bee Club Stresses Education and Youth Involvement, Part 2 by Mary and Bill Weaver, excerpt from the October 2015 American Bee Journal
The Formation of Collin County Hobby Beekeepers Association and Other History by Carole Booth, former TBA Journal Editor, 1990 VP of TBA and CCHBA Founder, excerpt from the March-April 2019 TBA Journal