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Buncombe County Beekeepers Chapter Information
2011-2012 Officers
 Lee Banks, President
Lee began his beekeeping hobby in 2006 after attending a BCBC sponsored school. He earned his Journeyman level certificate in 2008 and has his mind set on becoming a Master Beekeeper. He enjoys collecting swarms, as well as, established colonies who have set up housekeeping in buildings and structures where they aren't particularly welcome. His interest is in producing his own locally reared queens and is determined to manage his bees without using hard chemicals.
 Brenda Lewis, Vice-President
Brenda Lewis stumbled into beekeeping when she found our WNC bee school course advertised on the internet. Two years after graduating the beginner's course, she has caught a swarm, combined hives, filled dozens of mason jars with honey and stimulated countless clouds of annoyed bees in the backyard of her home. She is now studying top bar hives and continuing to read every beekeeping book she can find.
 Edd Buchanan, Program Committee
Bio under construction
Wayne Smith, Program Committee & Director
Bio under construction
 Janet Peterson, Program Committee
Janet started with the club in 1995. As a hobbyist, she needs the honeybees to help pollinate her 5 acre tract of U-Pick blueberries at her Cloud 9 Farm. As a retired school teacher, she loves the educational activities to share and to be around this nature-loving crowd.
 Anna Koloseike, Secretary
Bio under construction
 Darrell Steenwyk, Treasurer
Bio under construction
 Cindy Jordan, Director/Membership
Cindy received her Journeyman Beekeeper certification in 2010 and is working toward the NC Master Beekeeper certification. She manages her bees without the use of chemical treatments. Her beeyard, located on Jordan Blackley Farm, is a Certified Naturally Grown apiary. There are short and long-term rentals on the property, and honey, berries, mushrooms, and eggs are for sale on the farm. Cindy is expanding her business to offer hive set-up and educational opportunities to beginners. Cindy is a Licensed Professional Counselor currently employed at Mission Hospital.
Mary Ellen Brown, Volunteer Assistant to Membership Director
Bio under construction
 Carl Chesick, Director
I measure success in beekeeping by hives that survive winter – without treatment with medications, chemicals or “organic” substances (including acids, menthol, thymol, or powdered sugar). Genetic diversity is paramount in my beekeeping philosophy – the opposite of in-line breeding programs. I add a few queens from selected “survivor stock” to my apiary each year, and hope a widely disparate range of genetic material will endow bees a better chance to cope with future global maladies. I experiment with foundationless frames, small cell, top bar hives, double-queen colonies, and various non-grafting techniques in raising locally adopted queens. I keep bees for what they teach me, and attempt to recognize and amend the disadvantages imposed by mankind. I have a sign carving business and also install wireless loop systems for hearing impaired. Joan and I work a 13 acre organic farm in West Asheville.
 Karen Hansen, Director
I signed up for the 2008 Bee School after seeing the Honey Bee Exhibit and talking with BCBC people at the Arboretum Heritage Folk Days Festival. It all sounded so interesting and I loved the prospect of someday having my own set of glittery wings and antennae. The ensuing years have been an incredible adventure riding an ever expanding learning curve. I've never used any chemicals in my hives, natural or otherwise, and am dedicated to developing 'survivor stock'. My goal is to provide the bees with optimum conditions for survival and let natural selection do the rest. My partner, Freddi, and I are very lucky to live northwest of Asheville in Spring Creek with the bees, two dogs, a cat and a myriad of other creatures. I'm also an aspiring woodworker and artist, but on sunny days I often find myself distracted and drawn outside to sit by the hives and watch the bees; it's amazing how the intense industry of these small creatures can be so relaxing. I feel a deep sense of awe, inspiration, mystery and wonder at the bees and am so delighted to be on this path.
 Ginger Clough, Volunteer Blog Facilitator
Ginger Clough is a Certified Beekeeper working towards her Journeywoman level. She and her daughter have a small backyard apiary on the banks of Bee Tree Creek in Swannanoa, NC.
 DeForrest Hipps, Volunteer Website Editor
DeForrest is a software development manager living in the mountains near Asheville, NC with his wife and 4 children. He is an avid beekeeper, gardener, and mineral collector. DeForrest also flies high-powered rockets and manages the WNCBees.org website for the Buncombe County Beekeepers Chapter.
 Steve Langefeld, NCSBA Regional Director
Steve was certified as a Journeyman Beekeeper in 2009 and is planning to become a Master Beekeeper in 2010. He was elected regional representative of NCSBA for the Western Region of NC and will serve until 2012. He remains committed to educating the public about the honey bee and beekeeping while providing ongoing learning opportunities for local clubs. He is employed as a Physicians Assistant with a local surgical group.
 Calvin Robinson, Past President and NCSBA Regional Director
Calvin has been around honeybees since his earliest memories. He became a certified NC beekeeper in 2003 and became a Journeyman level beekeeper in 2006. He is presently working on his Master beekeeper certification. During the day he works for Social Security and after work he builds children's playhouses at his farm, "Sourwood Knoll". He markets his "Bee Blessed" honey at a local tailgate market as well as on the internet. Calvin has teamed up with Mike Singleton and Carl Chesick to try and breed queens that are resistant to mites and thrive in Western NC without chemical treatments. He has served as Vice-President of BCBC from December 2005 through November 2007. He has a keen interest in research and improvement of our bees as well as educating the public about the importance of honeybees. Calvin manages his bees without the use of chemical treatments. In his spare time, Calvin is currently working on becoming a hot air balloon pilot.
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