Learn Beekeeping Basics With the Libraries Thursday

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Beekeeper Justin Lowe of Rural Route Farms will present "The Basics of Beekeeping" from 3-4:30 p.m. tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 15, as part of the Arkansas Folklife Web Series hosted by Arkansas Folk and Traditional Arts. This digital event is free and open to the public, and registration is required.  

Lauren Willette, program host, said she has noticed that gardening and homesteading have been gaining more public interest in the last couple of years. Because of this, Willette said she "wanted to be sure to include a tradition that connected to growing a garden." She added, "Plus, local honey is such a delight, so it will be great to learn more about how that process works from start to finish."  

Lowe has been working as a professional beekeeper for over five years at his business, Rural Route Farms. He learned this trade and tradition in Wisconsin, then put his skills to work in Russellville, Arkansas. Lowe maintains over 500 hives and will explain the fundamentals and practice of beekeeping. He had gardens when he was younger and wanted bees for them, but he didn't know where to start. What began as a hobby then grew into a farming business. Rural Route Farms provides queens, nucs and hives, as well raw, filtered honey locally and online. Lowe's many hives are located in the London, Lamar, Knoxville and Clarksville areas of the Arkansas River Valley. His bees feed on the natural pollens and nectars of those locations. Lowe works closely with Central Beekeepers Supply in Russellville.  

The final session of the 2022 Arkansas Folklife Web series is set for 3-4:30 p.m. Oct. 20. Folklorist Rachel Reynolds will discuss holiday food traditions in the Ozarks and offer tips for preparing a regional holiday dish. 

Questions about the 2022 Arkansas Folklife Web Series may be directed to Willette at willette@uark.edu. Arkansas Folk and Traditional Arts is a statewide program of the University of Arkansas Libraries dedicated to building cross-cultural understanding by documenting, presenting and sustaining Arkansas' living traditional arts and cultural heritage.