Come listen to local beekeeper Dwight Cox as he talks about his experiences raising bees.

Cox bought a home on Highway 7 in 1980 and, after realizing that he was purchasing a lot of honey, decided to learn something about bees and beekeeping. One of his work colleagues was a beekeeper, and Cox started working with him to learn the ropes. He attended meetings and started out with two hives – which quickly grew to six.

At one point Cox had 26 hives, which produced 20-25 gallons of honey every year. Cox said it became a passion of his – and was certainly not a money-maker. He gave gifts of honey to friends and clients, and said the joy of sharing his lovingly tended products far outweighed the financial aspects of beekeeping.

At some point, all the hives died out from colony collapse disorder. Much research has been done on this condition, with advances made in controlling pests, etc. Cox decided to try again after a few years, found a swarm, and started all over.

Cox will discuss bees and the challenges of beekeeping. “It’s fascinating,” he said, “something you can get hooked on.”

CORONADO CENTER AUDITORIUM

OCT. 10, 10 A.M.

Trevor Crandle will have jars of his local raw honey for sale at the program.