Cheatham County Beekeepers

10/08/2026

🐝 Girl Scout Volunteer Opportunity! 🐝

Are you a former Girl Scout, have a Girl Scout in your family, or interested in supporting women in leadership? We’d love your help!

Nashville Area Beekeepers Association (NABA) has been invited to participate in the Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee Fall Volunteer Conference and share information about the life cycle of the honey bee with Girl Scout leaders. They’ve also extended the invitation to CCBA members!

📅 Saturday, November 7, 2026
⏰ 8:00 AM–1:30 PM
📍 Ashland City, TN

NABA would also LOVE to have you join as a member as they connect with beekeepers across Middle Tennessee. Membership includes access to members-only educational materials, monthly educational talks, networking opportunities, and a discount at Tennessee Bee Company & Supply!

Interested in volunteering or learning more? Message us here or contact Dr. Gina Sandor at [email protected].

🐝 Come share your love of bees and help bring beekeeping education to Girl Scouts!

10/02/2026

Interested in becoming a beekeeper? 🐝 This is your sign!

Dickson Bee Club's annual in-person Beginning Beekeeping Class is coming up, and it's the perfect place to start if you've been curious about keeping bees but didn't know where to begin. No experience needed - just bring your questions!

📅 Saturday, November 7th, 2026
🕗 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
📍 Bibb-White Bluff Civic Center, 1054 Old Charlotte Rd, White Bluff, TN

Here's what's included:
✅ Instructional materials
✅ Lunch provided
✅ Door prizes

💰 Single - $50
💰 Family (up to 3 people) - $85

Spots are limited, so go ahead and grab yours! Sign up here 👉 https://forms.gle/aHP2oEaBskK8HbPm8

Questions? Email us anytime at [email protected]. We'd love to have you join us! 🍯

09/30/2026

📢 REMINDER: Cheatham County Beekeepers Picnic Rescheduled 🐝🐝

Please note: The picnic is taking the place of our October meeting, so there will be no separate October meeting.

09/04/2026

A groundbreaking study examining the relationship between beekeeping and longevity has revealed that apiarists (beekeepers) may possess a distinct biological advantage that allows them to age more slowly than the general population. Published in the journal PMC, the research focused on telomeres—the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that serve as a crucial indicator of cellular aging. Scientists discovered that beekeepers had significantly longer telomeres than non-beekeepers of the same age. Because telomeres naturally shorten as cells replicate and degrade over time, the maintenance of greater telomeres length among beekeepers provides direct, molecular evidence of a delayed biological clock and a reduced rate of cellular senescence (senescent cells are often called “zombie cells” because they refuse to die despite being heavily damaged, and they can “infect” surrounding healthy cells with dysfunction).

Researchers attribute this anti-aging phenomenon primarily to the regular, long-term consumption and handling of nutrient-dense bee products. The study demonstrated that both the duration of years spent consuming these products and the daily frequency of their intake directly correlated with longer telomeres. Hive elements such as raw honey, propolis, and royal jelly are densely packed with potent antioxidants and bioactive compounds that actively combat oxidative stress and promote cellular repair. Additionally, consistent exposure to the anti-inflammatory properties of bee venom—combined with the outdoor physical activity and mindfulness required to keep a colony calm—creates a unique environmental synergy that effectively acts as a natural defense against the traditional markers of aging.

SEE PMID: 26028466

Check out the comments section for the full benefits of beekeeping 🐝🍯🫶

09/03/2026

Come join us Tuesday, September 8, from 6-8pm for the meeting and we will have honey tasting at 5:30pm for those that want to come early.

John Ratcliff will be our guest speaker. He is the owner of Ratcliff Honey Farms in Hendersonville, Tennessee, where he manages more than 60+ colonies. He also specializes in bee removals throughout Nashville and the surrounding counties.

He currently serves on the Nashville Area Beekeepers Board and is a former president of the organization. He also serves as president of of the board for Honeybee TN, continuing his commitment to supporting and educating beekeepers across Tennessee.

08/08/2026

📢🐝 IMPORTANT NOTICE: AUGUST MEETING DATE & LOCATION CHANGE! 🐝📢

Please note that our August meeting will be held on a different date and at a different location than usual.

We’re excited to have Mike Ernst, our Club President, as our featured speaker!

🌻 Topic: “Fall and Winter Preparations Begin Now”

Fall will be here before we know it, and now is the time to prepare your bees! Mike will share important tips and practical information to help you get your colonies ready for fall and set them up for a successful winter.

📅 Monday, August 17, 2026
🕕 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
📍 Cheatham County Library
188 John Mayfield Drive
Ashland City, TN 37015

🐝 All beekeepers are welcome! Whether you’re a new beekeeper or have years of experience, come join us, learn something new, and bring a friend!

We hope to see you there!

07/14/2026

07/09/2026

07/08/2026

🐝 Join Us for Our July Beekeeping Meeting! 🐝

We're excited to welcome Tennessee Apiarist Mike Studer as our featured speaker!

Topic: "Invasive Species to Be on the Lookout for and What Beekeepers Can Be Doing Now."

📅Monday, July 13th, 2026
🕕 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
📍 UT-TSU Cheatham County Extension Office
316 Frey St., Ashland City, TN (beside Food Lion)

Please note: Parking and the entrance are located in the back of the building.

Whether you're a new beekeeper or have years of experience, this is an important topic that affects us all. Come learn what to watch for and what steps you can take to help protect your bees.

Everyone is welcome!

07/04/2026

We've made some exciting updates to our website, and we'd love for you to check it out! 🐝

One addition we're especially proud of is a new Founder page honoring Paul Carter, who founded the Cheatham County Beekeepers Association. His vision and dedication helped establish our club, and we're grateful for the foundation he built. We hope you'll take a few minutes to read about his legacy.

While you're there, we'd love to hear your thoughts on the updated website. Your feedback is always appreciated!

🔗

Leslie Paul Carter aka "The Bee Man" Leslie Paul Carter was a longtime master beekeeper and one of the most beloved and influential figures in Cheatham County’s beekeeping community. Affectionately known as “the Bee Man” throughout Pleasant View and beyond, Paul dedicated decades of his life t...