Debra Roberts
Miss Bee Haven’s Ballard Branch Bee Yard – Grant Award: $3,000
Debra is a fourth-year beekeeper, following a non-chemical natural beekeeping approach. With the award, Debra plans to expand her current bee yard from five hives to ten to develop her family’s income with honey, pollen, honeybee-related crafts and nuc sales. Debra is particularly interested in educating others about beekeeping.
Debra involves her bees in art projects and other creative events in the local community, including her Honeybee Project. She explains to schoolchildren the necessity of bees in the ecosystem, and the kids, in turn, draw art and write letters to the bees.
She recently wrote an article, “Women who are kept by their bees” in Western North Carolina Woman about her beekeeping experience. See wnc-woman.com/july09/page20.html
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