Summer is always a busy time for those of us living in the Maritime provinces and this is especially true for beekeepers. We have a very short season for beekeeping as well as taking advantage of the beautiful weather with family and friends. During the beekeeping season it is also the only time available for practical beekeeping training. It is great to have the option, with current technology, to meet virtually but the reality of beekeeping is this medium for learning has limits. So in spite of the challenges of a busy beekeeping season, beekeepers are encouraged to attend as many face to face, in person meeting opportunities as possible. One opportunity was presented to beekeepers this past weekend, with the 2026 NBBA Summer Twilight Session, for an in person gathering.
Review of NBBA Twilight Meeting
This past Saturday evening (July 11) the New Brunswick
Beekeepers Association (NBBA) organized a visit to Trueman’s Blueberry Farm
(Aulac, NB). This twilight session was
hosted by Tom Trueman, farm owner, and Bobby Bogdanova, head beekeeper. Trueman’s Blueberry Farm has become one of
New Brunswick most visited agritourism businesses and its location make it
highly accessible for the well over 100,000 visitors each year. The group was able to go on a miniature train
ride around the farm to start the meeting
which set the stage for the pleasant and informative evening to follow.
To begin the meeting, Tom provided some
background on how the direct-to-consumer aspect of the business has been
developed over the past 20 years. There are a range of family-friendly
activities for visitors, in addition to the fruit U-pick (cultivated
blueberries, raspberries as examples).
The Farm also has seasonal activities, like their now famous tulip
festival and special Christmas events.
Their sunflower maze is also a well-known local attraction.
The specific aspects of Trueman’s farm honey
bee operation was covered by Bobby. His
over 30 years of beekeeping experience is obvious with the depth of knowledge
he displays. Bobby’s presentation ranged from the challenges of beekeeping
generally to specific tribulations of the Trueman’s operation. Having started
beekeeping as a child in Bulgaria and working as a commercial beekeeper in Nova
Scotia and New Brunswick for decades, Bobby shared his understanding of
beekeeping, and queen production, with the collected group. It was obvious that
he was happy to answer all questions from both experience and novice beekeepers
alike. A great deal of information was disseminated around the room over the
course of a couple of hours.
The group finished with a scoop of the
Trueman’s famous, award-winning ice cream. Not only a great example of a value
added product, it was a perfect opportunity to experience a warm summers
evening. Beekeepers chatted and enjoyed
a cone to finish of the night. ATTTA was
in attendance with a group of students participating in the Fundamentals of
Beekeeping course, and we were pleased to help organize the event along with
the NBBA. To represent the Association,
president Chris Lockhart was in attendance. He discussed both his own
commercial beekeeping experience and the work of the association during the
informal chats while enjoying an ice cream.
Participation in this, and similar events where
successful beekeepers share their stories, has obviously great benefit. Attendance at the meeting was good but there
was room for additional beekeepers, so remember that coming along to these
events is always worthwhile, and sometimes there is ice cream!
The next learning opportunity for the
region’s beekeepers is the Atlantic Bee Tour in Charlottetown PEI. Registration details can be found here: https://peibeekeepers.ca/2026-atlantic-bee-tour/
Connecting with ATTTA Specialists
If you’d like to connect with ATTTA specialists or learn more about our program, you can:
visit our website at https://www.perennia.ca/portfolio-items/honey-bees/
Email attta@perennia.ca