POTSDAM -- The Local Living Venture will partner with Luke Martin to present a training and educational session at 6:30 p.m. on July 31 focusing on using locally bred queen cells to "re-queen" a bee hive, rather than importing fully raised queen bees from another source.

Martin is a local beekeeper who has been breeding northern-hardy and naturally (chemical free) mite-resistant bees for 45 years, the last 23 years here in Northern New York, Local Living Venture said.

This training session will share techniques to introduce a queen cell to a "nuc" (short for nucleus, or mini-hive) as an example of how it can easily be done by the participants in their home bee yards. Martin will demonstrate the removal of the queen cells from the hive, how to create a nuc on top of it and give pointers as to timing and follow-through for successful integration of new queen stock.

A donation of $10 per person is requested, to benefit the Local Living Venture's non-profit programming. Martin's stock of Russian hybrid queen cells will also be available for sale that evening for an additional fee of $10 apiece. They can be purchased on site, first come first served, or can be ordered in advance to ensure availability. The queen cells have been bred to be mite resistant and winter hardy.

The session is at the Martin homestead, 156 Newton Rd., of off Rt. 47 near Rt. 11B in Southville (6 miles east of Potsdam and 1.5 miles north of Parishville). The event will be held rain or shine, under temporary shelter in event of rain.

There will be orange lawn signs noting "Workshop Site" to guide attendees from Rt. 11B. Walk-in's are welcome, though reservations are appreciated and may be desirable if interested in purchasing queen cells. Participants are advised to wear protective bee gear (at least a veil) and to bring extra gear to share if possible.

Anyone interested in purchasing queen cells that evening are advised that they will need to be kept at 91 to 96 degrees Farenheit while being transported and stored, prior to installation in the hive. A cooler with a thermometer, towel, and empty hot water bottle inside would be one good method for transport. Hot water will be available for water bottles.

To sign up, contact LocalLivingVenture@gmail.com or call 347-4223 to reserve a spot. Please include a phone number(s) and the number in one's party for an email containing all pertinent information.