Our Meetings:
The public is always invited to join us and learn about honeybees and their importance in our world. We offer the opportunity to meet beekeepers of all ages, hear knowledgeable guest speakers and join in family friendly activities.
Join us at Whitehouse Methodist Church
405 W Main St.
First Thursday of each month.
6PM - Q&A - Bring your questions! We want to help.
6:45PM - Main Meeting - Beekeeping in East Texas comes with unique challenges and opportunities. ETBA meetings provide locally relevant knowledge, practical advice, and a strong support network to help you succeed in your beekeeping journey.
Links:
What to Expect:
📚 Educational Programs
Each meeting features a presentation or guest speaker covering timely topics such as seasonal hive management, pest and disease control, queen rearing, honey production, and equipment use.
💬 Open Discussion & Q&A
Members are encouraged to ask questions, share experiences, and learn from one another in a collaborative setting.
📢 Club Updates & Announcements
Stay informed about upcoming events, workshops, community outreach, and opportunities within ETBA.
🤝 Community & Networking
Meet and connect with fellow beekeepers in the region, build relationships, and find mentorship opportunities.
Who Should Attend?
New beekeepers looking for guidance
Experienced beekeepers wanting to refine their skills
Anyone interested in honeybees, pollination, or agriculture
Our ETBA Board Members
Jim Biles
Jim started beekeeping over 25 years ago, eventually building a hobby into a sideline business, Sugar Creek Honey. He follows his passion for honey bees by producing/selling local honey, providing beekeeping services for 9 landowners, and mentoring new beekeepers. Jim lives with his wife Tina in Flint, just south of Tyler, Texas.
President
Joe Laws
Joe Laws is a beekeeper who lives with in the Brushy Creek area of Anderson County. I’ve been keeping for 12 years. I keep 12 hives primarily for my agricultural tax exemption. I am a retired police officer who worked 28 years in Plano Texas. I graduated from Southwest Texas State University in 1977. I enjoy fishing and hunting. I have some land that I have planted several pounds of wildflower seeds. I manage my property for bees.
Vice President
Executive DirectorConnie Walker
Connie is a fourth-generation beekeeper from East Texas. She spends much of her time raising bees and doing one of her favorite things – making queens. She is a past ETBA president and ETBA Honey Queen. She loves spending time with her husband Brandon and their two dogs. She also enjoys cross stitching, crocheting and propagating plants. Having grown up around bees, Connie knows that while beekeeping books are helpful, the bees themselves always seem to have their own ideas.
SecretaryTish Kennedy
Tish Kennedy is the owner of Drunken Daffodil Farms. Which is a small beekeeping operation based in Pritchett, TX. She has been a beekeeper for 8+ years, is Secretary of the East Texas Beekeepers Association and is currently ETBA's Beekeeper of the Year. Her passion is teaching, mentoring and passing on the love of the honeybee to future Beekeepers.
Jamie Crain
Jamie is the Member at Large for the ETBA and manager of the club’s online presence. A fourth-year beekeeper in Tyler, Jamie approaches the craft as a "perpetual student" and a peer to those just starting their journey. When he isn’t tending his hives or spending time with his wife, Rachel, and their two teenagers, he’s likely immersed in a historical fiction novel or a game of chess.
Member at Large 
Jennifer Palmer
Jennifer started beekeeping in 2019, currently managing about 20 hives. She enjoys queen rearing, watching her hives grow, and sells nucs when her bees are doing well. She works with commercial beekeepers during the season and in a perfect world, would retire and just work bees. For now, she works full time for the City of Tyler.
Treasurer
Program DirectorGarrik Peters
Garrik started looking for a beekeeper in 2018 who would host 2-4 hives on his farm. After years of not finding that person, he decided to start beekeeping himself, and to cater to the small gardeners and homesteaders who need more pollinators. He quickly specialized in honey bee removal to help “save the bees”. He now owns over 50 colonies and is growing.
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Newsletter Editor Ruth Fullam
Ruth Fullam is a former ETBA student whose passion for beekeeping has continued to grow through hands-on experience and involvement in the local bee community. She currently works with Elzner Farms, where she continues to expand her knowledge and skills in practical beekeeping.
Ruth has recently joined the ETBA Board and now serves as Newsletter Editor. Her background as a student in the program gives her a unique perspective, allowing her to connect with both new and experienced beekeepers. She is excited to help share valuable information, highlight member experiences, and keep the ETBA community informed and engaged.