COBKA SUMMER PICNIC
With Matt Allen and Clyde Dildine
COBKA members and their families are invited to this year’s Summer Picnic on Saturday, August 15, 2026.
This year, our traditional public Field Day is taking a break. Instead, COBKA is hosting a more relaxed, members-focused summer gathering with hive inspections, queen-finding practice, family activities, storytelling, and a shared picnic lunch.
Details
Who: COBKA members and their families
Where: Connie and Linda’s place in Utopia
Address: Confirmed with rsvp
Date: Saturday, August 15, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
RSVP: Coming soon
We are pleased to welcome Matt Allen of Apricot Apiaries as our featured advanced inspection leader. Matt is the founder of Apricot Apiaries in Kimberly, Oregon, where he has built years of hands-on experience managing honey bee colonies for honey production, pollination, nucs, packages, and queen rearing.
Matt will guide the advanced hive inspection group through what to watch for when something in the hive does not look quite right. His session will focus on identifying hive abnormalities, reading colony clues, and strengthening inspection skills beyond the basics.
Matt will also lead a queen-finding session, sharing practical tricks of the trade for locating the queen. Members will have time to practice queen finding during the event.
Clyde Dildine will lead the beginner hive inspection group. Clyde is a longtime mentor, and beekeeping educator. A past COBKA president and lead Oregon Master Beekeeper Apprentice instructor, Clyde has spent years helping Central Oregon beekeepers gain confidence through practical, hands-on learning.
Clyde will demonstrate proper hive inspection procedures and help newer beekeepers understand what is normal to see inside a healthy hive. This is a strong fit for members who are still building confidence with inspections, brood patterns, colony behavior, and basic hive observations.
Schedule
10:00 a.m. - Arrive and settle in
10:30–11:30 a.m. - Hive inspections
- Advanced inspection with Matt Allen
- Beginner inspection with Clyde Dildine
11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. - Queen finding, crafts, and bee family tree activity
12:30–1:30 p.m. - Picnic lunch and bee storytelling
1:30–2:00 p.m. - Wrap-up and informal visiting
Family Activities
Crafts
Family-friendly craft activities will include:
- Creating a buzzing bee with popsicle sticks
- Making your own lip balm
Bee Family Tree
Who influenced your beekeeping journey? Who have you influenced? How many times do our paths cross?
The bee family tree activity will help us trace the mentors, students, friendships, and shared learning that connect COBKA members.
Storytelling
Bring a funny, memorable, or surprising bee story to share. No need to be a polished storyteller - bee stories tend to do the work themselves.
Picnic Lunch
COBKA will provide a protein and drinks.
Members are asked to bring a side salad and/or dessert to share. Honey-inspired dishes are especially welcome. If you bring a homemade dish, please consider bringing a few copies of the recipe!
About the Venue
Connie and Linda Axelrod are generously hosting this year’s picnic at their beautiful location in Utopia, with Smith Rock as the backdrop. Thank you to Connie and Linda!!
Please Note
This event is for COBKA members and their families. The COBKA public Field Day is taking a break this year and will not be held as a public event.
