Creating a Buzz at the County Fair
Extension Education
Jessica Sullivan
Extension Agent - Agriculture
University of Florida IFAS Extension-Osceola County
KISSIMMEE
Abstract
Honey bees provide valuable services to our food supply by pollinating food crops and making honey. Bees and beekeepers face many challenges like natural disasters, pests and decreasing bee forage due to changing land uses. Because beekeepers are a smaller sector of agriculture, and are not typically large landowners, their contributions to our food systems are not always recognized. The goals of the Honey Bee Community Showcase were to educate the public about the importance of honey bees, beekeepers, and local agriculture and to engage the community in supporting them.
In 2025, County Agents created an exhibit at the ten-day county fair focused on honey bees. Community members could enter items in nine categories including honey, food and beverages with honey, arts and crafts featuring bees, and pollinator gardens. In 2026, the Honey Bee Community Showcase was expanded to include the “Pollination Station”, where people could talk with beekeepers, watch live bees in an observation hive, and learn about bees and how to protect them. Local community members, organizations, and businesses served as exhibit judges, sponsors, and volunteers including the Native Plant Society, Beekeepers Associations, Master Gardeners, a home brew supply store, and a honey store.
The Honey Bee Community Showcase offered fresh and unique opportunities for local beekeepers and community members to display their talents. Participation in the Showcase increased from 23 entries the first year to 49 entries the second year. With 80,000 visitors to the County Fair annually, it is an excellent venue to reach all sectors of the population, educating them about agriculture and increasing awareness of the services and events provided by the local County Extension. Over 400 visitors were directly educated by Agents and volunteers at the exhibit in 2025. Many exhibit visitors said they learned something new about bees and agriculture or learned about a new local organization or business that they planned to visit, and there has been increased registration in Extension classes because of people visiting the Showcase.
The Honey Bee Community Showcase has proven to be an engaging way to increase agricultural appreciation and awareness.
Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC
This poster is being submitted only for display at AM/PIC. Poster is not to be judged, but the abstract will be published in the proceedings.
A poster file has not been provided
Authors: Jessica Sullivan, Stacy Strickland
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Sullivan, J. Extension Agent - Agriculture, UF IFAS Extension - Osceola County, Florida, 34744-6107
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Strickland, S. Extension Agent - Agriculture, UF IFAS Extension - Hernando County, Florida, 34604