The Make A Difference Festival, a regional event that aims to encourage volunteer and outreach service in the Tri-Valley, will take place in-person on Jan. 14 at the Pleasanton Senior Center.
Nature photographer Michael Marchiano, a volunteer docent for the Mt. Diablo Interpretive Association, will be the guest speaker at the Thursday, Feb. 10, online meeting of the Livermore-Amador Valley Garden
Peter Schumacher, a member of the Mount Diablo Beekeepers Association, will be the featured speaker at the May 13 meeting of the Livermore Amador Valley Garden Club.
Schumacher became a beekeeper in 2008 when a swarm of honey bees settled in his backyard while looking for a new home. With help from the Mount Diablo Beekeepers Association and other online resources, he set up his first hive for the swarm to inhabit. Schumacher now keeps 15 hives and harvests between 150 and 350 pounds of honey a year.
In his talk, which is open to the public, Schumacher will cover the basics for anyone who may be considering beekeeping, as well as how everyone can help bees thrive.