Professional beekeeper Jan Lohman of Hermiston discusses her craft with the crowd at the M. Crow & Co. store in Lostine. She's holding a hive frame, which is a template bees use to build their honeycombs. A beekeeper's suit rests at the far left.

About 30 people buzzed into the M Crow & Co. store in Lostine to attend an Oct. 29 lecture on beekeeping organized by organic beekeeper and store Manager Jane Harshman.

Participants were treated to a honey-centered potluck that included honey cookies, honey butter, honey pecan snacks and honey biscuits. Various beekeeping articles were placed about the store as well.

Harshman organized the event and invited commercial beekeeper Jan Lohman of Hermiston to deliver a lecture and answer audience questions about the subject.

Harshman came by her beekeeping honestly: The stores owner, Tyler Hays, told her it was part of her store managerial duties, which didn’t matter to Harshman as she already had an interest in the subject. She has kept bees for two seasons.

“I was really pleased with the turnout — it was great,” Harshman said. “For Wallowa County it was a stellar turnout.”

As a relatively new beekeeper, Harshman said she’s always looking for new information about beekeeping.

“The purpose of the meeting was to get anyone thinking of keeping bees hooked up with Jan or other mentors,” she said. “I have several mentors, and I mentor someone.”

A sign-up sheet for a possible beekeepers club was filled from top to bottom with signatures from interested parties. Although Harshman considers herself a novice beekeeper, she said that if interested people visit or call the M. Crow store at 541-569-2285, she can connect them with a beekeeping expert.

Harshman said the store likely will host another beekeeping gathering in the spring.