The Texoma Beekeepers Association was started in 2013 and officially incorporated by Oklahoma State in 2017. Our mission is to bring together local urban and rural beekeepers in the Southern Oklahoma Area, while providing a common space to learn and educate one another, and provide hands on hive time through our 4H sponsored hives. We work with our community leaders in educating the public about the native honey bee and how to help our pollinators, along with swarm removals and relocations.
History of TOBA
In 2016 the Noble Foundation hosted a bee program at the SOTC auditorium and it was met with great interest from the public and local community. In response to the buzz created by the program, Charlie Canny – the Facilities Director at Noble, Mary Howard – past employee and beekeeper, and Pat Tickel – local beekeeper, met to create the constitution and bylaws for a local Southern Oklahoma Beekeepers Club, what we now know as TOBA – Texoma Beekeepers Association.
The first TOBA meeting was held at the Noble Foundation on February 11, 2017 with 30 individuals in attendance. With established beehives already on the Noble grounds, the club was able to not only have in-class time, but also hands on hive-time. These beehives were an exceptional teaching tool for the club and general public, allowing the teaching of beekeeping and the possibility of continued education accessible to all.
Up until 2020, Texoma Beekeepers Association worked in tandem with the Noble Foundation, playing a vital role in the Foundations goal of community outreach and education. TOBA was able to provide hive and honey bee data through systemic beehive management of the Noble Hives, and also served as speakers at Noble and public events to educate the community about honey bees.