The East Texas Beekeepers Association has a new honey queen, 16
year-old, Miss Kellie Lenamond. Kellie was crowned by the 2004 ETBA Honey Queen, Miss Connie Collins at the ETBA meeting on the TJC West Campus February 5, 2009.
Kellie is the daughter of Tammy and Mike Lenamond and is the oldest of six children. Kellie and her family live in Wills Point, Texas on 20 acres. They have a vegetable garden, dogs, cows, pigs and of course, honey bees.
She is a junior and has been home schooled by her mother since the first grade. She is also taking two college courses at Trinity Valley Community College in Terrell, Texas.
Kellie is active in her local church, singing in the youth choir and helping to direct the children’s choir and programs. Her talents include playing the violin, mandolin and guitar.
She and her father became interested in bees about three years ago.
She took a beekeeping class in Collin County taught by John Talbert
and she is currently taking a refresher couse in Chapel Hill taught by
Dick Counts.
She has six active, healthy hives to care for and with the help of her
father, extracts honey which she uses to cook special recipes for her
family and friends. In her recipes, she substitutes honey for sugar.
Kellie’s goal is to represent the ETBA by promoting the value,
preservation and public education of the honey bee and pure natural honey.
ETBA’s long term goal of supporting a honey queen is to help educate young ladies to become valuable beekeepers and to become model citizens of the community. Our association will support them to compete for the Texas Honey Queen if they desire; which gives them the benefit of a scholarship to help further their education.