Jennifer Berry

For over 23 years, Jennifer Berry has been the Apicultural Research Professional and Lab Manager for the University of Georgia Honey Bee Program. Her research objectives have focused on queen breeding, improving honey bee health, the sub-lethal effects of pesticides on beneficial insects and IPM techniques for varroa and small hive beetle control, weeds for bees, and what best to plant in non-traditional horticultural landscapes to enhance pollinator populations and diversity. Recently she has become a PhD student and is teaching the “Bees, Beekeeping and Pollinator Conservation” course at UGA.

Jennifer has also undertaken several ambitious extension campaigns to educate people from all walks of life. She volunteers in Central and South America to teach women and young teens the art of beekeeping so they may start a business or enhance opportunities for better employment. Jennifer has also been instrumental in launching the Georgia Beekeeping Prison Program. Since its inception, 8 prisons have been added to the fold and are now teaching beekeeping behind bars. Along with learning how to keep bees, inmates are also certified through the University of Georgia Master Beekeeper Program. To date over 160 inmates have become certified beekeepers with several advancing to Journeyman and Master Beekeeper. She is also dutifully educating the public about the importance of pollinators and other beneficial insects and how to encourage their populations in their own front and back yards.

Education

B.S., 1997, University of Georgia, Entomology
M.S., 2000, University of Georgia, Entomology

Publications

Mark Davis

Mark Davis has roots in Virginia and Georgia and has enjoyed the culture of the Southeast his entire life. He enlisted in the Marines at 17. He was fortunate as a “soldier of the sea” to travel the Mediterranean and North Africa with a marine detachment, on the USS Littlerock. With the GI bill, Mark graduated from the UGA College of Agriculture with a BS. Because of his love of the corps he returned to the Marines and was commissioned as a 2cd Lieutenant and became an artillery officer.

After more world travel, Mark returned to civilian life but stayed in the reserves where he served in artillery and as an arial observer during desert storm. As a veteran, he landed a job with a world class pharmaceutical company where he learned fractional distillation. This is a common practice in the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals but is also a mandatory skill in the making of a fine whiskey. Due to Mark’s background in agriculture, he made it a priority to encompass local farm products for the distillery. His love of beekeeping, lead him to experiment with the fermentation process. His other passion is to honor the military by dedicating a whiskey for those who have served their by country by land, sea and air. Mark’s background and experience has led to the evolution of Soldier of the Sea Distillery, which is located in downtown Comer, Georgia.

Contact

Send email to thehivepub62@gmail.com