Holland Area Beekeepers Association

Category: Local clubs Also called: HABA; Holland Area Beekeepers; Holland, Michigan beekeeping club; hollandbees.org

What it is

The Holland Area Beekeepers Association (HABA) is a volunteer beekeeping club serving the Holland, Michigan area. Its own About page says it began in the 1950s so local beekeepers could meet and share ideas, and that it exists to encourage and help first-time beekeepers, build community, and educate the public about honey bees. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that holds educational meetings from April through November, runs an annual Bee School, and offers a mentor program. This listing is for the local club, not a supply store and not a single course.

Official URL

Official site: https://www.hollandbees.org/

About: https://www.hollandbees.org/about

Events and meeting schedule: https://www.hollandbees.org/events

First-year beekeepers (mentor program and resources): https://www.hollandbees.org/first-year-beekeepers

Swarms: https://www.hollandbees.org/problem-bees-swarms

Marketplace: https://www.hollandbees.org/marketplace

Contact: https://www.hollandbees.org/contact

Last checked

2026-10-15. All URLs above returned HTTP 200 with a desktop Chrome user agent on that date.

Who it’s for

Beekeepers and would-be beekeepers in Ottawa County and the Holland–Zeeland area of West Michigan, from first-year beginners to advanced hobbyists. The site states that membership is free and that signing up for the newsletter serves as membership. Not a commercial supplier and not a university program.

Why it’s listed

This is a first-party local club with a public meeting schedule, a stated venue, and published membership terms.

• Meetings (Home and Events pages, checked 2026-10-15): regular meetings are usually the third Thursday, April through November, with the November 2026 meeting on the second Thursday (Nov 12). No December meeting. Meetings run about 6:30–8:30 PM, with an open Q&A at 6:30, opening remarks at 6:45 and a presentation at 7:00.
• Venue (checked 2026-10-15): Howard Miller Community Center, 14 S Church St, Zeeland, MI 49464.
• Today’s meeting (Events page, checked 2026-10-15): Thursday, October 15, 2026, 6:30 PM — “Pheromones,” presented by Ana Heck, Michigan State University Extension Educator. The page lists the Nov 12 meeting as “Products From the Hive,” title pending.
• Membership (Home page, checked 2026-10-15): free. The newsletter sign-up counts as membership; the club relies on donations and does not collect dues.
• Bee School (Events page, checked 2026-10-15): Saturday, February 6, 2027, Central Wesleyan Church; the page says details and registration will be posted in fall 2026.
• Mentor program (Events and First-year pages, checked 2026-10-15): accepting mentor and mentee applications for the spring 2026–spring 2027 season; open to people with 0–2 years of experience.
• Other (checked 2026-10-15): a swarm-information page, a free member marketplace for bees and equipment, and a monthly newsletter.

Dates, topics and venues above are what the official pages showed on the check date. They can change.

Location

Monthly meetings are held at the Howard Miller Community Center, 14 S Church St, Zeeland, Michigan 49464 (official Home and Events pages, checked 2026-10-15). The club’s name and service area are Holland, Michigan; Zeeland is the meeting town. Confirm the date and topic on the Events page before you go.

Notes

• Category is Local clubs. It is the first Michigan listing from the HABA site; no earlier Beekeeping Plaza listing covers Michigan clubs.
• No private contact details (officer emails or phone numbers) are repeated here; use the official Contact page.
• First-party image saved beside this listing as holland-area-beekeepers.jpg: the official HABA color logo (the site’s og:image), 1500×726, unedited.
• Not affiliated with Beekeeping Plaza. No form, newsletter sign-up, donation or email was submitted.

FAQ

Q: When and where does the Holland Area Beekeepers Association meet?
A: Usually the third Thursday of the month, April through November, at 6:30 PM at the Howard Miller Community Center, 14 S Church St, Zeeland, MI 49464. The November 2026 meeting is on the second Thursday (Nov 12). There is no December meeting.

Q: Does it cost anything to join?
A: No. The official site says membership is free and that signing up for the newsletter serves as membership. The club accepts voluntary donations.

Q: Is there a class for beginners?
A: The club hosts a Bee School each February; the 2027 date on the Events page is Saturday, February 6, 2027, with details and registration to be posted in fall 2026. It also has a mentor program for people with 0–2 years of experience.

Q: Who is speaking at the October meeting?
A: The Events page lists Ana Heck, a Michigan State University Extension Educator, speaking on pheromones on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 6:30 PM.

Q: What if I have a swarm?
A: The club’s Swarms page explains what to tell a beekeeper and how swarm removal differs from wall cutouts; confirm the insect is a honey bee first. It says cutouts usually involve a fee.

Q: Is HABA a store or a course?
A: No. It is listed here as Local clubs. For supplies, see Equipment (e.g. Lappe’s Bee Supply). For a structured class, see Learning (e.g. the Greater Cleveland Beekeepers Association Beginner Beekeeping Class).