Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Cabell Wayne Beekeepers Meeting March 9th, 2009
FIFTY-SIX MEMBERS & GUESTS attended the meeting and good fellowship was had by all. Minutes & Treasurer’s Report were approved. Lots of members renewed their dues: Dwight Coburn, Terry Cremeans, Ashby Leach, Bill & Sandy Lincoln, Bill Maynard, Dr. David Nicholas, Jeff & Anna Patton, Dale Poston, Bill & Margaret Reid. THANKS to all you renewing members!
We also had several NEW MEMBERS join us: James Black, Kim Carico, Barbara Greer, Kari Kirschbaum, Herman Maynard, Pete Meadows, Ken Miller, Kenneth Miller, Renee Ratcliff, Taylor Reed, Cynthia Morrison-Skidmore, Sherman Smith & Chris Strow. WELCOME TO EACH & EVERY ONE OF YOU!
Gabe reported that Dan O’Hanlon has been appointed as the Legislative Chair of the WV State Beekeepers. Dan arranged for the beekeepers to meet with BOTH Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin & House Speaker Richard Thompson on Ag Day. He also announced that the WVBA Spring Meeting would be in Fairmont on Saturday, March 28th. The CWBA will be putting on a Beginners Bee School at Heritage Farm on March 21st from 9 am—3 pm.
It is time to put out traps for the European Hornet...these also catch wax moths, horse flies & yellow jackets. The formula is in an old newsletter and on our website.
Dan discussed the WV Queen Producers and urged all members to send in their order for a $10 queen using the order form in the State Newsletter. BEE SURE and get those hygienic genetics in your local Drone Congregation Area.
David Adams asked about bears and Wade told him electric wire is best. We also discussed moving hives. You can move them a little bit every day or move them 2 miles away for 30 days, then move them back to your beeyard in the new location. Wade thought the best way was to make a split & move it to the new location. Many people said that their State bees have died. We got them late and they didn’t get a good chance to build up due to the drought. Other than the State bees, the average loss is around 10% which is terrific. Joe Latshaw of the Ohio Queen Program says anything under 20% is excellent beekeeping. David Nicholas has gotten all 4 of his hives to survive in his 1st year of beekeeping [WAY TO GO, DAVID!!!]. Dan believes the low loss level has to do with the good genetics we have brought into this area. Studies show that once you get 50% hygienic genes into the area, your pest problems go way down.
Spring is starting late this year, winter is hanging on. This is the most dangerous time for bees because they have started rearing brood and will starve in an extended cold spell, even with honey just a few inches away.
Paul Meade says he has lost ALL his bees & was awarded the 1st ‘WADE STILTNER DOOM & GLOOM AWARD’!
Gabe demonstrated hive top feeders. Use 1-1 sugar syrup. BEE SURE there are no cracks in the cover where bees can crawl in & drown in the syrup. Watch your bees & stop feeding when they are past the danger of starvation or you may have swarms hanging from your trees. Swarming is not all bad IF you can catch them. You get a new young queen for your hive but probably not no honey that year. We discussed pollen patties: Wade does not use them but Gabe does. Bill Reid said it helps nurse bees make royal jelly for brood rearing.
Finally, Gabe discussed SWARM CONTROL. Congestion in the brood chamber is the major reason bees swarm so BEE SURE to give her plenty of room UPWARDS to expand the brood nest. Don’t split the brood nest apart this time of year. If you run double deeps or deep & medium, you might want tor reverse the boxes now to put the one with brood on the bottom. The queen will move UP. If you find queen cells cut them out if you want honey that year, pull them into a nuc box if you want to increase your hives that year. Leave the old queen in the original hive until you are sure you have a good laying queen in the nuc box, then replace the old queen with her. Just don’t shake queen cells as the developing queen in fragile.
Raising a new queen this way also helps to break the mites breeding cycle and is one of the ways to control varroa mites.
The RULE OF THUMB around here is put your honey supers on when the Redbud trees are in bloom. And stay ahead of the flow with several boxes.
Our next meeting will be on May 11th at 6 pm. This is our annual DINNER MEETING. It will be held at the South Point Ponderosa [map on next page]. We will elect officers and Gabe will speak about Books, Magazines & Online Resources for beekeepers. BEE SURE to make plans to attend.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Cabell Wayne Beekeepers January 12th, 2009 Meeting
FORTY-SEVEN MEMBERS & GUESTS attended the meeting and good fellowship was had by all. Minutes & Treasurer’s Report were approved. Lots of members renewed their dues: David Adams, Nancy Adams, Edna & Otis Baker, John Bowen, Eric Caldwell, George Godby, Avery Hayden, Paul & Rick Howard, Hobart Hundley, Sr., Bob & Jana Huron, Fathers Joseph & Andrew, Sam Kilgore, Rodney & Patty Lewis, Ike & Patty Lake. Bill Maynard, Willis & Eileen McComas, Sean McManus, Tom & Nancy Midkiff, Ed, Ernest & Tom Neace, Dan O’Hanlon, Verland Perry, John Porter, Beverly Spurlock, Russell Stephenson, Mike Stickler, Wade Stiltner, Kathy & Mike Taylor, Tom Terry, Kolten Thompson, Terri & Mike Waldeck, Charles Wellman, Andy & Yolanda Williamson, and Frances Wriston. THANKS to all you renewing members! We also had several NEW MEMBERS join us: Jennings Adkins, Tina Lockwood, Tim Mathis and Mike & Henriella Perry. WELCOME TO EACH & EVERY ONE OF YOU!
John Gibson emailed us to say that his wife, Tara had delivered a daughter. CONGRATULATIONS!
Gabe mentioned that classes would be offered at the Honey Bee Expo in Parkersburg. He also urged all members to attend Ag Day at the State Capitol March 10th. Beekeepers will have a chance to talk with their legislators, and meet with Speaker Rick Thompson & Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin. The Tri-County Beekeepers will again put on their wonderful bee meeting at Wooster, OH on March 6th & 7th. The WV Beekeepers will have their Spring Meeting March 28th in Fairmont. Their Fall Meeting will be at Jackson’s Mill Sept. 24-26. BEE SURE to plan to attend some of these great bee meetings for education and fellowship!
Gabe described the grant for the WV Beekeepers that will allow you to buy a local queen this summer for $10. It will be a great opportunity for you to try summer requeening to have a break in the brood cycle of the mites and go into winter with a vigorous young queen.
Gabe also showed his homemade queen bank to hold 24 queens. You can put it in a queenless hive and the nurse bees can get to both sides of it to feed the queens. Supposedly you could bank queens all winter. It was developed in Canada. It is time to register your hives in WV. You can find the forms at: http://www.wvagriculture.org/images/Marketing/ApplicationforApiaryRegistration2-08.pdf
The bees went into the winter short on stores because of the fall drought. You can pour sugar directly onto the frames over a piece of newspaper. Put a pollen patty in when the weather warms up to get brood rearing started early.
Paul Howard and Tim Mathis brought in their top bar hives to demonstrate this unique method for keeping bees. The boxes were well-made. Paul’s even had a hinged door on the front with an observation window behind it so you could check on the bees without disturbing them. Paul said that, while he was brand-new to beekeeping, he had read a lot about top bar hives online. He said that several users said that it was a natural way to control mites because of the break in the brood cycle when the honey is removed. You have to be careful when you turn the frames over because they can break off since there is no wire or wooden frame support for the honeycomb. You also need to be sure and remove the honey as you go along so they do not get honey bound and swarm on you. It is very a very natural beehive similar to what the bees would build in the wild. Gabe said these hives would be legal in WV because they had moveable frames and could therefore be inspected. Paul said that they were really for the hobbyist and could not be easily used by the commercial honey producer. All-in-all, it was a very interesting demonstration and Paul & Tim did and excellent job with the woodworking in building these hives. Paul’s will be in Ashland, KY; Tim’s will be located near White’s Creek, WV in Wayne County. Thanks to both fellows for their talk to us about top bar hives!
Gabe then showed the movie ‘Pollen Nation’ and had a garden catalog offering ‘bee attractant’. Dan said the bees were already attracted to him when he opened his hives up!
Our next meeting will be on March 9th at 7 pm. Gabe will speak about Spring Management. BEE SURE to make plans to attend.
John Gibson emailed us to say that his wife, Tara had delivered a daughter. CONGRATULATIONS!
Gabe mentioned that classes would be offered at the Honey Bee Expo in Parkersburg. He also urged all members to attend Ag Day at the State Capitol March 10th. Beekeepers will have a chance to talk with their legislators, and meet with Speaker Rick Thompson & Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin. The Tri-County Beekeepers will again put on their wonderful bee meeting at Wooster, OH on March 6th & 7th. The WV Beekeepers will have their Spring Meeting March 28th in Fairmont. Their Fall Meeting will be at Jackson’s Mill Sept. 24-26. BEE SURE to plan to attend some of these great bee meetings for education and fellowship!
Gabe described the grant for the WV Beekeepers that will allow you to buy a local queen this summer for $10. It will be a great opportunity for you to try summer requeening to have a break in the brood cycle of the mites and go into winter with a vigorous young queen.
Gabe also showed his homemade queen bank to hold 24 queens. You can put it in a queenless hive and the nurse bees can get to both sides of it to feed the queens. Supposedly you could bank queens all winter. It was developed in Canada. It is time to register your hives in WV. You can find the forms at: http://www.wvagriculture.org/images/Marketing/ApplicationforApiaryRegistration2-08.pdf
The bees went into the winter short on stores because of the fall drought. You can pour sugar directly onto the frames over a piece of newspaper. Put a pollen patty in when the weather warms up to get brood rearing started early.
Paul Howard and Tim Mathis brought in their top bar hives to demonstrate this unique method for keeping bees. The boxes were well-made. Paul’s even had a hinged door on the front with an observation window behind it so you could check on the bees without disturbing them. Paul said that, while he was brand-new to beekeeping, he had read a lot about top bar hives online. He said that several users said that it was a natural way to control mites because of the break in the brood cycle when the honey is removed. You have to be careful when you turn the frames over because they can break off since there is no wire or wooden frame support for the honeycomb. You also need to be sure and remove the honey as you go along so they do not get honey bound and swarm on you. It is very a very natural beehive similar to what the bees would build in the wild. Gabe said these hives would be legal in WV because they had moveable frames and could therefore be inspected. Paul said that they were really for the hobbyist and could not be easily used by the commercial honey producer. All-in-all, it was a very interesting demonstration and Paul & Tim did and excellent job with the woodworking in building these hives. Paul’s will be in Ashland, KY; Tim’s will be located near White’s Creek, WV in Wayne County. Thanks to both fellows for their talk to us about top bar hives!
Gabe then showed the movie ‘Pollen Nation’ and had a garden catalog offering ‘bee attractant’. Dan said the bees were already attracted to him when he opened his hives up!
Our next meeting will be on March 9th at 7 pm. Gabe will speak about Spring Management. BEE SURE to make plans to attend.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Cabell Wayne Beekeepers November 10th, 2008 Meeting
THIRTY_SIX MEMBERS & GUESTS attended the meeting and good fellowship was had by all. Minutes & Treasurer’s Report were approved. One members renewed their dues: BILL & SANDY LINCOLN. THANKS to all you renewing members! John Porter brought his son, John Porter, Jr., who is the new Kanawha County Extension Agent. WELCOME, John! We also had several guests: John Gibson brought his lovely family: his wife, Tara and his two daughters, Evelynne & Adalynne. Steve Sweeney came form Ashland. And Andy & Yolanda Williamson brought their grandson, Skylor Simpson. THANKS FOR COMING TO VISIT — WE HOPE YOU ALL COME BACK AGAIN!!!
Our sympathy to Ernest Neace on the passing of his grandson. It was great to see Bob Huron, Fr. Joseph and Dwight Coburn back for a meeting. Gabe & Wade both talked about how light winter stores were because of the drought. Gabe & Dan put newspaper down above the brood chamber & poured sugar into the hives as an emergency feed. Wade recommended putting old political signs under your screened bottom boards. Gabe reported on the Fall Meeting of the WVBA at Jackson’s Mill. Dr. Jim Amrine demonstrated formic acid treatment for mites. The Spring Meeting is Mar. 28, 2009 in Fairmont. CWBA will host the Spring 2010 Meeting at Heritage Farm. Commissioner Gus Douglass was re-elected and gave credit to beekeepers for helping him.
Margaret Reid gave a review of the new movie ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Wade told of a good trick he learned form George Clutter: if you have 1/4 inch of snow on your hives and see one that is clear on top, the bees are already up there eating their stores and will soon be starving.
Gabe demonstrated how to nail together frames with an air nailer. He then showed how to get the old wax off your queen excluders with an iron. Rhonna commented how great is was to see a man with an iron in his hand! Edna Baker said you can get wax off old frames by running them through the dishwasher with hot water.
Gabe presented the Jack Dick Award to Gary Strickland and both told wonderful stories about Jack.
Our sympathy to Ernest Neace on the passing of his grandson. It was great to see Bob Huron, Fr. Joseph and Dwight Coburn back for a meeting. Gabe & Wade both talked about how light winter stores were because of the drought. Gabe & Dan put newspaper down above the brood chamber & poured sugar into the hives as an emergency feed. Wade recommended putting old political signs under your screened bottom boards. Gabe reported on the Fall Meeting of the WVBA at Jackson’s Mill. Dr. Jim Amrine demonstrated formic acid treatment for mites. The Spring Meeting is Mar. 28, 2009 in Fairmont. CWBA will host the Spring 2010 Meeting at Heritage Farm. Commissioner Gus Douglass was re-elected and gave credit to beekeepers for helping him.
Margaret Reid gave a review of the new movie ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Wade told of a good trick he learned form George Clutter: if you have 1/4 inch of snow on your hives and see one that is clear on top, the bees are already up there eating their stores and will soon be starving.
Gabe demonstrated how to nail together frames with an air nailer. He then showed how to get the old wax off your queen excluders with an iron. Rhonna commented how great is was to see a man with an iron in his hand! Edna Baker said you can get wax off old frames by running them through the dishwasher with hot water.
Gabe presented the Jack Dick Award to Gary Strickland and both told wonderful stories about Jack.
Friday, November 28, 2008
bee video
Here's a great video of the life cycle of the honeybee. It takes about 10 minutes to watch and you will enjoy it!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Cabell Wayne Beekeepers Meeting September 8th, 2008
THIRTY_EIGHT MEMBERS & GUESTS attended the meeting and good fellowship was had by all. Minutes & Treasurer’s Report were approved. Several members renewed their dues: TOM, ED & ERNEST NEACE. We also had several new members join: TIM FITZSIMMONS, AVERY HAYDEN [who has kept bees in Florida and North Carolina], RICK and PAUL HOWARD. WELCOME TO THE CLUB! And THANKS to all you renewing members! Willard Wallace brought his son, Daniel, who is also a beekeeper with 5 hives. WELCOME, DANIEL!
With so many new and returning members, our club is now up to 73 members! We have a few who haven’t renewed their membership or it would be even higher. We used our new name tags to help everyone get to know each other. Even with the name tags, I managed to get someone’s name wrong [sorry Rick & Paul!].
Everyone has taken off their honey, some had a great year, some just average. Next year, with the help of Gary Strickland, the Club will be helping anyone who wishes to take off their honey, extract, bottle and sell it [THANKS, GARY!]. We will be getting you LOCAL HONEY FOR SALE signs. Gabe discussed Fall Management of our bees using Apiguard for mite control — 2 treatments 14 days apart. At the same time, you can treat with 6.4 oz of terramycin in 2 pounds of powdered sugar for prevention of American Foulbrood [put a tablespoon on each end bar above the brood chamber]. Wade also uses shop towels soaked in menthol, patchouli and canola oil. He then puts the strips of towel into the hive and the bees remove them and spread the oils killing the mites. Apilife-VAR can also be used, but takes one extra treatment [3 total]. Tom Mullins said he has had great success with Apiguard compared to Apistan strips. Gabe showed off some of Tom’s excellent woodwork for sale to beekeepers. Tom makes many items for sale: nuc boxes, feeders, items to protect the honey supers you have taken off the hives. Tom make the excellent hives we used at the HAS conference at Marshall University this Summer.
I got so busy with everything that I forgot to take any pictures. So you’ll just have to look in the mirror to see a pretty face today!
Instead, here's some pictures from the WV State Beekeepers Fall 2008 Meeting at Jackson's Mill with a BEE TREE and some Fall wildflowers.
The Fall honey flow has begun just in time since some reported light hives. You need 45-60 pounds of honey to make it through the Winter in this area. Each frame of honey in a honey super weighs about 3 pounds; in an Illinois [medium] super, about 4 pounds, and in a deep about 6 pounds. You can feed you bees with 2-1 sugar water if they are light on stores for the winter.
You could also feed pollen or pollen substitute to the bees or as pollen patties. You want fat, healthy bees going into Winter.
Dan announced that the IRS has awarded the Club 501c3 tax-exempt status. This took a LOT of paperwork and time. However, it allows us to get grants that are restricted to only those groups which are recognized by the IRS.
Gabe announced that the WV State Beekeepers had awarded the 2010 State Meeting to us to put on in Huntington. It will be held at Heritage Farm Museum in Wayne County on April 10th, 2010. Gabe is seeking national speakers like Dr. Keith Deleplane and Dr. David Tarpy. If any Club member has a suggestion for speakers, please let Gabe know. Dan will be seeking further grants to help pay the costs of this meeting and help us to train hobby beekeepers to become more commercial in selling their honey and bee products.
This year the WV Beekeepers Fall Meeting is Sept. 19th and 20th at Jackson’s Mill. This is always a great meeting and Gabe urged all members to attend.
Rhonna Blatt was looking after her Mother, so she couldn’t make the meeting. It’s a good thing Otis Baker and George Godby knew how to make coffee! Thanks for helping out, fellows!
Everyone then went to the kitchen and tried the many varieties of local honey brought by our members on biscuits donated by Tudor’s and others [THANKS TO EVERYBODY!!!] It was DELICIOUS!!! Kolten Thompson, our youngest dues-paying member, attended and enjoyed his biscuit for sure! Door prizes were drawn using the new name badges and many prizes were awarded.
The next meeting will be Monday, November 10th at 7 pm at the Lavalette United Methodist Church. Gabe will show how to make & wax frames .BEE SURE to make plans to attend! Until then, have a safe and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!
With so many new and returning members, our club is now up to 73 members! We have a few who haven’t renewed their membership or it would be even higher. We used our new name tags to help everyone get to know each other. Even with the name tags, I managed to get someone’s name wrong [sorry Rick & Paul!].
Everyone has taken off their honey, some had a great year, some just average. Next year, with the help of Gary Strickland, the Club will be helping anyone who wishes to take off their honey, extract, bottle and sell it [THANKS, GARY!]. We will be getting you LOCAL HONEY FOR SALE signs. Gabe discussed Fall Management of our bees using Apiguard for mite control — 2 treatments 14 days apart. At the same time, you can treat with 6.4 oz of terramycin in 2 pounds of powdered sugar for prevention of American Foulbrood [put a tablespoon on each end bar above the brood chamber]. Wade also uses shop towels soaked in menthol, patchouli and canola oil. He then puts the strips of towel into the hive and the bees remove them and spread the oils killing the mites. Apilife-VAR can also be used, but takes one extra treatment [3 total]. Tom Mullins said he has had great success with Apiguard compared to Apistan strips. Gabe showed off some of Tom’s excellent woodwork for sale to beekeepers. Tom makes many items for sale: nuc boxes, feeders, items to protect the honey supers you have taken off the hives. Tom make the excellent hives we used at the HAS conference at Marshall University this Summer.
I got so busy with everything that I forgot to take any pictures. So you’ll just have to look in the mirror to see a pretty face today!
Instead, here's some pictures from the WV State Beekeepers Fall 2008 Meeting at Jackson's Mill with a BEE TREE and some Fall wildflowers.
The Fall honey flow has begun just in time since some reported light hives. You need 45-60 pounds of honey to make it through the Winter in this area. Each frame of honey in a honey super weighs about 3 pounds; in an Illinois [medium] super, about 4 pounds, and in a deep about 6 pounds. You can feed you bees with 2-1 sugar water if they are light on stores for the winter.
You could also feed pollen or pollen substitute to the bees or as pollen patties. You want fat, healthy bees going into Winter.
Dan announced that the IRS has awarded the Club 501c3 tax-exempt status. This took a LOT of paperwork and time. However, it allows us to get grants that are restricted to only those groups which are recognized by the IRS.
Gabe announced that the WV State Beekeepers had awarded the 2010 State Meeting to us to put on in Huntington. It will be held at Heritage Farm Museum in Wayne County on April 10th, 2010. Gabe is seeking national speakers like Dr. Keith Deleplane and Dr. David Tarpy. If any Club member has a suggestion for speakers, please let Gabe know. Dan will be seeking further grants to help pay the costs of this meeting and help us to train hobby beekeepers to become more commercial in selling their honey and bee products.
This year the WV Beekeepers Fall Meeting is Sept. 19th and 20th at Jackson’s Mill. This is always a great meeting and Gabe urged all members to attend.
Rhonna Blatt was looking after her Mother, so she couldn’t make the meeting. It’s a good thing Otis Baker and George Godby knew how to make coffee! Thanks for helping out, fellows!
Everyone then went to the kitchen and tried the many varieties of local honey brought by our members on biscuits donated by Tudor’s and others [THANKS TO EVERYBODY!!!] It was DELICIOUS!!! Kolten Thompson, our youngest dues-paying member, attended and enjoyed his biscuit for sure! Door prizes were drawn using the new name badges and many prizes were awarded.
The next meeting will be Monday, November 10th at 7 pm at the Lavalette United Methodist Church. Gabe will show how to make & wax frames .BEE SURE to make plans to attend! Until then, have a safe and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Cabell Wayne Beekeepers July 14th, 2008 Meeting
FORTY-ONE MEMBERS & GUESTS attended the meeting and good fellowship was had by all. Minutes & Treasurer’s Report were approved. Several members renewed their dues: DANIEL LUCAS, BETHEL WALL AND CHARLES WELLMAN. We also had several new members join: BETH LUCAS, CLAY MITCHELL [Clay paid dues for TWO YEARS & donated $2 — THANKS, CLAY!!!], JEFF MAYNARD, JANICE MILLER [sorry I forgot to list you last month, Janice!], DENNIS PERRY and TERRI & MIKE WALDECK. WELCOME TO THE CLUB! And THANKS to all you renewing members!
With so many new and returning members, our club is now up to 72 members! So, we have decided to issue name tags to help everyone get to know each other. Just pick them up on your way in, pin them on, and toss them back in the box on your way out the door. Thanks!
Gabe discussed the HAS 2008 conference at Marshall University. Almost 350 beekeepers attended including many of our members. It was a great success and the evaluation sheets showed that many felt it was the best HAS ever. Fr. Joseph said it was great to be able to pick and choose between so many wonderful sessions. Edna Baker said Michael Bush, one of the instructors, was very interested in the queen she captured form her bee tree. Wade, Tom Mullins & Rhonna really made the beeyard shine with those beautiful hives all stenciled with the Thundering Herd buffaloes and We Are Marshall! The rooms were the right size. Marshall gave us great support.
The WV Dept. of Agriculture sent all of its Apiary staff for the entire 3 days. Plus Dep. Comm. Steve Hannah and Dir. Of Marketing Jean Smith attended the Opening Ceremony and read the Governor’s Proclamation of ‘Beekeeper Appreciation Week’. 20 vendors set up tables and many items were sold. 47 different speakers gave over 150 classes. The local news media gave excellent coverage to bees and beekeeping. Otis Baker and others volunteered to help.
Wade talked about the end of the nectar flow — watch out for robbing, close down the size of the entrance. Be quick about removing the honey supers. It’s time to take off your honey supers and treat for mites. The Department will be distributing Apiguard to all registered beekeepers in WV.
Fall requeening — wait until the Fall flow. Sumac, goldenrod, knotweed & aster will be starting in mid-August . Separate your brood chambers with a queen excluder. Come back in a few days and see which box has eggs. Take off the other box and move it to your new location. Add a queen and make sure she gets released after 3 days.
It’s not too late to put out the hornet trap. It also traps yellow jackets, wax moths and gnats. 2 cups water, 2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup white vinegar and a banana peel [Otis says add a 1/2 hot dog or lunch meat]. Hang in a large pop bottle with a hole ion the shoulder the size of a quarter.
Everyone then had a bowl of Austin’s local Honey Ice Cream and it was DELICIOUS!!!
The next meeting will be Monday, September 8th at 7 pm at the Lavalette United Methodist Church. This is our annual Honey Harvest Festival. PLEASE bring some of your honey to taste, and some biscuits if you can. Gabe will discuss Fall Management. BEE SURE to make plans to attend.
With so many new and returning members, our club is now up to 72 members! So, we have decided to issue name tags to help everyone get to know each other. Just pick them up on your way in, pin them on, and toss them back in the box on your way out the door. Thanks!
Gabe discussed the HAS 2008 conference at Marshall University. Almost 350 beekeepers attended including many of our members. It was a great success and the evaluation sheets showed that many felt it was the best HAS ever. Fr. Joseph said it was great to be able to pick and choose between so many wonderful sessions. Edna Baker said Michael Bush, one of the instructors, was very interested in the queen she captured form her bee tree. Wade, Tom Mullins & Rhonna really made the beeyard shine with those beautiful hives all stenciled with the Thundering Herd buffaloes and We Are Marshall! The rooms were the right size. Marshall gave us great support.
The WV Dept. of Agriculture sent all of its Apiary staff for the entire 3 days. Plus Dep. Comm. Steve Hannah and Dir. Of Marketing Jean Smith attended the Opening Ceremony and read the Governor’s Proclamation of ‘Beekeeper Appreciation Week’. 20 vendors set up tables and many items were sold. 47 different speakers gave over 150 classes. The local news media gave excellent coverage to bees and beekeeping. Otis Baker and others volunteered to help.
Wade talked about the end of the nectar flow — watch out for robbing, close down the size of the entrance. Be quick about removing the honey supers. It’s time to take off your honey supers and treat for mites. The Department will be distributing Apiguard to all registered beekeepers in WV.
Fall requeening — wait until the Fall flow. Sumac, goldenrod, knotweed & aster will be starting in mid-August . Separate your brood chambers with a queen excluder. Come back in a few days and see which box has eggs. Take off the other box and move it to your new location. Add a queen and make sure she gets released after 3 days.
It’s not too late to put out the hornet trap. It also traps yellow jackets, wax moths and gnats. 2 cups water, 2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup white vinegar and a banana peel [Otis says add a 1/2 hot dog or lunch meat]. Hang in a large pop bottle with a hole ion the shoulder the size of a quarter.
Everyone then had a bowl of Austin’s local Honey Ice Cream and it was DELICIOUS!!!
The next meeting will be Monday, September 8th at 7 pm at the Lavalette United Methodist Church. This is our annual Honey Harvest Festival. PLEASE bring some of your honey to taste, and some biscuits if you can. Gabe will discuss Fall Management. BEE SURE to make plans to attend.
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