* Greetings, and happy October!
* The featured speaker at the Thursday, October 10th meeting is Greg Fariss, NC Apiary Inspector for our area. Greg has spoken to our group several times, and while his presentation typically focuses on pests and diseases, he’s always been open to answer questions related to other matters.
* Hope to see you at the County Extension Office - meetings are held at the Ashe County Agricultural Center Office, located at 134 Government Center Drive, Jefferson, NC...meetings begin at 7 PM, but food (pizza and Maggie’s delicious treats) and good company are available at @ 6:30 PM :)
* Dues for 2020 will be taken Thursday, so if you’d like to get that out of the way, Liam will be happy to oblige. Dues remain the same: Individual - $10, Family - $15.
* Incredible as it seems, this will be our final regular meeting of the year!!! Our annual end-of-the-year potluck dinner will be held next month (November 14), so mark the date! More info will be provided over the next few weeks.
* It's still not to late to participate in the 3rd Annual Mite-a-Thon.
* Open the link for all the particulars and JOIN THE COUNT!
Kim Flottum | Bee Culture
* The resulting varroa mite information will be published as described here.
* See an article about an unfortunate traveler and the aftermath of his trying to bring honey via the BWI airport.
* Travelers beware!
* Doug is in need of a dehumidifier to dry out some uncapped frames of honey.
* Is there anyone in our ACBA that could loan one to Doug for a few days? Thanks!
* Contact Doug at 954-682-3848 (C) or 828-386-1398 (H) or send him a message, e-mail = email@example.com.
* Open the below link to learn more about the "Miteathon" being held on the Pollinator.org website...
* The September regular meeting of the ACBA will be held on Thursday, September 12, 2019 at 7:00 PM.
* Here are some of the particulars:
- We had a fun time with Randy and his lesson on extracting last month! He put a few members to work practicing their extracting skills, including visitor Joel, the good-natured son of our president, Ken.
- Jim Rash will be the featured speaker at the meeting Thursday, and you won’t want to miss it! He’ll cover beekeeping month by month - what’s going on with the bees each month, and what we need to be doing. With winter approaching, this is particularly timely.
- Speaking of what the bees are doing now, Randy was called to get a swarm yesterday, and he did a split. First time for either (for him, anyway) in September.
- First time happening for me was a lulu of a sting in the temple a couple of weeks ago. I apparently unwittingly walked smack dab in the path of a 'girl on a mission' who had built up so much momentum, the stinger was buried deeper than usual. I don’t know if that set off the systemic reaction or not, but when the crazy itching and red rash appeared on my arms and trunk, I landed in the ER, where I received the works and orders to get an Epi-pen. The nurse in charge relayed an incident with another woman with a ‘reaction’ who also had no trouble breathing, but by the time she was whisked to the exam room, they feared they might have to intubate her.
- Meanwhile, our visiting daughter missed out on the hurricane excitement in Charleston but was stung in the upper eyelid while standing in what she thought was a relatively safe zone. She didn’t have a systemic reaction, thank goodness, but the time spent trying to get the/a bee out of her hair delayed the removal of the stinger about a minute. She decided the hurricane would have been preferable.
- Meanwhile, Part 2, one of our members, Shelia, reported that her son had been stung a few times on the hand while helping work in the hives and also had a bad reaction. Benadryl was sufficient for him this time, but they’ll be on the alert for a potential next sting.
- If you haven’t subscribed to Bee Culture it’s loaded with info! This looks like it might be a particularly enticing article, so check it out!
- The Autumn Leaf Festival will be held at the Museum of Ashe County History on Saturday, Sept. 28, from 10-2. If you have something bee- and/or honey-related (or maybe even something else?), please come out! We’ll have a table or two (or three) set up with honey, products made with beeswax, etc., in the ‘bee’ section, and we’ve always had plenty of room for expansion :) There is no fee for participating in this festival, which has always been fun, and you keep all of the proceeds from what you sell. If you haven’t had a chance to take a peek inside the museum, this is a great opportunity to see what an incredible museum we have. Click here to learn more about the festival, but ignore the date in the link - it’s outdated! If you don’t have anything to show and/or sell but would like to come help, PLEASE DO! It’s great fun to meet folks, and the 4 hours pass quickly. For more info, contact me via email or phone (336-982-8289).
- Besides all the eggs Teri Goodman has graciously brought to the past few meetings for door prizes, Doug Ehrhardt brought a bag full of hive tools and other treasures to hand out as door prizes. Everyone should win SOMEthing this time - a bonus reason for coming!
* Meetings are always held on the 2nd Thursday of the month at the Ashe County Agricultural Center Office located at 134 Government Center Drive in Jefferson, NC (click here to open a map, if needed).
* The June regular meeting of the ACBA will be a "cookout, shop tour, demonstrations and bee supplies for sale at HS Greens's Hidden Happiness Bee Farm located at 1106 Chestnut Mountain Rd, Deep Gap,NC 28618.
* Send Maggie McClelland an e-mail below and include a head count of attendees as well as the pot luck side dish you plan to bring to the cookout...
* Alternatively, you can call Maggie at 336-982-4104.
* The next regularly scheduled meeting will be held on May 9, 2019 beginning @ 7:00 PM...in support of early arrivals, there will be food as well as a Q&A session, if desired.
* Lyn Soeder is our guest speaker; her topic is bee-friendly plants. To say she's multi-talented is an understatement! We’re excited to have her talk about bee-friendly plants, and not only will she be talking about them, she’ll also be selling some! Click on the below downloadable files: first attachment for flowers, shrubs and trees, the second for tomatoes. Tomato plants are $3/each; prices vary for the rest.IMPORTANT!!! If you’d like to order something from Lyn’s lists, you must contact HER (firstname.lastname@example.org) before noon on Thursday so she’ll know to bring your item(s) to the meeting.
* Meetings are always held on the 2nd Thursday of the month at the Ashe County Agricultural Center Office (click to open a map, if needed), located at 134 Government Center Drive in Jefferson, NC.
Other important news for the meeting:
* The drawing of the raffle for a hive built by Randy Baldwin, a 7-frame or 10-frame hive (winner's choice), will be held at the conclusion of the meeting.
*HS will have swarm catchers available for purchase, and pick up a free swarm lure and the recipe print out when you arrive.
* As in prior years, the ACBA is making a host of information available to both our members and others visiting our website of many important resources. Click here to open/read/print a document that can be utilized all year to make your own beekeeping efforts successful.
* Thanks in advance for your participation in ACBA and for helping to make sure it continues to assist local beekeepers and our bees, wherever possible.
* * * * *
Raffle tickets for the complete hive (built by Randy Baldwin) will be available thru the end of the meeting Thursday, at which time the drawing will be held! You do not need to be present to win; however, the winner will have a say in how a few parts of the hive are finished, and Randy will be on hand to discuss options. Ticket prices: $5/each, 3/$10. Many thanks to Doug Ehrhardt for once again providing us with beautiful raffle tickets!
* * * * *
If you haven’t already paid your dues, Liam will be taking those up.
ACBA membership: $10 - individual, $15 - family.
NCSBA (optional): $15/person. New dues and renewals can be made online.
* * * * *
Door prizes will be given away. If you’d like to donate something for a door prize, let Maggie know, or just bring it!
* * * * *
Our June meeting (13th) will be a cookout at Hidden Happiness Bee Farm! H.S. Greene will prepare hot dogs and hamburgers, and members will provide sides, condiments, desserts, etc. Please contact Maggie at email@example.com no later than June 10 to RSVP and to sign up for an item to bring (a reminder with more info and directions will be sent out. You can also find directions on the HHBF web site). If you haven’t been to H.S.’ bee farm store, this is a great opportunity! It’s beautifully done.
* Lyn Soeder was our guest speaker at the May meeting of the ACBA. As part of her presentation, Lyn recommended an excellent resource for information about plants that are friendly for bees and beekeepers...check it out.
* RAFFLE WINNER!
* Congratulations to beekeeper and ACBA treasurer, Liam Jerkins who was the winner of the complete 10 frame hive made by Randy Baldwin at the regular meeting raffle drawing on May 9...
* Thanks to everyone who purchased a raffle ticket, or tickets, to help with funds for our ACBA!
- It is known that many ACBA members are no longer attending meetings, at least on a regular basis. Also, quite a few of you have lost bees, and as such, are either out of the bee business or trying to become better prepared before getting the next batch of bees.
- Another reason is that some of you who still have bees no longer drive at night, some attend bee meetings closer to home, some are working too hard, or some just don’t like meetings :)
- Whether you're interested in remaining on the ACBA mailing list for 2019 or NOT, please send an e-mail to Helen Baldwin to inform her as soon as possible so the necessary adjustments can be made.
- Emails pertain to meeting reminders, information sharing and ACBA/NCSBA announcements.
- Thank you!
* With the track of hurricane Florence poised to make a significant impact on North Carolina, there are some important considerations for beekeepers who may be affected by the heavy rain and winds. Please further disseminate to your local network of beekeepers and share this link: https://entomology.ces.ncsu.edu/2017/09/protective-measures-of-beehives-during-hurricanes-2/
* First, make sure hive equipment is secured to resist strong winds. A simple brick on the top lid is likely to be insufficient to keep the lid from flying off in winds above 50 mph. A lidless hive can cause problems for the bees by introducing moisture and letting heat escape. Strapping the lid down with ratchet straps or securing with duct tape might be in order, particularly for outlying yards. The same is true for hive boxes, particularly if they are relatively new (i.e., the bees have not yet propolized them together sufficiently). Also consider removing unnecessary boxes (e.g., top-hive feeders) to minimize the wind profile.
* Second, be sure to have the hives on sturdy stands or level ground. Entire beehives can be blown over by strong winds, particularly when they are fairly tall with many honey supers or are otherwise top heavy. If the hives are on tall or insecure stands, you can move them onto (dry) level ground temporarily to lessen the chances that they topple. Importantly, if you’re using solid bottom boards, be sure to have your hives tilting forward so that rain water does not pool and collect on the floor of the hive.
* Third, beware of falling trees and tree limbs. These can be particularly problematic for beehives since they can completely crush all equipment and kill the entire colony. It is also hard to prevent with some sort of barrier or cover because of the sheer weight of many trees, so if you apiary is in a wooded location you may need to move the hives temporarily.
* Fourth, make sure the hives are not in low-lying areas or those prone to flooding. River banks can be useful apiary locations because of their proximity to fresh water, but in flooding conditions entire apiaries can be tragically swept away. Be sure to move any beehives in flood plains until the waters have subsided. Beehives on the ground but in recessed areas can cause water to flood the entrances and may even suffocate the bees if not given an upper entrance.
* Finally, following heavy rains like hurricanes, various local and state agencies have traditionally sprayed regions with stagnant water to control mosquito outbreaks. While important for public health, such insecticides can be extremely problematic for honey bees. If you are registered through the NCDA&CS, you will be contacted directly if your beehives are in an area schedule to be sprayed. If you are not registered, however, the state has no means to notify you and your bees may be at risk to insecticide exposure. Please consult the Agricultural Chemical manual for information and advice about how to mitigate exposure to pesticides.
* The regular meeting of the ACBA was held on August 9, 2018. The meeting outline, below, is avalable as a downloadable file.
* Jim Rash (shown right), one of our members, discussed winterizing. Before the meeting at 7:00, pizza and delicious snacks courtesy of Maggie McClelland were enjoyed by all!
* After the meeting, the following were door prizes awarded...
- Jim DeJuneas - liquid soap (donated by Tina Roberts, Orianna Naturals)
- Johnny Parsons - 2 bar soaps (donated by Tina Roberts, Orianna Naturals)
- ACBA cap - Deborah Baldridge
- ACBA t-shirt - Greg Lyons
The How-To Festival will be held at the Ashe County Library on Saturday (July 14) from 11-3. ACBA will have a table under a tree; we had fun last year and are eager to share bee info again with some very thoughtful kids (and adults)! If you can help the entire time or even a part of the time, please let Helen Baldwin know - any and all help will be greatly appreciated! We could probably use another folding table if anyone who comes happens to have one.
AppState professor of computer science and ACBA member, James Wilkes is featured in a post about the university starting a program to teach about the importance of bees...
* The regular meeting of the Ashe County Beekeeping Association was held on April 12, 2018 at the Agriculture Extension Office in Jefferson, NC.
* Jim Miles was the speaker who talked about hive splitting.
* The 'hive open house' scheduled for this Saturday at Maggie McClelland’s house will not be held due to inclement weather!
* Stay tuned for information on a date and time if it will be rescheduled.
* Everyone's important topic for the start of a new year of beekeeping!!
* In the case of the Hidden Happiness Bee Farm (H.S. Greene), their nuc delivery is scheduled for the third week in April. The cost/nuc is $160.50. For more info, contact H.S. Greene at 336-957-0275 or by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.org.
* James Wilkes’ son, Sullivan, is selling nucs. Links to the form for getting on the waiting list and Sullivan’s contact info are highlighted below....
From: James Wilkes re: Nuc form - Faith Mountain Farm
* Here is a link to a form for getting on a waiting list for nucs from Sullivan. Here are the details outlined in the form:
- Enter information to be added to our waiting list.
- We expect to have nucs available for pick up between April 16 and May 14 from our farm in Creston, NC or a mutually agreeable location.
- Exact dates and times to be determined.
- Cost is $175 per nuc and will be in an EZ Nuc box.
- No guarantee of availability, but we will communicate as soon as possible as things progress. Contact Sullivan Wilkes, email@example.com or 828-434-0066 with questions.
* To open/complete the form to get on a waiting list, copy this link and paste to your browser: https://goo.gl/forms/YJ5iq4LY6e8DZfAI2
* The final, regular business meeting of the Ashe County Beekeepers Association was held on October 14, 2017 at which time Greg Fariss, NC State Beekeeper for counties including Ashe, spoke on winter hive preparations...thanks, Greg. Before his remarks, Julia Houck, County Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency briefly described a program for small farmers, including beekeepers to receive funding for losses due to various circumstances. Open the meeting minutes here.
* At the end of the meeting, raffle and door prizes were awarded, as follows:
- Jeff Taylor was the recipient of the raffle for the anniversary mini-hive made by H.S. Greene...it was mini-hive # 7 and represents the seven years that the ACBA has been in existence.
Other door prizes:
- Raven Pruitt - Queen Catcher
- Jeff Taylor - hive tool
- Paulette Lawrence - smoker fuel
- Julie Smith - ACBA Hat
- Shirley Long - tee shirt
- Liam Jerkins - jar of candy
- Doug Galloway - jar of candy
- Greg Lyon - queen catcher
- David Tanner - Oxalic Acid kit
* The ACBA November meeting will be the final meeting in 2017. Click here for information.
* With uncertain track of hurricane Irma, there are some important considerations for beekeepers who may be affected by the heavy rain and winds. Please further disseminate to your local network of beekeepers.
- First, make sure hive equipment is secured to resist strong winds. A simple brick on the top lid is likely to be insufficient to keep the lid from flying off in winds above 50 mph. A lidless hive can cause problems for the bees by introducing moisture and letting heat escape. Strapping the lid down with ratchet straps or securing with duct tape might be in order, particularly for outlying yards. The same is true for hive boxes, particularly if they are relatively new (i.e., the bees have not yet propolized them together sufficiently). Also consider removing unnecessary boxes (e.g., top-hive feeders) to minimize the wind profile.
- Second, be sure to have the hives on sturdy stands or level ground. Entire beehives can be blown over by strong winds, particularly when they are fairly tall with many honey supers or are otherwise top heavy. If the hives are on tall or insecure stands, you can move them onto (dry) level ground temporarily to lessen the chances that they topple. Importantly, if you’re using solid bottom boards, be sure to have your hives tilting forward so that rain water does not pool and collect on the floor of the hive.
- Third, beware of falling trees and tree limbs. These can be particularly problematic for beehives since they can completely crush all equipment and kill the entire colony. It is also hard to prevent with some sort of barrier or cover because of the sheer weight of many trees, so if you apiary is in a wooded location you may need to move the hives temporarily.
- Fourth, make sure the hives are not in low-lying areas or those prone to flooding. River banks can be useful apiary locations because of their proximity to fresh water, but in flooding conditions entire apiaries can be tragically swept away. Be sure to move any beehives in flood plains until the waters have subsided. Beehives on the ground but in recessed areas can cause water to flood the entrances and may even suffocate the bees if not given an upper entrance.
- Finally, following heavy rains like hurricanes, various local and state agencies have traditionally sprayed regions with stagnant water to control mosquito outbreaks. While important for public health, such insecticides can be extremely problematic for honey bees. If you are registered through the NCDA&CS, you will be contacted directly if your beehives are in an area schedule to be sprayed. If you are not registered, however, the state has no means to notify you and your bees may be at risk to insecticide exposure. Please consult the Agricultural Chemical manual for information and advice about how to mitigate exposure to pesticides.
David R. Tarpy
Professor and Extension Apiculturist
Department of Entomology, Campus Box 7613
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-7613
TEL: (919) 515-1660
FAX: (919) 515-7746
LAB: (919) 513-7702
* The August ACBA meeting was held on August 10, 2017 at which time Doug Galloway, Master Beekeeper (pictured right) presented information on treatments for hive health.
* The regular meeting was attended by 20 ACBA members. Recorded minutes from the meeting are here.
- Thumbnail pictures:
- H.S. Greene modeling a respirator for use when treating hives using oxalic acid as a fumigant.
- Three photos of the Varroa easyCheck by Veto-pharma which is a simple alcohol wash for use when determining mite loads in a hive.
* After the program concluded, several door prizes were awarded to attendees.
* The June ACBA meeting was held on June 8, 2017 at which time Greg Fariss, State Apiary Inspector for this area who presented information on Pests & Diseases. Greg is pictured (on the left in the top photo with Randy Baldwin, right).
* The regular meeting was attended by 18 ACBA members. Recorded minutes from the meeting will be posted soon.
* After the program concluded, several door prizes were awarded to attendees, as follows:
- Hidden Happiness Bee Farm donated frame lifter - Ima Golds
- Hidden Happiness Bee Farm donated fuel - Josh Branam
- Bee balm plant - Jim Rash
- Honey dipper - Ben Ray
- Purple cone flower plant - Doug Hart
* The May ACBA meeting was held on May 11, 2017 at which time Bob Cole, certified Master Beekeeper by the Eastern Apicultural Society of North America, presented a program on bee swarms that included a riveting, hour long video which had many vignettes displaying the capture of swarms from various locations.
* The regular meeting was one of the ACBA's largest with 28 association officers and local beekeepers in attendance. Open/read minutes of the meeting here...
* After the meeting program concluded, several door prizes were awarded, as well as the recipient of the Nuc provided by the Hidden Happiness Bee Farm was selected, as follows:
- Doug Hayes won a copy of "First Lessons in Beekeeping" (the book most commonly used for bee classes) donated by Bob Cole.
- Jeff Taylor won a set of pliers from Hidden Happiness Bee Farm.
- George Katsoudas and Doug Hart both won a pint of Harry Bee Healthy donated by past president Harry Galer.
- Jim DeJuneas won the Nuc from Hidden Happiness Bee Farm. Congratulations!
* Thanks to everyone who participated by buying raffle tickets and supporting the ACBA.
* The Honey Cookbooks being sold by NCSBA will be picked up on July 14, the day after our July meeting. If you ordered a book or two ($20 each), you may pay for it at any of the next three meetings (May, June, July). Your book(s) will be delivered to the August meeting, although you can make arrangements with Helen or Randy before then.
* NC Chapter members who also hold NCSBA membership are being asked to help mark the NCSBA’s centennial with the purchase of an outstanding cooking-with-honey cookbook that has been completed by the cookbook team of Sandy Carlson, Lynn Lucas, Mary Jaynes, Teresa Green and S. Anne Fifer.
* This cookbook would make a wonderful addition to your cooking library or as a birthday, anniversary or Christmas gift. All profits will be donated to the NC Agricultural Foundation and will directly benefit the Apiculture program at NCSU.
* Support is needed to help make this project a success. Please consider purchasing or pre-ordering copy(s) for later sale of gifting so as to help greatly with our start-up costs.
* Price is $20 per copy and the deadline for pre-order commitment is April 30, 2017...money will be collected upon delivery.
* Please send your pre-order commitment to Sandy Carlson at firstname.lastname@example.org or contact her via phone at 919-853-9060.
* ALL 300 recipes in the cookbook have honey as an ingredient, Many of the recipes have received awards and/or are winning recipes of the NCSBA Summer Conferences.
* Categories covered: Appetizers & Beverages; Soups & Salads; Vegetables; Main Dishes; Breads; Desserts,
* Example recipes include:
- Start your meal with a Honey Mango Margarita served with an Orange Honey Glazed Salmon and Spinach Salad with Honey Dressing & Honeyed Pecans topped off with Honey Fudge Pie.
- Honey Sweetened Lemonade served with Honey Glazed BBQ Pork and an Apple Baked Bean Casserole topped off with Honey Cream Apple Pie.
- For those in-between hunger pains, have a Cinnamon Pecan Granola Bar.
Please forward this message to family and friends who enjoy honey or cooking, and thank you for your support.
1. Our April meeting Thursday will feature B Townes, president of Beekeepers of Wilkes County, who will talk about foraging. With our crazy winter and spring weather, we're particularly eager to hear what B has to say. The meeting starts at 7pm at the Extension Office behind Bojangles in Jefferson; B will be speaking first, so come early and grab some delicious snacks, too! Visitors are welcomed!
2. Bill Naser, our treasurer, will be on hand to take dues before the meeting and during break. ACBA (local) dues - $10/individual or $15/family. NCSBA (state) dues - $15/individual.
3. Tickets for the nuc will be sold thru the break at the meeting Thursday, and the drawing will be held at the conclusion of the meeting. Tickets for the nuc, valued at $140+, are $5 each, or 3/$10. If you took tickets to sell, please be sure to bring them and the tickets to the meeting! If you can't attend Thursday, let me know, and arrangements will be made to get them.
4. Door prizes this time: Wiss Utility Shears (courtesy of Hidden Happiness Bee Farm), cap (courtesy of Hive Tracks), comfrey plants, and pollen patties.
5. Pollen patties will also be on sale at the meeting: $3/patty, or 4/$10. All proceeds will go to ACBA.
6. Orders for NCSBA’s Honey Cookbook need to be turned in April 30. The cost for the book, which includes 300 recipes using honey, is $20. All profits will be donated to the NC Agricultural Foundation and will directly benefit the Apiculture program at NCSU.
7. Linda Katsoudas and I had fun representing ACBA at the Ashe County Library’s Seed Library kick-off on Friday! We talked to several folks very interested in bees, including a library staff member who is now a beekeeper. Big thanks to Marna Napoleon, beekeeper/new ACBA member/library staff member for inviting ACBA and to Linda for agreeing to help!
8. On Saturday, April 22, ACBA will be at the Ashe Farmers Market from 8am-1pm for Earth Day. Several members have volunteered to help, but we’re always game for more helpers! If you’d like to help for even a little while, please let me know. We always have fun! I don’t have any other information yet but will pass it on as soon as I get it.
9. Also on the 22nd (12-1pm) is a beekeeping meeting with Greg Fariss, state apiary inspector, at Southern States in Jefferson. Lunch is provided at no charge. Reservations need to be made by the 19th to the Extension Office (336-946-5850 in order for them to be prepared with ample materials, seating, and lunches.
* The first meeting of the year is March 9th and will begin at 7:00 at the Extension Office. The focus of this meeting will include a brief discussion by James Wilkes of a hive sampling program he was involved in last year, followed by President Randy's explanation of nucs and how to install them.
* Maggie McClelland, our program chair, will provide delicious refreshments again, and raffle tickets for the nuc will be sold! The nuc tickets - $5 each or 3/$10 - will be sold at the April meeting as well, with the drawing taking place at the conclusion of the April meeting.
* For those paying dues, Bill Naser, our treasurer, will be available around 6:15, if not a little earlier. If you can come early to pay your dues, please do, as Bill will need to leave for another meeting around 6:45. He should be able to return before the end of the ACBA meeting if you miss him.
* If you'd like to purchase raffle tickets, you're also urged to come a little earlier than usual to get that taken care of.
* If you're not sure if your 2017 dues have been paid, feel free to check with me by Wednesday afternoon (I'll be on unexpected grandmama duty and will miss the meeting... and Maggie's treats!).
* We had a successful Introduction to Beekeeping class last month (see pictures, in the thumbnails to the right). All passed the class portion of the Certified Beekeeper test, and I'm pretty sure everyone ended up with a little more knowledge than they started with. We're fortunate to have some terrific new members of ACBA, too!
* We had a double winner of the hive donated by Hidden Happiness Bee Farm! Gilly and Eben Macknee, father and son, tied with the highest score in the class (100, but who's counting)! What a relief that no one 'lost' the hive thru a drawing. Congratulations to Gilly and Eben, and another big thanks to Hidden Happiness Bee Farm for the generous donation! Gillly and Eben's bees should be quite pleased with their beautiful new digs :)
* One of our new members, Tina Roberts, has some yellow blossom sweet clover packages to sell for very reasonable prices (1 lb - $4, 8 oz - $2, 4 oz - $1). Randy's talked to two beekeepers who both raved about their bees' love for yellow clover, so he's been dreaming up places to plant some ever since. If you're interested in learning more about the yellow clover, you can contact Tina at email@example.com.
* Also, Joy Lewis said that if anyone is interested in her 'Joy Be Sweet' (her version of Honey B Healthy), let her know - firstname.lastname@example.org. The bees love it!
* This is a reminder for anyone who would like to order nucs from Hidden Happiness Bee Farm (to benefit ACBA):
- Nucs are available this year thru Hidden Happiness Bee Farm in Deep Gap! Cost per nuc is $140 + tax.
- Nucs purchased thru Hidden Happiness Bee Farm by current members of Ashe County Beekeepers Association will benefit ACBA, so be sure to mention that you’re a member of ACBA at the time you place the order.
- For more info and/or to order, contact Hidden Happiness Bee Farm (email@example.com or 336-957-0275).
- There is currently a planned delivery of nucs for mid-late April and another for mid-late May, so please be prepared to specify which delivery you’re interested in.
* IMPORTANT NOTE: Orders must be placed no later than February 15 to assure availability.
* Joey Bullin will sell nucs to Randy for $115; ACBA is excited to be offering nucs for sale in 2017.
* Hope to sell raffle tickets for a nuc at March and April meeiting. A winner will be drawn at the end of April meeting.
* Attendees of Intro to Beekeeping course will get a discount on nucs and woodenware.
* Joey Bullin will make and sell grease patties for $2 each.
* Pollen patties can be made by Maggie McClelland, Randy and Helen Baldwin and others? ACBA would sell to members and would pay for supplies to make them.
NCSBA members should read the Winter issue of Bee Buzz and be sure to look up the article about our own Doug Galloway on page 21! He and Mary Williams, president of the Watauga bee group, are making a difference by going out into the community (including schools!) and teaching about bees!
* The final ACBA meeting was our annual potluck dinner held on November 10.
* Those in attendance brought loads of goodies: salad, dessert, drink, bread, veggie, etc. The club furnished the meat but also had other meat dishes!
* A final appeal in 2016 to all Ashe County beekeepers to please consider volunteering! Because all of us have so many other things going on, we try to keep 'in person' meetings to a minimum after our initial meeting (January or February) to map out the year. We've been able to communicate with each other via email most of the time. It's a fun group, and we're excited about ideas for next year!
* The October meeting of the ACBA for 2016 was on Thursday, October 13, 2016 at the Ashe County Cooperative Extension Office, Ashe County Center, 134 Government Circle, Jefferson, NC 28640.
* As our last regular meeting for the year, Greg Fariss, state apiary inspector for the area, was on hand to tackle whatever questions were presented by members! We've never been disappointed with what we learn from Greg, tho it's possible some of our brains implode a tiny bit each time from all the information :)
* Also dues payments were accepted...for 2017 dues will remain the same:
- Local (ACBA) - $10 for individual, $15 for family
- State (optional) - $15 for individual
* Below are three downloadable files that provide general information on the ACBA's efforts to "Help the Bees!" as well as our association programs.
* "What's Buzzin' in 2016" is a projected list of meeting dates and programs for the year.
* If the link does not work, copy and paste the ENTIRE URL into your browser’s address bar. Please be patient as this file could take several minutes to download depending on your system.
* The Bee Buzz has new editors and an entirely new look. We are excited about the changes and hope you are also.
* The July meeting of the ACBA for 2016 was held on Thursday, July 14, 2016 at the Ashe County Cooperative Extension Office, Ashe County Center, 134 Government Circle, Jefferson, NC 28640.
* Meetings begin @ 7:00 PM, but there is generally a Q&A session that is held from 6:30 - 7:00 PM if persons wish to have a discussion regarding anything to do with beekeeping as a hobby or for any matters that may be of interest.
* Join us!
* Our guest speaker was Greg Fariss, regional Apiary Inspector for Ashe County. Greg has been a regular speaker for our ACBA monthly meetings and always provides a wealth of information about beekeeping. On July 14 Greg spoke on diseases of bees. There was also be an open Q&A session for member concerns, comments and questions to share!
* The June meeting of the ACBA for 2016 was held on Thursday, June 9, 2016 at the Ashe County Cooperative Extension Office, Ashe County Center, 134 Government Circle, Jefferson, NC 28640.
* The ACBA President, Randy Baldwin covered a variety of topics about hive management, including information on how to recognize and prevent chalk brood. See the attached photographs which show chalky debris that can appear on the landing board of a hive that is experiencing chalk brood - which is usually the result of too much moisture in a hive - and a box which Randy designed that contains wood shavings that can help reduce moisture.
Link to the meeting minutes to see additional information discussed at the meeting.
* The May meeting of the ACBA for 2016 was held on Thursday, May 12, 2016 at the Ashe County Cooperative Extension Office, Ashe County Center, 134 Government Circle, Jefferson, NC 28640.
* To start the meeting, ACBA President shared some slides depicting EFB (European Foul Brood) vs. (American Foul Brood) disease in hives and actions to take when a hive is infected.
* The main speaker for the evening was James Wilkes who shared information and slides on his travel and attendance at the international Apimondia meeting at the end of 2015 in Seoul, South Korea. He said the meeting was a fantastic experience and he'll be looking forward to the 2017 event in Istanbul, Turkey.
* The first meeting of the ACBA for 2016 was held on Thursday, March 10, 2016 at the Ashe County Cooperative Extension Office, Ashe County Center, 134 Government Circle, Jefferson, NC 28640
* Planned meeting topics for 2016 include:
* March - discussion: Opening hives and what should I be feeding, plus a discussion on nuc installation...speakers will be James Wilkes and Randy Baldwin.
* April - refresher on hive splitting...Jim Miles is the planned speaker.
* May - James Wilkes will present information on his travel and attendance at the international Apimondia meeting at the end of 2015.
* June - mid-year round table...participants TBD.
* July - diseases...presenter Greg Fariss.
* August - program TBD.
* September - winter preparations.
* October = Greg Fariss will again be our speaker and will cover a variety of topics on beekeeping.
* November - plans are to combine the pot luck dinner with a voluntary bazaar.
* The regular meeting of the ACBA was held on August 13, 2015 at the Ashe County Agriculture Center in Jefferson, NC to a packed audience of 28 Ashe County beekeepers and guests.
* The evening program consisted of an exceptionally informative presentation by Greg Fariss, regional Apiary Inspector for Ashe County - as seen in the thumbnail picture to the right - covering a variety of topics including winter hive preparations, diseases and viruses associated with Varroa mites and treatment for Varroa mites.
* Minutes of the meeting can be read here: 8/13/15 Meeting Minutes
* As part of the presentation, Greg shared a handout dealing with sampling colonies for Varroa mites.
* A promising new treatment option for controlling Varroa mites was also discussed and the product data sheet for Oxylic acid dihydrate was handed out.
* The regular meeting of the ACBA was held on July 9, 2015 at the Ashe County Agriculture Center in Jefferson, NC.
* The evening program consisted of a panel discussion by ACBA President Randy Baldwin, Program Manager Joy Lewis and guest James Wilkes, owner of Faith Mountain Farms and developer of Hive Tracks.
* Minutes of the meeting can be read here: 7/9/15 Meeting Minutes
* Before the start of the meeting, Bob Cole had samples of several plants for demonstration that are pollen sources for bees. Scroll over the thumbnail photographs to the right to see:
- Bee balm
- Corkscrew willow
- Golden rain tree
- Kiwi vine with kiwis
- Korean dogwood
- Orchard mint with parasitic Dodder infestation
* The regular meeting of the ACBA was held on June 11, 2015 at the Ashe County Agriculture Center in Jefferson, NC.
* The evening program featured several YouTube videos dealing with hive swarming that were presented by Program Director, Joy Lewis.
* Minutes of the meeting can be read here: 6/11/15 Meeting Minutes.
* The regular meeting of the Ashe County Beekeepers Association held on April 9, 2015 was treated to an extremely educational session by Doug Vinson, Regional Director of the Mountain Region, NCSBA.
* Doug's presentation "Summer splits: timing and techniques for mite load reduction, colony manipulations to interrupt Varroa mites" can be read here: Regular Meeting Minutes, 5/14/15.
* The evening meeting lasted well past 8:30 PM and didn't allow for any Q&A discussion by the 10 members and guests in attendance.
* Thank you Doug for a great meeting!
* The regular meeting of the Ashe County Beekeepers Association held on April 9, 2015 was treated to an extremely educational session by Jim Miles on two topics: swarming and splitting of hives.
* The evening included a lively Q&A discussion by the 26 members and guests in attendance.
* Thank you Jim for a great meeting!
At the end of the meeting, a raffle was held for the members and guests present to select from a collection of four beekeeping books that were donated by Fowler Bush.
Eugene Brown, NCSBA Freshman Mountain Regional Director and Program Chair of the Surry County Beekeepers (R), presents Randy Baldwin, ACBA President his certificate for completing all requirements to be recognized as a Journeyman Beekeeper.
* Each of the regular 2015 ACBA meetings will be prefaced with a variety of short topics/information (to be announced). There will be some workshops, and hands on opportunities for new beekeeper's throughout the summer as well (to be announced).
- March - Bee Aware team from Boone Bee Club.
- April - Jim Miles, if available. Topic: Hive splitting and Q&A's from group.
- May - Methods on how to catch swarms, fielding Q&A's from beekeepers in the meeting.
- June - Panel and sharing differing likes of equipment used, possibly with some show and tell.
- July - James Wilkes. Topic: diseases and treatments.
- August - Joy Lewis. Topic: use of Essential Oils.
- September - Member show and tell: Readying hives / winter preparations.
- October - Beekeeping Bazaar.
- November - Elections and Association pot luck meal together.
* The 2014-2015 Colony Loss and National Management Survey is being conducted now; beekeepers are encouraged to visit the site and enter your data.
* This survey is important to help determine the status and health of bees in our world.
* The last regular meeting of the ACBA in 2014 was held on November 13, 2014. Like last year, the final gathering of members and guests featured a wonderful pot-luck meal with dishes provided by the association, as well shared sides and desserts brought by members.
* Out-going President Harry Galer (right) welcomed everyone to the evening and shared information about the slate of officers to be voted on at the end of the evening's activities.
* Several items - hats, shirts and a 1-year subscription to Hive Tracks (Pro) donated by James Wilkes - were also raffled to members present.
Open the thumbnail photographs to the right to see a few of the wonderful desserts that were on display, and later eaten!
ACBA member George Katsoudas shows off one of the Ashe County Beekeepers Association's new hats with its beautifully embroidered association logo...only $18.00. get one while supplies last.
ACBA has several tables displaying information and products about the wonderful world of beekeeping at the Museum of Ashe County History's Autumn Leaf Festival. Come on out and help support our association.
ACBA Hats and T-shirts;
Hardwood cutting boards;
* The regular meeting of the ACBA held on October 9, 2014 featured a panel of ACBA members - Randy Baldwin, Joy Lewis and James Wilkes - sharing their experiences and information about preparing hives for overwintering.
* Click the below link to read the minutes from the meeting which contains their remarks.
Ashe County beekeepers are cautioned that the varroa mite infestation has started and everyone needsto be vigilant taking mite counts to see what kind of IPM is needed....and be deciding when to do it. Word from off the mountain form an experienced beekeeper is that they were plowing through many hives!!!
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!"
* Ashe County Beekeepers Association members who use Chrome as their default web browser may be frustrated when the RSS link on the News and Events page doesn't yield the intended results.
* Click on the below link for a "fix" which our web host, Ric Kolseth has recommended to enable you to fully utilize the RSS link.