December 2016
Nelson County Beekeepers nelsconcountybeekeepers@gmail.com
What’s The Buzz
Volume 2, Issue 12
Meeting
November 17th @ 6:30 p. m.
CHRISTMAS PARTY POT LUCK – Finger Foods or what ever suits you. Time for fun and comradery.
Officers
GUEST ARE ALWAYS WELCOME – Bring a beekeeping friend, or someone you think might like to get started. Lets spread the word.
President-Doug Brink
MEMBERSHIP DUES Vice President-David Donathan Don't forget!! you need to pay your 2017 membership dues. Either mail them to me (Susan Secretary-Pat Swartz Zhunga 555 King Rd. Coxs Creek, KY 40013), or I'll see you at the meeting. This will keep you active on Treasurer & Editor-Susan our facebook page and also on the mailing list for Zhunga the newsletter. Dues are still $12.00 per Hospitality-Debbie Ritchie household.
Newsletter Publisher– Georganne Collins
Robbie Smith County Extension Agent for Horticulture
Winter Weather Policy If Nelson County schools are closed then all meetings at the office are canceled.
Inside this issue: Upcoming Programs For 2017
2
Minutes & Financial Report
3
Elections for 2017
4
December Beekeepers Calendar
5
From Tammy Horn Potter
6
Page 2 UPCOMING PROGAMS FOR 2017 Programs listed maybe subject to change according to guest schedules. January 19th ..................... Legislation, Insurance, and Taxes with Rep. Chad McCoy, Adam Wheatley. February 16th ................... Marketing Products and Self with Marissa Aull and Melissa Bond, University of KY March 16th........................ Bee Talk with Don "The Fat Bee Man" Kuchenmeister via live webinar April 20th ........................... Round Table Discussion on Spring time decision making Saturday field trip to Kevin Hales Honey Farm. (Date to be decided) May 18th ........................... Pollinator Habitat and Native Plants, Casey Shrader, Field Biologist, USDA June 22nd ......................... Honey Extraction tips and demonstration as a panel discussion. Club members will Discuss July 20th ............................ Field Day? Drone Fishing? Natural Hive Count? August 17th ....................... The Beginning of the Beekeepers Season with Kevin Hale of Hale's Honey Farm September 21st ................ October 19th ..................... Tammy Horn Potter November 16th ................. Update from the Commissioner of Agriculture, Ryan Quarles (not yet firmly confirmed) December 21st ................. Christmas Party
Page 3 Nelson County Beekeepers Meeting Minutes November, 2016 Approximately 37 people attended our Thanksgiving banquet with turkeys prepared by our own Chef Robbie Smith. Thank you Robbie, another great job done. Dues to be collected at the December meeting @ $12.00 per household. Christmas theme will be finger foods and appetizers. Gene Englert has made arrangements with Rick Sutton to buy Nucs for the club. 1/2 of the payment will be due on or before the December meeting. The balance must be paid in full at the March 16th meeting. Henry made an announcement about the Christmas Parade for December 1st, decorating to be done on the 29th of November. (Our float was canceled due to medical reasons). Election results were announced and confirmed by Doug Brink and membership. Our guest for the evening was Dr. Tammy Horn Potter. She spoke about Varroa Mite-treatment. Oxalic Acid applications. Vet concerns with antibiotic prescriptions and beekeepers. After which there was a Q & A session. Susan Zhunga Temp - Secretary Financial Statement As Of 12/01/16 Start
$2799.21
Expense
1867.50
Income
1488.08
Balance Additions to income are paid dues for 2017 Money from the road clean-up October
$2419.79 $24.00 $200.00
Money from the State Fair
$161.50
Additions to Expenses money for door prizes
$100.90
Susan Zhunga Treasurer
Page 4 ELECTIONS FOR 2017 Thank you and congratulations to all our newly elected officers for the up coming year of 2017. President – Gene Englert To run meetings. Insure programs are on track. Assist committees assigned to programs, fund raisers, and education. Vice President – Ricky Humphrey - To run meetings when the President is absent. To assist President with committees assigned to programs, fund raisers, and education. Secretary – Benny Hite - To take notes of both the Steering Meeting and the Members meeting. To record in your notes the attendance and the names of any new members. To insure that the notes are forwarded to the editior of the newsletter. Treasurer – Susan Zhunga To received dues and monies from fund raisers. Keep an accurate account of all monies received. Bring all monies to the Extension Office for depositing. Assure that the treasurers accounting and the Extension Office are in balance. Education – Robbie Smith To assist in setting programs for each month. To promote education either through classes or other outreach programs. Hospitality Chair – Pat
Swartz – To recommend themes for pot luck. To set up and clean up before and after the meeting. Establishing a team to assist.
KSBA MEETING NOTES DECEMBER 3RD 2017 Attended by Gene Englert I attended the KSBA officer "meet and greet" this past weekend in E-town. Unfortunately several of the KSBA officers were not able to attend including Rick Sutton the new President elect. Tammy Horn Potter gave a presentation similar to the one you heard at our last meeting on the new veterinary directive. She also mentioned a program to help people borrow electric fence chargers if you live in areas with bear activity. They also asked for suggestions on how to make KSBA better as membership is down and people aren't renewing. I mentioned what I have heard from many of you, that the dues are too expensive for what you get. You can join your local club for $12 where you attend monthly meetings,
share a meal, hear a speaker/presentation and receive a monthly newsletter in the mail. Compared to $15 for KSBA where they have 2 meetings a year no where near where you live making it hard for people to even attend. This seemed to fall on deaf ears and I don't believe they will even consider changing it. My hopes are that having a new president who runs a business will understand that if a product isn't selling (KSBA membership) you need to either change the product or lower the price till it's a good buy for the consumer. Until things change I personally have no intention of joining or promoting KSBA. I did also meet some of the presidents and members from neighboring bee clubs and look forward to working with them in the future. Thanks Gene Englert
Page 5 DECEMBER BEEKEEPERS CALENDAR Beekeeper Chores The year is effectively over. There is now little to be done for the bees. They will not feed on syrup and it is too late to apply treatments for mites and diseases. If you haven’t removed your mite treatments and queen excluder, do so on the first warm day. Otherwise, there is no reason to open your hives. Attach an entrance reducer to the front of the hive. This serves two purposes: cold wind is kept out of the hive; and, mice are prevented from nesting in the hive. Entrance reducers may be purchased from beekeeping supply companies. Or, you can simply nail a strip of wood to reduce the opening of the hive. Be sure your entrance reducer is thick enough to be mouse-proof. Some have metal strips to deter mice. Observations and Ideas Late November and December are the best times to plant trees. Black locust and tulip poplar seedlings can be planted where they will
provide shade, windbreak, and nectar for the bees. These two trees are known for their rapid growth and copious nectar. As honey plants, trees are a long-term investment. They will not provide significant bloom for several years. This is a good time to do some reading. Some fine books and videos are available from beekeeping supply companies. Books on beginning beekeeping, advanced topics such as queen rearing, and general interest are sold. Beeswax candles are fun and easy to make. They can be rolled from sheets of foundation in minutes. Beeswax foundation comes in dozens of colors, available from beekeeping supply companies. Additional Observations and Ideas This is the time to put hard sugar blocks on for winter feed source through mid December, no later than Christmas. Keep protein on the hive, either in patty form or hard sugar blocks with protein mixed in. Hives can be check every couple of weeks during the
winter (weather permitting), to replenish sugar block/protein. If conditions require, wrapping hives or fencing to protect againt cold wind. Keeping bees well fed and protected can only help them through the winter months. Italians need the most food reserves and Russians the least. Good feeding program during the winter will help for a strong hive building up into the spring.
Page 6 FROM TAMMY HORN POTTER Here is a list of the videos Tammy Horn Potter talked about at our last meeting. Honey Bee Health Coalition Varroa videos: Varroa mite PSA https:// www.youtube.com/ watch?v=p4titRjZuOQ Video 1 - IPM -https:// youtu.be/aFlLPZ5KbgU Video 2 3 - Sampling methods -https:// youtu.be/IgPfT9FQxLc Video 4 - Essential oils https://youtu.be/ fsn0RurGz10 Video 5 - Using Apivar https://youtu.be/ pCq_Pu1iFeo Video 6 - Using Apistan or Checkmite+ -https:// www.youtube.com/ watch?v=nsbY1nuUReY Video 7 - Formic acid https:// www.youtube.com/
watch?v=6PK5BTjexSs Video 8 - Using HopGuard -https:// www.youtube.com/ watch? v=rOlafuIBBf0&t=8s Video 9 - Using Oxalic Acid -https:// www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Sp-9eD3Sgww Video 10 - Using sanitation, screen bottoms -https:// www.youtube.com/ watch?v=U7Axpy5JVDc Video 11 - Using drone brood removal -https:// www.youtube.com/ watch?v=j17AStzxEgs Video 12 - Using requeening -https:// www.youtube.com/ watch?v=GnPBIStvC60 You might want to take time to watch these to help better understand problems and solutions.
BEEKEEPING ITEMS FOR SALE If any member has beekeeping items for sale, list them in the newsletter and/or bring them to the meeting. We can do some bartering after the regular meetings are over. Good time to save some money on necessary items. Be sure and bring items in good clean condition. Make sure they are priced and have your name. We will set up special tables for your items. The Club - has NCB TShirts $11.00 Hooded Sweatshirts $23.00 Janet Brown - is selling NCB Hats and Visors for $10.00. The club gets $2.00 from each sale. Larry Marks - is selling the Marks' Frames for $12.00 for a set of three frames. Comes
Need winter feed or other supplies for your bees? Bardstown Mills located at 1393 Withrow Ct, Bardstown, KY 40004 (502) 348 - 3949 They are a local business that will be happy to help in any way that they can. Just call or stop in and be sure to tell them that you are a member of the Nelson County Beekeepers. If they don't have the items on hand, they will try and get it for you as soon as possible.
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RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Bardstown KY 40004
317 S Third St
Nelson County
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