Nelson County November 2019
Nelson County Beekeepers
What’s The Buzz
Volume 5, Issue 9
Meeting
November 21st @ 6:30 pm
Officers President-Steve Hutchins Vice President-Darrell Hester
Round table discussion – What questions do you have at this time of year. Have you treated yet, if so with what. We must also have nominations for next years officers. Please volunteer and help the club. We need your help, your ideas, and your club support.
Secretary-Bennie Hite Treasurer & Editor-Susan Zhunga Hospitality-Monthly Volunteers
POT LUCK SUPPER – THANKSGIVING DINNER
Newsletter Publisher– Georganne Collins
Agent, Chef and All around good guy, Robbie Smith, will be cooking two turkeys for our Thanksgiving Feast. Inside this issue: Bring what you can to share. Side dishes and desserts. Set up and clean up is done Financials & Minutes 2 by volunteers. Please help with this Extractor
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service. We all love the pot luck.
Items Available for Sale 4
Beekeepers Calendars
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Robbie Smith County Extension Agent for Horticulture
Page 2 Financials & Minutes FINANCIAL STATEMENT 10/30/2019 Opening balance
1/1/2019
$2,125.37
Gross Income
$1,126.00 Due/Extractor/ Fair Proceeds
Net Expense
$-1,259.22 A&C Fair/Food/ Door Prizes
Bank Balance
$1,992.15
Nelson County Beekeepers October 17th, 2019 Meeting Steering Committee Meeting Attending: Dar r el Hester , Steve Hutchins, Benny Hite, Pat Swartz, and Susan Zhunga Discussed: Roadside cleanup October 26th and Ricky Humphrey will need help to get this done. If you put honey in the craft fair next year you have to put time in working the booth. Next year we should order a new tent with walls for the craft fair, two if the space is allocated. Bee Meeting: After a great meal , Steve spoke of the need for new officers coming soon. Then the meeting was turned over to Dr. Tom Webster for an informative presentation about bees , their seasonal habits and the sterilization of the bee equipment. We had several new members and 44 people were in attendance. Billy Brown and David Donathan won the door prizes Secretary Bennie Hite
Page 3 Attention Attention There are 2 extractors complete with all that you need to extract honey. It comes with a refractometer to test you honey. $10.00 for usage, with a 3 day maximum. All members are encouraged to join us on Facebook. Ask questions, show your progress, and share your pictures. “Nelson County Beekeepers”. We would love to hear from you.
All members are encouraged to join us on Facebook. Ask questions, show your progress, and share your pictures. “Nelson County Beekeepers”. We would love to hear from you.
Page 4 ROAD CLEAN UP Ricky Humphrey has again done a great job organizing our road clean-up. The club receives $200 from the county for this service. The money helps to pay for speakers and food supplements for the pot luck. The club thanks: Tom Clark, Cindy McCance, Mike Vittitow, Randy Weber, Steve Hutchins, and as always, Ricky Humphrey. Beekeepers Calendars BEEKEEPERS CALENDAR Dr. Thomas Webster
November – December What’s Happening Inside the Hive? The bees have changed to their wintertime mode. A large colony may have a small amount of brood in early November, but that will soon disappear. By now the queen has completely stopped laying eggs. Five or ten days in November will be warm enough for the bees to fly, but they will find nothing blooming. As the weather gets cold, the bees form a tight cluster to keep warm. This ball of bees overlaps several frames of honey. The bees gradually consume their stored honey and generate heat. The colder it gets, the tighter the bees cluster. Week by week, the ball of bees gradually moves through the hive to find more honey. When the
Page 5 first snowfall covers the hives, consider that the honey bee is the only insect in Kentucky that keeps warm all winter. In early winter, mice may move into a hive and make a nest. This can occur even if the hive is alive and well overwinter. The bees are tightly clustered and the mouse finds a spot in the corner away from the bees. 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 in November. 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 (Continued on page 6)
Page 6 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
Page 7 CONGRADULATIONS Congratulations to our own Mike Mabry. He has been appointed as the next President of the KSBA (Kentucky State Beekeepers Association) for the up coming year 2020. We wish you all the best, and know that you will do a great job. Congrats for all of us !!! ITEMS AVAILABLE FOR SALE Test kits for American Foul Brood (AFB) and European Foul Brood (EFB) are available for purchase from Extension Office for $14.00 each. Please call me (Susan 507-8789) for availability.
Mike Johnson – Will make wooden ware to order. Boxes, frames and wax dipping. Contact Mike for information and pricing @ 502-249-2007.
The Club - has NCB T - Shirts Prices are: $8.00 for children $10.00 for Adults and $12.00 for Adults 2x & 3x.
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Bardstown KY 40004
317 S Third St
Nelson County