Nelson County February 2020
Nelson County Beekeepers
What’s The Buzz
Volume 6 Issue 2
ATTENTION
MEMBERSHIP DUES NEED TO BE PAID BY MARCH 1st , 2020.
This will insure your access to Facebook and the Newsletter. If you want to mail your dues send them to: Officers
Susan E Zhunga,
President-Steve Hutchins
555 King Road, Cox's Creek, KY 40013.
Vice President-Darrell Hester Secretary-Carolyn Hurd
Make check payable to:
Treasurer & Editor-Susan Zhunga
Nelson County Soil Labs.
Hospitality-Monthly Volunteers
Up Coming events:
Newsletter Publisher– Georganne Collins
Free School 2/29/2020
Kevin Hale 3/19/2020 – Its Spring get ready for flow.
Kent Williams 4/16/2020 – to be determined.
Inside this issue: Financials & Minutes
2
Items Available for Sale 3
(Continued on page 3)
Items Available for Sale 4
Beekeepers School
6
Robbie Smith County Extension Agent for Horticulture
Page 2 Financials & Minutes FINANCIAL STATEMENT January Opening balance
1/1/202020
1st 2020
$2365.33
Gross Income
$00.0
Net Expense
$300.00 School Supplies/ Door Prizes
Bank Balance
$2,065.33
Previous Meetings Minutes 01/16/2020 Nelson County Beekeepers
January 16th 1010 Meeting
Steering Committee Meeting Attending: Darrell Hester, Benny Hite, Ricky Humphrey, Steve Hutchins, Henry Wilkerson, Susan Zhunga, Gene Englert, Pat Swartz. Discussed: Talked about bee school this spring. Ordering of Nucs. Bee Meeting: Approximately 33 people attended. Talked about the bee school and the classes to be held. Asked for volunteers to help with kitchen and registration. Carolyn Hurd (SZ) Secretary
Page 3 (Continued from page 1)
POT LUCK SUPPER CHILI COOK-OFF Good luck to all who participate. We will need sides and desserts. Set up and clean up is done by volunteers. Please help with this service. We all love the pot luck.
MEETING February20, @ 6:30 pm Round table discussion. What are you seeing in your hives at this time of year. Good, Bad, Ugly ?? This is unusual weather, how is it affecting you hives. Are you seeing losses, new brood ?? Also we will discuss what is happening with the Bee School, and set up the volunteers duties. Surprise, Surprise we will be selling $5.00 chances at this meeting for a 5 frame Nuc from Sutton Farms. This helps to pay for Bee School expenses. Delivery of the ordered Nucs will around Mid-April. All depending on the weather. Everyone will be notified by phone and “Facebook� as soon as the date is firm. Nucs must be paid in full by, or at the March 19, 2020 meeting.
Page 4 BEEKEEPING ITEMS 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.
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.
Page 5 February The Bees. The queen, still cozy in the cluster, will begin to lay a few more eggs each day. It is still “females only” in the hive. Workers will take cleansing flights on mild days. The bees will consume about 25 pounds of honey this month. The Beekeeper. There is not too much to do this month. Attend those bee club meetings. Read. Attend bee club meetings, and get your equipment ready for spring.
March The Bees. This is the month when colonies can die of starvation. However, if you fed them plenty of sugar syrup in the autumn this should not happen. With the days growing longer, the queen steadily increases her rate of egg laying. More brood means more food consumed. The drones begin to appear. The bees will continue to consume honey stores. The Beekeeper. Early in the month, on a nice mild day, and when there is no wind and bees are flying, you can have a quick peek inside your hive. It’s best not to remove the frames. Just have a look-see under the cover. If you do not see any sealed honey in the top frames, you may need to provide some emergency food (fondant or granulated sugar if cold temps prevail, syrup if the weather is mild). But remember, once you start, you should not stop until they are bringing in their own food supplies. If you are going to do a spring Varroa mite treatment, now (or soon) is the time to start its application.
Page 6 SUSTAINABLE BEEKEEPING FEBRUARY 29, 2020 FREE – FREE - FREE Come and join us for an interesting FREE bee class experience. There is something for everyone. 11 classes that are 25 minutes each. We will be covering a multitude of issues. Buying Bees, Making Bees, and Keeping Bees. Classes start at 8:30 am and run until 2:25 pm followed by a Q&A session. Call the Nelson County Extension Office in Bardstown, 317 South Third Street, Bardstown, KY for reservations. Limited seating for 50 people. Phone ( 502-348-9204) Doors will open at 7:45 am and Registration will be from: 8:00 to 8:25 am at which time refreshments will be served. When you register on the morning of the school, you will be able to purchase a lunch ticket for $5.00, or you can bring your own box lunch. For your $5.00 ticket, you will receive a choice of Sandwiches, plus Chips, Cookies, and a Drink. You can also buy a $5.00 chance on a Nuc (due in April) from Sutton Farms, that can be picked up at the Nelson County Extension Office, when notified. You must be present at the drawing to qualify for the Nuc. The value of the Nuc is $140.00. There will be lots of drawings during the day for door prizes. Lots of great items being offered. The raffle for the Nuc will be done at the end of the day. You must be present to win the Nuc.
Doors will be opened at 7:45 am. Registration: 8:00 to 8:25 am – Refreshments will be served
Page 7 SUSTAINABLE BEEKEEPING CLASS SCHEDULE FEBRUARY 29, 2020 8:30 to 8:55 am ................Acquiring Bees, Boxes vs Nucs,Pros & Cons ........................................................................................ Darrell Hester 9: to 9:25 am............................. Swarm Traps, Why & How They Work .................................................................................... Ricky Humphrey 9:30 to 9:55 am ..................................... Swarm Catching, Why & How .................................................................................... Ricky Humphrey
10:00 to 10:25 am .............................. Swarm Prevention, What to do ...................................................................................... Steve Hutchins 10:30 to 10:55 am ........................................ Splits, What to do & How ............................................................................................ Ernie Sharp 11:00 to 11:25 am ..................... Queen Rearing, Different Techniques ..........................................................................................Gene Englert 11:30 to 11:55 am .............................. Hive Inspection, The Right Way .................................................................................... David Donathan 12:00 to 12:25 pm ..................................................................... LUNCH ................ Served On Site for $5:00 (Sandwich Chips Cookies & Drink) 12:30 to 12:55 pm ............................. Pest Control, Different Methods .........................................................................................Mike Vitittow 1:00 to 1:25 pm ........................... Moving Bees, The Best Way & Why .................................................................................... David Donathan 1:30 to 1:55 pm ................................... Storing Equipment, Dead Outs ............................................................................................ Ernie Sharp 2:00 to 2:25 pm ........................................................... Record Keeping ........................................................................................ Susan Zhunga 2:30 to ??? ................................................................................... Q & A .............................. Now is the time to have your questions answered
There will be multiple drawings during the classes for door prizes. The final drawing will be for the 5 frame Nuc. A survey will be given to each participant to be filled out after classes. Please let us know what you think. What you enjoyed or would change.
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Bardstown KY 40004
317 S Third St
Nelson County