The forecast for the next several days is for relative warmth, mid to high 30’s, no snow showers, and light winds. Weather-wise, it’s an opportunity for us to check our bees’ food supplies. I got concerned when I read Fred’s post on http://ourbeeblog.blogspot.com/ that some of his colonies were already using the emergency sugar and that he had added more. It seems early in the season for the bees to be at the top and taking sugar, but it has been a relatively warm early winter following a relatively poor honey season. Because of Fred’s post I loaded up sugar discs, a hive tool and a veil to check my three ‘out apiary’ hives on the way home from the December 16 meeting. The first hive I checked had bees on the top bars and half of the sugar disc had been consumed. One bee took off straight for my face, and bounced off the veil. (I had learned that lesson years ago). The other two colonies were still down in the boxes and hadn’t touched the sugar discs.......yet. I appreciated the ‘heads up’ and will be checking the sugar in my eight home hives today, and then all of my hives every two weeks throughout the season. It can be a pain when the snow gets deep and I can’t take the Jeep across the 40-acre alfalfa field at Out Apiary 1, but hiking through the snow and drifts across that field is part of my commitment to the bees. So now it’s time for my winter beekeeping activities that include scraping propolis off the queen excluders (scrapes off nicely when it’s really cold), making up a stock of sugar discs, checking hive inventory and ordering components to meet my anticipated increase next season, rendering this season’s cappings and making candles, reading. Thanks to beekeeping (and vitamin D), I don’t get SAD during the winter. There were wide ranging discussions at the ECWBA meeting on December 16 with members sharing over-wintering techniques, yellow jacket experiences, current winter losses, nosema cerenae symptoms and possible aids, and Fred brought in a homemade nuc and shared the construction plans. The discussions got so involved that it took awhile to get around to business. But we did finally address the list of topics that I had to address (old business/new business). In Leanne’s absence we didn’t discuss much about 501(c)3 status, but the general comments indicate a feeling that we have no need to pursue it at this time. The idea of forming an LLC was mentioned by Patti, and that’s a whole new direction. The topic was tabled until January. There is some interest among members to offer a beginning beekeeping class, but someone will need to step forward to lead this endeavor, and several other members will need to volunteer their time to support the effort. This is a viable thing to do, but it can’t happen without members volunteering. Patti will be emailing a survey to find out if there’s enough interest and commitment. Dues were voted to return to $10.00/year. Dues are payable to George or Patti anytime now. I reported that the FDA inspector has approved the housing of the ECWBA extractor and decapping tank at the Rushford Meadery and Winery with the caveat that we can only extract when Shane is not processing. Further, Shane would like compensation for cleaning supplies, hot water and electricity in the form of $10.00, or the purchase of $20.00 of his products, per extracting event. (Al said it should be no problem covering the $20.00 compensation package.) I have since contacted Shane and he’s ready when we are. He would like us to give him some potential dates, but we would need to reschedule if it’s snowing or there’s fresh snow on the ground (if he is to use his forklift to help unload, which he is very willing to do). So the ball is in our court to get this together with Fred and gather some volunteers to help with the relocation. Our next meeting is scheduled for January 20, 2018, 9:30 a.m. at the Caestecker Library in Green Lake. The offices of President and Secretary are up for election at this meeting, so if you’re interested in serving the ECWBA in either office you will need to be present at that meeting. I have attached Patti’s Meeting Minutes. Happy Holidays to all! Gerard
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ECWBA NewsletterSince 2009 Archives
March 2019
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