buzzwords april 2018 - barnstablebeekeepers.org · sweets and treats always welcome for nibbling....
TRANSCRIPT
buzzwords http://www.barnstablebeekeepers.org April 2018
Upcoming Meetings
Tuesday, April 10th, 7:30 pm at the West Barnstable Community Building on Route 149.
Tonight’s Program
According to our by-laws, our annual election of officers and board members takes place at the April meeting. At the meeting, nominations are taken from the floor to fill open positions. At this time, we are need of a Vice President and up to four board of director members. None are challenging positions and the board meets only three times a year. Might you consider helping out? This will be the last chance to present nominations from the floor. If there is anyone you would like to put up in advance, please send the name(s) to [email protected].
Since there is no scheduled speaker for the April meeting. We will have members talk about splits, when to make them, how to make them and how to set up a nuc. Also, we will be discussing why re-queening is a good thing in some instances.
SWEETS AND TREATS ALWAYS WELCOME FOR NIBBLING.
From the Board
Hello all,
It seems that spring is thinking of coming to Cape Cod. However, I reserve the option of changing my mind. This is, after all, Cape Cod where we generally have two seasons… Winter and the 4th of July.
If like me your hives did not survive the winter, I hope all your equipment is cleaned, inspected and ready for the new package you will be installing.
Check out our club’s Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/groups/BarnstableCountyBeeA/
An important tip, when installing a new queen (remember, the queen coming with your new package is a new queen to the bees with which she has been shipped), is to see if they accept her. I always place the queen cage on top of the frames and wait for several minutes to watch the reaction of the bees I just put into the deep box. In most cases, the bees will gently go to the queen cage and begin reaching through the screen to try to feed the queen and also get a taste of her pheromones. This is not always the case. There are times when the bees race to the queen cage aggressively and try to sting through the screen. I suggest taking the cage away and after a day or two, go in and look for a loose queen. Sometimes, a queen gets shaken into the mix and gets shipped up with the mass of bees in the package.
Check out this video of how aggressive the bees can be toward a queen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXVVOn5uZCY
Good luck
Andy Morris
TREATMENT FREE BEEKEEPING
As a follow-up to our March meeting on Keeping healthy bees, take a few minutes and read the attached article on how to make the effort to get to treatment free bees. Provided by John Portnoy
Claire Desilets
Forage
Any of you following the use of mushrooms to help our bees?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daw_zzge49c!
Interesting update on pesticides: http://ucnfa.ucanr.edu/files/28017
2.pdf
Another great article on diagnosing deadouts with nice pictures of
some of the possibilities of why the hive died from Cornell Univ. Also,
some other interesting topics.
https://pollinator.cals.cornell.edu/resources/general-beekeeping-
resources
Meet Your Local Farmer
The BCBA was represented by President Mike Smith, Corresponding Secretary Claire Desilets, and board member Joe McClure. We had Claire’s observation hive and our brand new seed packs! People were very excited that we had them!
Joe McClure
Bee Packages Delayed
As you plan your spring projects, I wanted to let you know that as of this evening due to the wet weather in Georgia, our packaged bee shipment is now scheduled for arrival on May 4th. This is a one week delay which still puts are season in good shape here on the Cape.
Stay tuned for pick up dates, times and locations.
Claire Desilets
Beekeepers’ Ball 2018
We’re looking for a new venue to host the Beekeepers’ Ball this September. The Cultural Center of Cape Cod is booked every Saturday in September (National Honey Month), and we’d like to find a location of similar character and charm. We need a venue that will allow alcohol to be served and access to a kitchen to hold our food donations.
If you know of any place or anyone that can help, please email [email protected]. If you feel comfortable approaching a location to see if they’d be interested in helping before emailing Kim, that would be appreciated as it will help us know who is really available and willing.
Bee Ball Committee
SPRING AND FEEDING TIPS
It is not a bad idea when feeding your overwintered hive, a first bucket of sugar syrup to use 2:1 sugar syrup. This will help if the weather continues damp and cold and the bees have few cleansing flights.
Move to 1:1 when weather warms consistently to 50 degrees or better. And if you have it, a nibble of a pollen patty will help feed the new brood on those gloomy cold Cape days.
Some of us will be watching for the first dandelions to bloom. This is our sign to check the location of the cluster. If it is completely in the top deep, you can rotate the deep boxes. Take
the time to clean and scr ape the bottom board. A good paint wire brush works great to clean the screen and to clean the corners. Rotating prevents swarming early as this gives the queen room to move up and not feel crowded in the top deep.
Do not rotate if you find the cluster in both deeps. Breaking the cluster at this time will spell trouble especially if the weather turns cold.
And this is the best time to cull out some of those old dark, black frames. New frames with new foundation should be marked RED as that is the color of the queen this year and gives you an idea of how old the wax.
Claire Desilets
Barnstable County Beekeepers Calendar
I’m excited! Pictures are coming in slowly. I haven’t looked at them. I just save them. It’s keeps the surprise. Feel free to send some, [email protected]!
Joe McClure
Bee Placement Wanted
Michael and Diana Cipro have 2 acres. Some wooded but mostly open as we are vegetable farmers and would welcome more bees to pollinate our plants. Their e-mail address is [email protected] and phone number is 508-360-0899. There is usually someone around all the time if someone wants to check out the lay of the land.
Joe McClure
Recipes
Honey Lavender Shortbread Cookies 1 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup sugar 3 tablespoons honey 2 cups flour pinch of salt 2 teaspoons dried lavender
In a large bowl of the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, and honey until light and fluffy. Add the flour, salt, and lavender and mix until combined. Place two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment on the counter and divide the dough in half between the sheets. Using the wrap, shape the dough into 2 logs that are approximately 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Shape the logs into squares if desired by pressing gently on the top with a cookie sheet to flatten the log slightly, then turning the log on its side and pressing again. Freeze thirty minutes or refrigerate 2+ hours, or until firm. Preheat the oven to 325. Remove the dough from the fridge or freezer and slice into 1/4 inch slices. Place 1-2 inches apart on a lightly greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until light golden brown. Let cool completely before serving.
Maria Cashdollar
RESOURCES (accurate as of 1/17)
The following officers and directors are a great resource to answer questions and requests for assistance.
Officers
President Michael D. Smith [email protected]
Vice President Kayleigh Cronin [email protected]
Corresponding Secretary Claire Desilets [email protected]
Recording Secretary Deborah Carmel [email protected]
Treasurer Lynn Heslinga [email protected]
Directors Marthe Ayers [email protected] Mary Anne Mann [email protected]
John Beach [email protected] Joe McClure [email protected]
Maria Cashdollar [email protected] Andy Morris [email protected]
Todd Cashdollar [email protected] Brian O'Donnell [email protected]
Melissa Caughey [email protected] Steven Pelletier [email protected]
Kathy Clobridge [email protected] Melissa Sanderson [email protected]
Kimberly Concra [email protected] Lisa Sheehy [email protected]
Peter B Cooper [email protected] Mark Simonitsch [email protected]
Mary Johnson [email protected] Miguel Zamora [email protected]
Paul Lefebvre [email protected]