Wilson County Beekeepers

Meeting Minutes – 01 October 2012

October 1, 2012 brought 55 members out on a stormy evening to the monthly meeting of the  Wilson County Beekeepers Association.  Carey Mitchell called the meeting to order.

The membership approved the September 10^th minutes as posted in the newsletter.

Old business discussed:

• Empty honey bears for sale–$5.00/dozen
• 2013 program idea sheet, Christmas Charity recommendations, mentor list, fair questionnaires were passed around for additions
• Fred Dawson recapped the Conference:  a good turn-out at the Thursday evening board meeting, TBA voted to continue with the Hive Grant program for another year and it appears that the State will partially fund ($3,000-$5,000), there were four names on the Beekeeper of the Year Award (including our own Carey Mitchell) and two names on the Lifetime Beekeeper Award
• Discussion continued on the 2013 Hive Grant for WCBA, with nothing finalized.

New Business discussed:

• New bees purchased surveys were asked to be completed… helps next year’s newbees with purchasing bees.
• Next Month’s elections.  If you want to hold a position, or have a position that you no longer wish to keep, please let it be know before the next meeting.

Fred’s Monthly To Do List:

• Check each colony for queen
• Evaluate food stores:  60# needed—Deep frames==6 pounds, shallow==2 ½-3 pounds
• Feed if necessary—2 to 1 sugar to water
• Combine weak hives
• Make sure you have a weight on hive cover for protection against wind
• Provide ventilation

Carey had an informative program on combining hives for production, queenrighting, and overwintering for strength.

Next meeting will be November 5 with the elections and Mike Studer will be doing a program on Pollen and Propolis

The evening’s door prizes were given out:  Backyard Beekeeping was won by Wayne Storey, Sharon Nuss won a candy board made by Charlie Deshler, and Norbert Braunwalder won a large Honey Sticker from the National Honey Board.

Meeting adjourned at 8:20 for refreshments provided by the membership and fellowship.