Wilson County Beekeepers

Meeting Minutes – 8 September 2014

Carey Mitchell, President of Wilson County Beekeepers Assn. welcomed 80 members and guests to the September 8, 2014 meeting at the Ward Ag Center.

Membership approved the July 28 minutes as posted in the last newsletter.

Thank you’s were offered to * all Honey Show entries (without you, we wouldn’t have a honey show), *all honey and wax donations, *raffle basket items, *and Jeremy Blackwell and Debbie Bobbitt for supplying the extracting frames for demonstrations and *the time you spent at the Honey Booth..we had a total of 55 volunteers and 467 man-hours for putting on this event.  Congrats to ALL winners at the fair and Allen Persinger for winning the Bluest of the Blues Ribbon

Old Business Discussed:

Items still available for sale:

1. Shirts–$15.00/Hats–$10.00
2. Pollen Substitute–$1.75/pound
3. Beetle Traps–$1.00/Beetle Jails–$1.50
4. 40 lb. buckets of Sugar–$20.00

TBA Fall Conference is October 11 and 12.  Petra has registration applications if you don’t have one.  WCBA is offering 12 one-day Conference scholarships for first-time attendees.  Will draw at the end of the meeting.

Short Course scheduled for October 21-23.  We had 75 sign up at the fair.  Applications will go out the end of September

New Business Discussed:

Kara Kirk donated two books from the 1970’s for our Association’s library at the fair.

Also received several VHS tapes from Past President Gordon Reed that belonged to the club…have been in his possession since the late 1990’s…would like someone to convert them to disc.

Christmas Charity ideas and 2015 mentor lists were circulated.

Fair questionnaires were at the tables for any comments and suggests to make the Honey Show better.

Vendors at Conference:  Bon Aqua Springs (Trevor Qualls), Kelley’s, Mann Lake, Rossman Apiaries, Dadant & Sons, and Smokey Ridge Apiaries.  Both Dadant & Sons (the Frankfort office ONLY…502-848-0000) and Smokey Ridge (Coley O’Dell … 865-984-5393) are offering 5% discount for all pre-ordered and prepaid items.  You need to let them know you are picking them up at Conference.

Due to Postage Increases Bee Culture has taken the Association Discount off the table…only ABJ currently offering club discount

November we will hold Elections—any potential candidate needs to speak up if you are interested in a position.  ALL offices are open…President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer, 3 directors and 3 alternates.

Fred’s To-Do List (presented by Karen Dawson): 

•  Inspect colony—queen right
• Check for stores—60 pounds honey needed for winter
• Evaluate hives—it’s better to have 1 strong hive than 2 weak hives going into winter
• READ—READ—READ

One of our favorite speakers, Kent Williams, from Wingo, KY was on hand for the evening discussing fall and winter management.

Announcements: 

Next meeting — October 6 — Pollinator Plants with David & Deanna Hughes from Rock Bridge Trees

Conference Scholarships were awarded to:  Linda Powers, Jessica Dodd, Randy Stockton, Margaret Cantrell, Scott & Laura Lindsey, Julia Harper, Mark & Joyce Seaver, Kenny Birdwell, and Jake & Timi Balentine.  Jim Carden won the TBA scholarship.

Kent Williams drew out names for  this evening’s door prizes:

• Paula Hagelberg won a bag of honey candy from Kelley’s
• Tony Mercante won the honey dipper
• Sheila Burton won a J-Hook Hive Tool
• Lanny Correll won the entrance reducer
• Wayne Storey received the Wounded Warrior license plate frame
• Charlie Wrenn won the Vitex
• And Paula Rogers donated a decorative soap that was won by David Sherburn

Meeting adjourned around 8:35 for refreshments and fellowship.

Respectfully submitted:  Petra Mitchell, Secretary/Treasurer—Wilson County Beekeepers Association, September 9, 2014

 .
wcba