Wilson County Beekeepers

Meeting Minutes – Monday, 2 February 2015

Carey Mitchell, President of Wilson County Beekeepers welcomed 117 members, guest and visitors (including several members from NABA) to the February 2, 2015 meeting at the Ward Ag Center.

Membership approved the January minutes as posted in the last newsletter. The current checkbook balance is $xxxxx.  Carey anticipates awarding several New Beekeeper scholarships this year.

Old Business Discussed:

• Dues are due…you won’t get a membership book unless your dues are paid (and you can’t attend the picnic or Christmas dinner)
• February 21 is the Refresher Workshop at 9:00 am. Let Petra know if you will be attending and be sure to bring your smokers. For those that didn’t attend the short course in October, there are other local clubs that are hosting short courses in February and March. Petra has the list or you can check it out on the TBA website (tnbeekeepers.org)
• February 21 at 1:00 pm—TBA Board Meeting
• Kelley’s Beekeeping will be delivering orders to the board meeting. If you wish to preorder and prepay, you can have it delivered without shipping charges. They do need to be notified that you want it delivered to the meeting.
• WCBA shirts are still available in limited supply for $10.00 each
• Fred Dawson reported he is working on the new shirts…simple design on the front in black with gold printing and gold with black printing. The cost is $10.00 for regular sizes and just a slight increase for larger sizes. More information will follow at the next meeting.

New Business Discussed:

• Karen Dawson will be coordinating Farm Day again this year. The dates are set for Wednesday, April 15 and Thursday, April 16. Volunteers are needed to help with this event, and anyone wanting to participate, please contact Karen. We will have a sign-up sheet at the next meeting
• Field Day has been set for May 23 with an alternate rain date of May 30. There will be three yards     Sterling Earhart—Mt. Juliet     Jim Murff—Lebanon     Andy & Julie Harper—Watertown
• Carey got a call from a Jonathan Cargill (xxx-xxx-xxxx…Georgia)   He has 5 frame deep nucs available for sale. They are primary Italian/secondary Russian. Cost is $125 delivered to Lebanon with dates of March 25, April 8, 15 & 29 proposed. WCBA is not endorsing this individual, but just want to put the information out there for anyone interested

Fred’s To-Do List:

• Honey Stores—next couple of months crucial…emergency feeding
• Order bee packages and/or nucs
• Open colony on a warm day when bees are flying
• Do you have your equipment ordered?
• Read-read-read

Jay Williams from Franklin had a wonderful presentation on when/why/and how to split or combine hives.

Announcements:

• Next meeting: March 2—Kent Williams will help us prepare colonies for Spring
• Vitex seed available in back
• Still have a 40 pound bucket of sugar available for $20.00

• Wilbanks Packages available:

Bobby Carter   931-526-7981 or 931-239-4000   $85.00 delivered to the fairgrounds.  Tentative delivery dates—April 2 and end of May—subject to weather.  350 packages available (This is a price reduction and added April date from what was reported at the meeting due to an email received the day after the meeting)

Bruce Wilson   931-445-3821 or 931-644-9871   $92.00 delivered to the fairgrounds.   Tentative delivery dates—April 2 and May 2—subject to weather

• 5-Frame Deep Nucs Available:

Jim Murff—519-2975  Pick-up in Lebanon

Leonard Walker—347-1062—available end of April

******************************************************************************

You need to place the order direct and remember quantities are limited. Order promptly!

******************************************************************************

Door prizes with Fred and Carey:

• We had a number of honey-related items brought in from Jay Williams, some more candy canes, 2015 calendars, caramels from Paula Rogers, a hive tool, and a t-shirt from Rossman Apiaries. The winners were:

Jeremy Blackwell, Casey Smith, Carlie Wrenn, Crystal Broach, Josh Counce, JD Vantrease, Andy Robinson, Allen Persinger, Leonard Walker, Joyce Smith, Tony Mercante, Doug Stearman, Les Reece, Josh Davis, Stephanie Barrow, Mark Goodrich, Evelyn Reece, Susan Norvell, Charlie Grogan, Scott Lindsey, Bill George, Preston Poteete, and Kara Carden

Meeting adjourned around 8:10 for refreshments and fellowship.

Respectfully submitted: Petra Mitchell, Secretary/Treasurer
Wilson County Beekeepers Association
January 4, 2015

.
wcba