Wilson County Beekeepers

Meeting Minutes – Monday, 1 July 2019

Wilson County Beekeepers’ President Carey Mitchell called the July 1, 2019 meeting to order with 50 members and guests in attendance.  Minutes from the May and June picnic were approved as posted in the previous newsletters.  The reported checkbook balance is xxx.  Our current membership stands at 213.

Old Business Discussed:

• Carey thanked Sterling Earhart and Jim Murff for opening their yards for the May field day.
• Jessica Dodds recapped Farm Day and thanked all that helped, especially the Wilson Central FFA students.
• T-Shirt orders being taken and needs to be filled this week in order to get shirts by the end of July
• Carey mentioned we had a wonderful time at the picnic and because of the club’s generosity, we were able to give New Leash on Life a total of $467 in donations, with $36 generated by the ham raffle and $55 from the extractor raffle. Chuck Benson was the winner of both of these.
• It was reported at the picnic that one of our members, James Tams, passed away and left his beekeeping equipment to the association.  Because of his generosity, we have another extractor and extracting equipment for members to use.  Dale McCleskey has agreed to hold it at his home in Mt. Juliet and the rental cost is the same…$10.00 for rental with a $10.00 deposit which will be returned when the equipment is returned CLEAN.·
• There were some follow boards and drone frames from James for the taking, for those that can use them.

New Business Discussed:  

• The Fair Schedule was available.  Also have bears for donations and past scholarship winners were reminded that if they haven’t fulfilled their 2 gallon qualifications to keep that in mind.  Anyone that would be willing to do a 10-15 minute program at the fair (bee related topic), please sign up.
• We are seeking honey/bee related items for the raffle basket.
• Carey presented the W.T. Nolen New Beekeeper Scholarship award to Jake and Timmi Balentine and Lora Guess, along with a $250.00 check for each.

Jessica’s Monthly To Do’s:

• Bees should be capping honey.
• Honey flow will be ending soon.
• Make sure they have plenty of room.
• Remember no feeding or treatment while honey supers are on.
• Now is the time to prepare for entries for the fair. Wax, honey, pictures, etc.

What’s Blooming at our house:

• Elderberry (finishing up)
• Magnolia
• Crepe Myrtle
• Vitex
• Bottlebrush
• Basswood
• Milkweed
• Korean Bee-Bee Tree
• Clover
• Mimosa

(Getting Ready to Bloom)

• Seven Sons
• Devil’s Walking Stick

Our program this evening was presented by Jay Williams from Williams Honey Farm on Marketing and Packaging Honey.  He stressed that you need to make your honey look special.

Announcements:

Dave Gordon has frame display cases that WT Nolen left behind for use during the fair.

• July 29—Fair Review
• August 10—Fair Entries due—10:00 am to 3:00 pm—Veteran’s Building
• August 16-24—Wilson County Fair

Carey and Jessica handed out door prizes at the end of the meeting:

• Jay Williams provided the following:

T-Shirt—Joan Giltner
Honey Flask—Tinker Vinson
Honey Sticks—Ben Brown
Seed Bomb—Robin Majors

• We had several door prizes left over from James Tams equipment (jars/frames/boxes/paint/etc.) that were won by:  Becky Owen, Mark Goodrich, Traci Richcreek, Norbert Braunwalder, Leigh Ann Harmon, Mandy Edwards, Timmi Balentine, Dale McCleskey, Bubba Owen, Jake Balentine, Clara Vantrease, Kris Pollack, Brian Leu, Elizabeth Cantrell, and Diane Leu.

The meeting adjourned around 8:20 for refreshments and fellowship.

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Respectfully submitted:  Petra Mitchell, Secretary/Treasurer
Wilson County Beekeepers Association
July 3, 2019

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