Wilson County Beekeepers

Meeting Minutes – Monday, 9 September 2019

President Carey Mitchell called the September 9, 2019 meeting of the Wilson County Beekeepers to order at the Ward Ag Center with 65 members and guests in attendance.  Carey welcomed all new members and visitors.  Minutes from the July 27 meeting were approved as posted in the past newsletter.  The reported checkbook balance is $xxxx.xx which included the $2,051 collected from the Fair for honey/wax/raffle basket sales.

Old Business Discussed:

• Congrats!!! to all of the Honey Show winners at the Fair. Thanks to everyone that entered, brought honey and bears, sat at the booth, did presentations, brought items for the raffle basket and donated frames.  It would not have worked without you.  There was a total of 423 volunteer hours with 45 volunteers.
• The winner of the raffle basket was Rachel Feazel…her ticket was picked from a total of 349.
• TBA Conference is October 11 & 12…we have first-time attendee scholarships available. If you are interested, fill out a registration form and turn it in along with your check to pay the full way (including meals and the extra day, if you are going).  You must be a TBA member.  AFTER the Conference, WCBA will reimburse you the $25.00 for the scholarship.  In past we have paid for Conference up front and folks wouldn’t show us and WCBA got stuck with the bill.
• Vendors at Conference: Kelley Bees, Rossman Apiaries, Dadant & Sons, Bon Aqua, Pigeon Mountain, Mann Lake, Rock Bridge Trees…to name the larger ones.  Great time to place your orders and pick up without shipping charges.
• Petra is collecting items for Conference…door prizes and Silent Auction items. If you have anything to donate, please bring to the next meeting.
• TBA Elections are this month. Ballots will come out in the newsletter, but Petra has copies at her table.  We have three members that would appreciate your vote…Carey Mitchell for Executive Vice President, Jessica Dodds for Regional Vice President, and Petra Mitchell for Treasurer.  We would also a vote for Howard Kerr for President…he will do a fine job for TBA.  Deadline is September 30.
• WCBA’s Short Course is scheduled for October 22-24. If you are planning on attending as a refresher, put your name on the list.  If you are new to the game, go ahead and put your name on the list and Petra will give you a registration form to complete.

New Business Discussed: 

• There was extra honey left over from the Fair this year. We did purchase two buckets locally to be sure we had enough, but with the mix-up in bear sizes, that made a bit of difference.  But we did have extra honey from the Tams hives.  Honey is selling for 50 cents an ounce…$6.00 for bears.  Also we have extra empty bears available for $6.00/dozen.
• TBA Board Meeting is Thursday, October 10 in Cookeville. Need to make sure we have delegates (Candice Thompson, Dale McCleskey, and Jim Murff) attending.
• We have our annual books to donate to the public libraries. This year’s choice is Following the Wild Bees by Tom Seeley.  Petra has delivered the Watertown copy and Karen Dawson volunteered to take the Lebanon copy and Peggy Scholes the Mt. Juliet copy.  We also have a copy for the club’s library.  Carey said he was deep into his copy and is finding it most interesting.

Jessica’s Monthly To Do’s (In Jessica’s absence, Carey gave the following):

• Check Stores—need to make sure they have stores for winter—60 pounds
• Check to make sure your colonies are queenright
• Evaluate your colonies…it’s better to have one strong hive than two weak hives
• Read and plan for Spring
• Feed—if they need it
• Treat for mites
• Make sure your bees have a water source
• Store equipment well to prevent wax moths and mold

What’s Blooming at our house:

• Magnolia
• Crepe Myrtle
• Vitex
• Bosque Elm
• Catnip
• Virginia Copper Leaf
• Iron Weed
• Partridge Pea
• Boneset
• Mints
• Smartweed
• Goldenrod
• Mexican Bamboo
• Milkweed
• Horseweed/Ragweed
• Asters

For our program this evening, Carey discussed Fall and Winter Management and varroa treatment.

Announcements:

• September 27—Early Conference registration ends (save $10)
• September 30—TBA election deadline
• October 7—Susan Welchance—Working with Wax
• October 10—TBA Board Meeting
• October 11 & 12—TBA Conference

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

• 4 Frames—Laurie Vinson
• Honey Candy—Jeff Crutchfield
• 2020 Calendar—Michael Siemens
• Kelley Mug (donated by Leonard Walker)— Daniel Kassell
• Smoker Fuel—Philip Chapman
• New Leash on Life t-shirt—Jessie Pratt
• Four Season Prints—Brian Leu
• Varroa Tester—Jim Gagnon
• Capping Scratcher—Sterling Earhart

The meeting adjourned around 8:30 pm for refreshments and fellowship.

 The Club’s current checkbook balance is _______________.

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Respectfully submitted:  Petra Mitchell, Secretary/Treasurer
Wilson County Beekeepers Association
September 10, 2019

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