Wilson County Beekeepers

Meeting Minutes – Monday, 5 April 2021

Wilson County Beekeepers President, Carey Mitchell, called Monday, April 5, 2021 at the Ward Ag Center to order with 63 members and guests in attendance.  Minutes from the March meeting were approved as posted in the past newsletter.  The reported checkbook balance is $xxx.xx.

Old Business Discussed:

• Still working on the Swarm List…See Petra if you need to make any changes (additions/deletions). This is for paid WCBA members only.
• Bee Count…a full report was emailed to all members this past week. Of the 143 reported colonies, 143 survived—59% survival.  Petra has full details at her table for treatment usage.
• New catalogs are in…check the closet.

New Business Discussed:                                                             

• TBA Board Meeting (Zoom) is rescheduled for Thursday, April 8…Dale McCleskey will submit a report for the next newsletter
• Kent Williams Bee School is April 15-17 from 9-4. No cost to attend.  Lunch will be provided for a donation.  Contact Chuck Collins   270-519-4772 for more information.  Copy of the flier at the back table.
• Field Day—May 15 with the alternate date of May 22. Two yards—Lebanon with Jim Murff and Mt. Juliet with Sterling Earhart.  Address is in the membership book and a copy of the directions are on the back table.
• June Meeting—thanks to Covid-19, we will be cancelling the annual picnic, but Christy Luna from the ASCS office will be here to discuss with grants available to beekeepers. (Hopefully we can have the Christmas Dinner).
• At this point, we are going ahead with Fair plans. If you have items you would like to contribute to the raffle basket, see Petra.

Leonard’s Monthly To-Do

• For existing hives:

1. Check to see if queen
2. Rotate boxes if you run double brood boxes
3. Should have your 1^st mite treatment on if you do 3 or 4 a year
4. If you don’t have honey supers on, you’re missing honey

• For New Hives

1. Make sure you have all the equipment you need for your new hive
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What’s blooming (at our house after the freeze) that the bees are working:

 Apples—Bluebells—Blueberries—Box Elder—Cherry—Crabapple—Creeping Charlie—Dandelion—Elaeagnus (Goumi)—False Nettles—Flowering Quince—Flying Dragon Orange—Gooseberries—Grape Hyacinth—Greens (mustard/turnips/etc.)—Henbit—Japanese Maples—Peach—Pear—Pussy Willow—Redbud—Trident Maple—Holies are a week out from bloo

Program:  Clarence Collison had the most informative program on the Importance of Bee Nutrition

Carey awarded Judy Parrish with the 2020 New Beekeeper Scholarship Award, as she hadn’t been to a meeting since awards were given out in July.  Carey asked her to give Linda Sanders her award, as she has been unable to attend meetings with her husband being in rehab for several health issues.

Announcements: 

• April 15-17—Kent Williams Bee School
• May 3—Kent Williams…The Importance of a Good Queen
• Lucy Freeman…has pollen patties for sale…$5.00 each
• Dave Sells from Maple Bend Bee Supply…they have another shipment of 200 packages ready for delivery next weekend…cost is $140.00 for a three pound package with a marked Italian queen
• One more thing to ruin our year…The cicadas are coming!!!

Door Prizes:

1. Bee Brush—Tricia Davis
2. Hive Tool—Frank Fox
3. Field Evaluation Journal—Peggy Scholes
4. Honey Candy—Kyle Franz
5. Nuc Box from Rossman—Teresa Morrison
6. 2-Pollen Patties donated by Lucy Freeman—Donel King           
7. Hat & Veil Combo from Maple Bend Bees—Norbert Braunwalder

The meeting adjourned at 8:25 pm.

The Club’s current checkbook balance is $_______________

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Respectfully submitted:  Petra Mitchell, Secretary/Treasurer
Wilson County Beekeepers Association
April 6, 2021

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