Wilson County Beekeepers

Meeting Minutes – Monday, 13 September 2021

Carey Mitchell, Wilson County Beekeepers called the September 13, 2021 meeting to order at the Ward Ag Center with forty-seven members and guests in attendance.  Minutes from the July 26^th meeting were approved as posted in the last newsletter.  The reported checkbook balance is $______ with membership count standing at 183.
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Old Business Discussed:

• A huge THANK YOU to everyone that helped with this year’s Honey Show at the Wilson County-Tennessee State Fair…if you donated honey, wax or items for the raffle basket, exhibited items in the honey Show, volunteered your time either sitting at the booth or bringing items for display, or working up observation hives…THANK YOU! Without you, it would have not been the success it was.  The Fair itself had 93,983 less in attendance than 2019, but overall 480,627 attended.  Not bad for rain all but one day and in the midst of a pandemic.  (Winners lists and stats were circulated.  Petra shared Honey Show results:

16 entrants with 59 entries,

353 volunteer hours from 41 volunteers

409 Raffle tickets sold with the winner, Paul Rini from Knoxville

Our expenses were $1,398 and we sold $1,784—still have 54 bears on hand–$4.00 each

• TBA Conference has been postponed until March 4 & 5, 2022. If you registered you can either roll over your registration fee to the new date or request a refund.
• This year’s Short Course is scheduled for November 2-4 with a start time of 6:30 until around 9:00 pm
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New Business Discussed:                                                             

• TBA Board Meeting was recapped by Philip Chapman
• The queen cell in our observation hive at the Fair has hatched and ‘Wilson’ is laying beautifully
• The WCBA updated by-laws will be emailed out before the next meeting and also be included in the newsletter for membership review. Vote on the document will be in November.
• Fred & Karen Dawson donated the photo op to WCBA to be used at the Fair and for anyone that wants to use for presentations.
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Leonard’s Monthly To-Do

• Continue to check and treat for mites
• Arrange supers and frames for winter honey stores
• Remove all empty supers and equipment
• Replace hive parts that need repairing or painting
• Combine weak hives. Remember what Clarence said…if you combine a weak hive with a weak hive, you will still have a weak hive
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What’s blooming (at our house) that the bees are working:

• Asters
• Beefsteak plant
• Bosc Elm
• Goldenrod
• Horseweed
• Ironweed
• Ivy
• Magnolia
• Mexican Bamboo
• Partridge Pea
• Ragweed
• Smartweed
• Virginia Copperleaf
• Vitex
• Yellow Wingstem

Guest:  David Hale from Memphis was present to introduce himself and ask for your vote for the TBA President position
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Program:  Tinker Vinson moderated our open forum on “What have you learned” with plenty of participation.
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Announcements: 

• Petra has craft books on the back table for sale…cleaning out…$1.00 per book
• October 4—Kamon Reynolds will be doing a program on Varroa Treatments

Door Prizes:

Vitex bushes—Darren Wooten, Derek Hunley
2022 Wounded Warrior Calendar—Rodney Arthur
Smoker—Chris Herron
Hive Tool—Steve Davis
Mouse guard—Philip Chapman
WCBA Shirt—David Thompson

The meeting adjourned at 8:55 pm.

The Club’s current checkbook balance is $_______________

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Respectfully submitted:  Petra Mitchell, Secretary/Treasurer
Wilson County Beekeepers Association
September 15, 2021

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