Wilson County Beekeepers

Meeting Minutes – Monday, 4 April 2022

Wilson County Beekeepers Association President Carey Mitchell called the April 4, 2022 meeting to order at the Ward Ag Center.  Fifty-eight members and guests were in attendance.  Minutes of the March meeting were approved as posted in the last newsletter.  The reported checkbook balance is $xxxx.
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Old Business Discussed:

• Ultra-Bee Pollen Substitute has been purchased and available for $2.00 per 1-pound bag.
• The new library cart has been purchased. We couldn’t fit anything wider, so we had to go up.
• Swarm list is being updated and will be sent to Greg to post on the website…swarm season will be upon us soon. Please make any changes.
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New Business Discussed:                                                             

• May 7 will be our annual Field Day at Sterling’s Apiary. The alternate day will be May 21 (should it rain on the 7^th).  Please let Petra know if you plan on attending so we can get a rough headcount.  Directions are in your membership book, and Petra has a few copies at her table.  Be sure to bring your CLEAN protective clothing.
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Leonard’s Monthly To-Do

• Install packages and nucs this month
• You should have honey supers on by mid-month
• Check strong colonies; they could easily get crowded and swarm
• Check for swarm cells. Once a hive starts swarm cells, they WILL swarm.  You can cut them out and recheck every seven days.  But you will probably miss one.  You should just slip the hive, moving the old queen to another location.
• Remove entrance reducers from overwintered strong hives by mid month.
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What’s blooming (at our house) that the bees are working: (before the shows)

• Box Elder
• Crabapple
• Creeping Charlie
• Dandelion
• False Nettles
• Flowering Quince
• Henbit
• Maple
• Mustard
• Ornamental Cherries
• Peaches
• Pears
• Pussy Willow
• Redbud
• Spicebush
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New Book Review:  Carey reported on the new books The Modified Golden Hive and The Hopkins Method of Raising Queens
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Guest:  Tracy Finegan, the new TBA Upper Middle TN Regional Vice President was in attendance to report on her vision for the regional meeting and asked for volunteers to help her with the event.  She asked for one member to be the liaison between club and TBA, and Tim Lankford said he would accept the position through a text to Jamie Irons, as he was able to attend.  Several members signed up on lists for additional support.
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Program:  John Ratcliff discussed some of the tools and methods he uses when doing bee retrieval.
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Announcements:

• April 28, 29, and 30 — Kent Williams Bee School in Wingo, KY
• May 2—Lynda Rizzardi—Getting Ready for the Fair
• May 7—Field Day at Sterling’s
• May 21—Field Day alternate at Sterling’s
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Door Prizes:

Hat/Hive Combo—Ed Schwark
J-Hook hive tool—Jenny Galles
Beetle traps donated by Beth McClain—Tina Page
Hive Tool—Karen Dawson
Honey Candy—Robin Majors
10 pack Shallow foundation donated by Lanny Correll—John Stanford
Appetizer bowl w/spoon donated by Susan Crawford—Kenny Birdwell
Mann Lake Hat—Jerry Wilson
Recipe Booklet—Jennifer Ferguson
Swarm trap (dated by the Mitchells)—Rhonda Stanford
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The meeting adjourned at 8:20 pm for refreshments.

The Club’s current checkbook balance is $_______________

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Respectfully submitted:  Petra Mitchell, Secretary/Treasurer
Wilson County Beekeepers Association
April 5, 2022

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