Wilson County Beekeepers

Meeting Minutes – Monday, 3 February 2025

Wilson County Beekeepers Vice President Leonard Walker called the February 3, 2025 meeting to order with 75 members and guests in attendance.  Approval of the January 6 meeting was made.    Checkbook balance is $xxxx with the treasurer’s report at Petra’s table for viewing.

Old Business Discussed:

• Who was the first bee to go into space?  Buzz Aldrin
• Dues are due!!!!   New membership books are in.  If you registered and paid for the Short Course, your dues are good through 2025.  Stop by Petra’s table to pick up your new book. 
• New Hoodies and hats are in.  The Hats are $10.00 and the Hoodies are $20.00. There are a few that were ordered that hadn’t been spoken for.  Sizes and quantities are limited.
• A retired beekeeper is selling his extracting equipment (in side window).  We will be doing this as a blind auction.  Items included:  2-frame extractor, electric hot uncapping knife, two bucket screens, bee brush and frame grip.  If you are interested, put your highest bid on one of the cards along with your name and seal it

in an envelope.  Highest bid will take home at the end of the March meeting.  Do not have to be present to win.  Starting bid is $125.00.

• Mike Studer will be doing an Inspection Class March 17-18 from 6:00 pm to 10:00pm.  This is for anyone wanting to do hive inspections or inspectors that need a refresher.  There are a total of 25 seats available and you need to have a minimum of five years’ beekeeping experience and have gone through the Master Beekeepers class (or equivalent)

   New Business Discussed:

• Allen Ferguson has agreed to do the Refresher Course on Saturday, March 1 starting at 9:00 am with a finish up time around noon.

   Leonard’s Monthly To Do’s:

• On a warm day, open your hives to see if you have a laying worker.
• Check honey stores and cluster size
• You may want o combine weak hives using newspaper…remove the weak queen
• If you have less than 15 pounds of store, you may want to feed
• Brood rearing will increase in February
• Early increase in brood rearing will increase the risk of starvation during cold spells
• The bees will not leave brood to move to their stores during cold spells

What’s blooming at our house that the bees are working:

Several members reported pollen being brought in.

Book Report:  No book review

Program:  Dr. Clarence Collison had a fantastic presentation on the Importance of Drones

Announcements:

March 1—Refresher Course with Allen Ferguson
March 3—Jeff Crutchfield—Why Bees Swarm and How to Trap Them
March 17-18—Inspector Class with Mike Studer

The evening’s door prizes were handed out by Leonard with the help from Jennifer Ferguson

Door Prizes:

• Salt & Pepper Shakers—Allen Ferguson
• Hat and veil combo—Rhonda Stansberry
• Bee Brush—Philip Chapman
• Blue Sky t-shirt—Alissa Weeks
• $25 Gift Certificate from Lappe Bee Supply—Bruce LaVergne
• Entrance Reducer—John Kaul
• J-Hook Hive Tool—Donnie Gleaves
• Queen Marking Cage—Jennifer Ferguson
• Metal Bee Place (donated by Duane Ackley)—Sterling Earhart

The meeting adjourned around 8:08 for refreshments & fellowship.

The Club’s current checkbook balance is $___________.

Respectfully submitted:  Petra Mitchell, Secretary/Treasurer
Wilson County Beekeepers Association
February 5, 2025
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