Beekeeping Classes offered - beginners enroll by Jan 3, 2014!

Beekeeping classes offered through the UW Fond du Lac Extension Service:

Beginning Beekeeping Classes: (enroll by Jan 3, 2014)

Where: UW FOND DU LAC - Administration/Extension Building, room 205

When: 6:00 pm - 8:30 PM on January 8, February 19, and June 25

Subject: The beginner program covers "WHERE TO START and your hive's FIRST YEAR": getting equipment, getting bees.  We'll start with bee biology, hive management, and finish with honey extraction, marketing, and overwintering bees.  Many beekeeping resources will be offered. The classes are held early enough for beginners to order bees and prepare equipment for spring.

Intermediate Beekeeping Clinic: (enroll by March 25)

Where: UW FOND DU LAC - Administration/Extension building, room 205

When: March 29 from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Subject: "THE SECOND YEAR and BEYOND".  The intermediate program is for people with some beekeeping experience and will focus on keeping hives healthy through integrated pest management, swarm management, and applying current research.  At least one year of beekeeping is a mandatory pre-requisite for the course.  Many beekeepers come to this class to brush-up on current beekeeping practices and techniques.
   (This class will run over lunch time.  There are many lunching opportunities very close to the campus - we will provide a list and directions.  Or you may opt to pack a lunch and enjoy the beautiful campus and chat with fellow keepers.)

TO ENROLL: pre-register by mail or in-person.  Registration will be limited to 40 people for each program. Make checks payable to UW-Extension and mail to: UWEX Beekeeping Program, 400 University Dr., Fond du Lac, WI  54935. For more information contact the Fond du Lac Co. UW-Extension office at 920-929-3171.

Beginning Beekeeping  (textbook: Beekeeping for Dummies, 2nd edition)

Individual (tuition, textbook, materials)  $46

Individual (tuition, materials only) for those who own the textbook  $30

Couple (tuition, one textbook, materials)  $62

  

Students: middle school-college (tuition, textbook, materials)   $22

Students (tuition, materials only) for those who own textbook   $6

Intermediate Beekeeping

(A minimum of one year beekeeping is mandatory pre-requisite)    

Individual (tuition, materials)  $28

Couple (tuition, materials)  $38

Student (tuition, materials)  $6

What are your bees doing for Christmas?

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/home_and_garden/2013/12/15/winter-fraught-with-risks-for-honeybees-keepers.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/will-rogers/honeybees-home-and-the-holidays_b_4467461.html

Every beekeeper in this climate has their fingers crossed....

ECWBA Newsletter - December 2013

Greetings to the members of the ECWBA…

ECWBA in 2014
There has not been a meeting scheduled yet for 2014.  The target date for the first meeting is late January or early February.  Watch for a newsletter in early January just after the New Year for meeting information. Some changes were discussed and accepted for year 2014.  First, the schedule of meetings will be reduced from six meetings to four meetings per year.  Also, the membership dues will be reduced to $5.00. The ECWBA will not be sponsoring a beekeeping class in 2014 (as of yet).  If any experienced beekeepers are interested in setting up a class, the planning and scheduling would need to be started soon.  Please let us know if you are interested in facilitating a beekeeping class.
 
ECWBA Library
The ECWBA maintains a library from which members can check out beekeeping books.  Andy Krueger has been doing a great job as our association librarian.  If you have ECWBA books, please bring them back so we can keep those books circulating.  If you are exploring something new in beekeeping, the library probably has a book or DVD for you to check out.  This is a valuable resource – use it to your advantage!!!

Beekeeping Notes:
Start planning for 2014 – Winter is a good time to relax with a warm cup of hot chocolate and think about next year’s beekeeping.  If you have some experience, this could be the year to mentor a new beekeeper.  If you are new to beekeeping, search out those mentors.

On behalf of the East Central Wisconsin Beekeepers Association, I would like wish all of you, your families and friends, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

plant these flowers to "save the bees"

http://thehomesteadsurvival.com/grow-theses-plants-save-bees/

nice little image...

Unique packaging

Concept: Honey - The Dieline - - http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2013/11/28/concept-honey.html?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=thedieline&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews