Monday, June 2, 2014

ECWBA newsletter May 31

ECWBA Meeting Schedule 2014
• June 7, 2014.  Start time is 2:00 pm.  Location is at Denise Palkovich’s apiary.  See “field day” note below for meeting details.
• August 2, 2014.  Location is Ripon Public Library, Silver Creek Room.  Start time is 9:30 am.
• September, 2014.  Location will be Fond du Lac.  Date and time to be determined.

June Field Day
This year’s field day will be hosted by Denise Palkovich at her apiary on June 7, 2014.  We will get started at 2:00 pm.  Unless something comes up, there is not a formal meeting to take place, just a few announcements.  Denise will show us her beehives.  Then at about 3:00 pm, Craig Petros, the State Apiary Inspector, will arrive to demonstrate his process of inspecting beehives for the state.

Address and Driving directions:  Address is:  N7928 County Road WH, Fond du Lac.  To drive there:  On the east side of Fond du Lac, travel north on Highway 151.  There is a stop light at the intersection of Hwy. 151 and Hwy. WH.  Turn and travel east on WH from off of Hwy. 151.  Go up and around the corner staying on WH. Denise will try to post a sign out front.  (Denise has already posted a map on the ECWBA website - under the PLACES tab.)

FULL BEEKEEPING ATTIRE is REQUIRED if you're going to participate in the beekeeping.  It's not a bad idea to bring a chair for yourself as well.


Beeswax Wanted
Mary Rechek is looking for beeswax for some craft projects.  If you have extra beeswax, you can work out the details with Mary by e-mail at  rechek@epi.ophth.wisc.edu .

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:
• This is prime swarm season.  Give the honey bees plenty of room in the way of an extra brood chamber or added supers.  Splitting colonies also helps to prevent swarms.
• Summer has come along quickly this year.  And so, the nectar flow in on.  Be prepared with plenty of supers ready to go to capture the harvest.
• Also, start planning in advance about how you will handle the honey harvest this year.  Arrange for extracting equipment, comb honey handling equipment, storage containers (small jars up to 5 gal. pails), etc.


Best of Beekeeping,
Jeff Champeau

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