(1) Meeting Notes,
(2) Can we publish your contact information?
(3) Do you
want a swarm?
(4) Do you want to help a swarm catcher and learn about
catching swarms?
(5) Can you help build the club's display at the County
Fair?
(6) Do you have Honey, Pollen or any other hive products, or products
derived from hive products to sell at the Fair?
(7) Can you help at the
information booth at the County Fair?
Meeting Notes:
This
month's meeting was held at the Alameda County Fairgrounds, about 20 in
attendance, including two newbees and a few very helpful kids. The display will
be housed in the Agriculture Building instead of the Garden Building as in the
past several years. This means (a) less noise, and (b) air conditioning.
Hooray!
We discussed the display/booth layout at length. Naturally, no final decisions were made, but several options are being discussed, including (a) replacing the information booth with a steel framed booth from Joe Gutierrez, (b) replacing the bee cage with something significantly smaller and easier to store, (c) building a race track by one of several means, etc.
As usual, we will not actually make a decision about what to do. Instead, members will execute on what motivates them personally, and the result will be a winning synthesis. All this means is that we need your ideas and participation.
Can we publish your contact
information?
Beekeeping is more fun when you share. Many new members
have offered to help with your beekeeping in exchange for the things they will
learn, they just need to be able to contact you. Until now, we have not made
our roster broadly available, but we would like to be able to send it to the
membership via email. If you would like to be removed from the printed version
of the roster, please email president at alamedabee dot org with "no publish" in the subject
line.
Do you want a swarm?
Denise Qualls is our swarm
coordinator. Email her at d dot qualls at comcast dot net with your name and phone number
if you are are a competent swarm catcher. She will refer only common outdoor
swarms at step ladder height unless you tell her that you have special skills
and equipment such as: swarms in walls, swarms in rooftops, swarms in tall
trees, etc.
Do you want to help a swarm catcher and learn about
catching swarms?
This is a new category. If you want to learn to catch
swarms, we will try to pair you with a swarm catcher who lives near you. Most
swarms are caught after work in the summer, and taken home just after dark, so
this should not interfere with work. Register with Denise Qualls as above, and
indicate you're a swarm helper.
Can you help build the club's display
at the County Fair?
Tuesday 6/10 and Wednesday 6/18 - 7:30 to whenever
Thursday 6/12 - no work
Friday 6/13 - 6:30pm - 9:30pm (okay maybe 10pm)
Pizza at about 7pm, maybe some beer.
Construction - bring screw guns, hammers, etc. Review printed materials for
duplication.
Saturday 6/14 - 11am until late afternoon, maybe early
evening. Margaritas and Pizza at
1:30pm
Construction - decorating begins
Sunday
6/15 - Father's Day - 11am until mid-afternoon
Painting and decorating only. More Pizza? Maybe
a trip to In&Out?
Monday 6/16 - 7pm - 9:30pm - Kentucky Fried
Chicken?
Animation &
Multi-media
Tuesday 6/17 - 7pm -9:30pm - Chinese
Food?
More Animation - anybody worried
yet?
Wednesday 6/18 - 6:30pm - 10pm - Pizza and
Beer
Final Night - everything has to be perfect -
might as well drink beer.
If you will be joining us on Friday or
Saturday, please give us a head's up so we can get a pizza count.
We please bring ideas and a good spirit. I'll bring Margaritas
on Saturday - that's the kind of spirit I'll be in! Pizza provided on some
evenings and both weekend days.
Do you have Honey, Pollen or any other
hive products, or products derived from hive products to sell at the
Fair?
We sent-in the paperwork to the Health Dept today for our license
to vend. This means that all club members are eligable to sell hive products
and hive derived products. Best of all, you get to keep all the money you
earn. Please email Sara Willis at Treasurer@alamedabee.org and let her know
your intended schedule. We'll pool our talents and sell one-another's
stuff.
Can you help at the information booth at the County
Fair?
Speaking of honey sales, we need people to talk to people. Even if
you don't have honey or other hive products to sell at the fair, you can help us
greatly by being there to talk to our visitors, sample honey, and answer
questions. Please email Sara Willis as noted above.
A few parting comments: If you come to help during the fair, please sign-in at the booth in the back of the Ag Building, we are judged on member participation. Also, this year, we would prefer that there be no eating of meals in the booth area.
The regular meeting is NOT at the Rotary Nature Center, but out at the fairgrounds.
Fair Web Site:
http://www.alamedacountyfair.com/2008fair/home/index.php
Directions:
http://www.alamedacountyfair.com/2008fair/General_Info/index.php?row=8
Justin has a question. Anyone who has advice for him, please leave it as a comment on this blog. If you are registered and sign in, you will see "post a comment." If you don't want to sign in, send a private message or email secretary at alamedabee dot org.
Meeting is Tuesday, June 10, 7:30 PM at Alameda County Fairgrounds. For help with swarms, email denise at pollinationconnection dot org.
Here's Justin's question:
I'm a new beekeeper. I have one deep super I started in April. I
hadn't checked on them in a couple of weeks, and they have outgrown
their space. I've added a couple of new hive bodies, but before I did,
they started building comb on the bottom of the hive. What I think I
should do (not really knowing any better) is to scrape that off and
clean it up. They should go back to building in the new space I've now
provided, right? Sounds good in theory. Anybody have any reason why I
shouldn't do that?
Appreciate your suggestions.
Alameda County Beekeepers Assoc member Jane McDermott asks,
Hi gang --My neighbor called to tell me that about 30-50 bees were in her house. I went over and sure enough, huddled on a window sill and the floor beneath it were a cluster of nearly dead bees. I swept them up and we checked out around her house -- which is brand new -- and saw that there was activity in and out of a heating vent. We figured that's probably how they got into the house. I suggested she apply a coating of almond extract around the vent and see if that discourages them.
My question is why. I don't have this problem at my house with my bees and there are any number of very easy ways to get into my house.
Anyone have any ideas about this?
On Saturday, June 14, come celebrate the release of the new book, Rogue Beekeepers of Kensington: Hillside, Orchard, Garden, Hive, by Judith Adamson. The event is free and includes a honey tasting and free samples of products made from beeswax.
The book release party is at 2 p.m. at the Kensington Library, 61 Arlington Ave., Kensington (near Berkeley and El Cerrito).
For more information, call the Kensington Library at (510) 524-3043 or visit http://ccclib.org.
P.S. for swarm removal, call Denise at (510) 885- 1014 or email denise at pollinationconnection dot com.
We can refer you to beekeepers and professional swarm removers who will -- if at all possible -- relocate swarms of bees.
Call our swarm coordinator, Denise Qualls. She knows all the beekeepers, who's available, and who is best suited to handle your situation.
Call Denise at 510-885-1014 or email her at denise at pollinationconnection dot com.
Don't forget, the regularly scheduled meeting of the Alameda County Beekeepers' Association is Tuesday, May 13. That's the second Tuesday of the month. We will be at the Rotary Nature Center at Lake Merritt again. Meeting starts at 7:30, runs until 9 PM or so.
But don't forget, next month, June, the meeting will be at the Alameda County Fairgrounds.
Thanks to Derek of Urban Beekeeping for this link to a roundup of information about bees and apiculture from the New York Times.
Field Trip to Randy Oliver's Apiary and Scientific Beekeeping - sign-up
REQUIRED
Sunday, April 27, 2008 - all day - 8am to 8pm - details below.
$85 per Nuc (no purchase required).
This is a great trip - one of the highlights of the beekeeping year! I hope you had an opportunity to attend the class given by Randy Oliver late last month. If not, this is a second opportunity to learn from California's most energetic beekeeper, writer and researcher.
This is a field trip to Randy's home, his business, research facility and bee yards. You will see a great range of beekeeping activities. Randy works his colonies so efficiently that you will be inspired to open your hives as often as you like. While we're all working the hives, take the opportunity to build your own nuclear colony - pick your queen and fill-up the box with as many bees as you can fit. Nuclear colonies include a laying queen, three frames of brood, and two frames of food. Read the "beginners" pages at http://www.scientificbeekeeping.com to learn what to bring (box and bedsheet and $85/nuc).
Like the workshop, the field trip requires protective gear.
You're welcome to drive your own vehicle, but the rest of us will be carpooling. This year, for the first time, we will have a group leaving from downtown Berkeley as well as Sara's house near the Mormon Temple. Six seats are available in each van, and we'll add vans as needed until everyone has a seat. All bees will be transported in "the big van" but we'll make stops both in Berkeley and Oakland on the way back. It's 150 miles each way - about four hours total travel time.
Sign-up is required for this one so we can get an accurate seat count. We'll finalize travel/convoy arrangements after the sign-ups are done. If you have a large people mover and would be able to drive a carpool, please let me know.
We will be making a stop in Colfax at the Sierra Market to purchase picnic items, or bring your own from home.
Notes:
(1) You DO NOT have to be purchasing bees to attend
and enjoy this field trip.
(2) You DO NOT have to be present to purchase
bees, but you must make arrangements in advance.
(3) Sign-ups are required by
EMAIL to president at alamedabee dot org and state your preference for Oakland or
Berkeley.
Hands-on Beekeeping Workshop
Saturday, April 26, 2008 - 10am to 1pm -
Chevy's Furniture Upholstery - 1883 W Winton Ave, Hayward, CA
Like it says, this is a hands-on workshop. Use Yahoo Maps for directions.
We need two kinds of people: (1) we need newbees and beekeepers who want to learn more, and (2) we need experienced beekeepers who can supervise small groups as we go through Jose's colonies.
If you have extra protective equipment - veils or whole suits, bring them along to share.
If you don't have protective gear, please wear tightly woven fabrics in light colors. Nylon windbreakers can be used, but Tyvek coveralls are one of the best. You may also want to try non-woven polypropylene coveralls available for $4 to $7 at paint and hardware stores. Gloves should be leather. Use rubber bands to close ankles and wrists. Insect head coverings available at camping outlets may be suitable for head and face protection. DO NOT USE SCENTED TOILETRIES when beekeeping - they can attract the bees.
If anyone has any un-built woodenware, it might be nice to do a demonstration of component assembly. Bring hive bodies, frames, tops, bottoms, etc. That will be a good starting place.
If you've found some beekeeping tool or technique that you like,
please bring that to share also.
