The Buzz Newsletter

January 2008

 

 

Page 3

Greetings from the President of the IHPA

Dear Honey Producers,

I have been sitting here at my computer reflecting on the past year and trying to decide what to write for this article.  My thoughts have mainly been focused on weather happenings.  Right now we are experiencing icy weather, snow and  cold temperatures.  I am thinking about the cluster of honey bees in our hives and hoping the little darlings are nice and cozy having enough strength, warmth and food to keep them until spring.  As I reflect further I am reminded that people in southern Iowa are still experiencing no electricity in this winter weather.  There have been late frosts, flooding, tornadoes, draught and again way too much rain all this past year in our state.  I guess there is always the weather to talk about in Iowa.

Let's hope that our New Year, 2008, will be a better beekeeping year.  We are anticipating a new State Apiarist, getting the inspection and apiary registration programs running smoothly again, wonderful beekeeping weather, answers to the CCD/mite/disease problems and we would dearly love another fantastic year at the Iowa State Fair.  Is it all wishful thinking or can we achieve all of this?  We need all of your help getting these things done, so I hope you will include a new year's resolution that will have you volunteering for the Iowa Honey Producers to keep programs running smoothly. We always welcome any help or suggestions that you can offer.  Let one of the officers or directors know if you would be willing to help on any of the committees of the organization.

If you haven't renewed your membership, please do so.  Look at the back of your copy of THE BUZZ to see if you have renewed your membership or not.  If you forgot to do so, please send in the membership amount to our treasurer, Melanie Bower.  If you know of a neighbor, friend or relative that would benefit from membership in our organization, let them know that our dues are only $10.00 and we would love to have them counted in our membership.  To renew your magazine subscriptions, just let the magazines know that you are a member of the IHPA and give them the name of our treasurer, Melanie Bower.  You are responsible to send in the order form for the magazines.

Several of our members are attending the National Beekeeping Meeting in Sacramento.  Let's hope that the weather will cooperate for  travel to California and back.  Chelsa Bronnenberg is competing in the American Honey Queen contest and we certainly wish her luck.  Everyone that had her help them with a promotion had high praise for her.  We will anxiously await the results of the competition.  We will have several articles in the February issue about the meetings.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Gordon Powell for the years of help to the IHPA by serving as treasurer for 13 years.  We certainly have enjoyed working with him and hope to keep him active in our organization for lots of years to come.

As of this time no one has turned in any ideas for the design contest.  We would love to give some member the $75.00 prize money for the winning design to be used above the IHPA sales area at the  Iowa State Fair booth in the Ag Building.  The new tarp that was put up has an area approximately 16X33 to be used to tell people attending the fair that we are there and want to be visible.  Submit an idea and win some money.

Now is the time to mentally think and plan about our coming beekeeping year.  Repairing equipment, ordering supplies and deciding to increase colonies are all thoughts that cross our minds this time of year.  I always hope and plan for new and exciting products and look at changing some of the markets that I attend.  I really enjoy thinking about new vegetables and ways to increase our garden and fruit crops.  We can also be deciding whether the locations of our apiaries will stay the same or do we need to find alternative locations?  Location, location, location.  We want to find the best location for optimum honey production.  Do some research into your area.  Talk to some other beekeepers or friends about using alternative locations.  Maybe just dreaming will get us through the winter months.

If you are planning the meetings and topics for your local beekeeping clubs, maybe you would like to think about publicizing your events in the BUZZ.  Don't forget to ask others to speak to your groups, plan outings to bee yards, have the Iowa Honey Queen, Diane Jurchen, attend a meeting or event and plan to attend the events of the IHPA.  There are some very knowledgeable beekeepers in Iowa.  Utilize their expertise for your members.

I hope you take time to smell the flowers so to speak this coming year.   Make time to spend with your families and enjoy the time spent together.  We are living in such a fast-paced world that we sometimes don't take enough time to appreciate the things that we have until it is too late.  I guess that is my New Year's resolution for 2008, slowing down!  I might have to start saying no to extra activities so I have time to sit in one of our apiaries to just watch the honey bees, to enjoy the sunsets from our sun porch, to drink more honey lemonade and to smell the roses.

Sincerely,
   Donna Brahms, IHPA President