Greetings from the President of the IHPA
Dear Honey Producers,
What is this nice warm weather doing to our honey bees? I suggest
that the hives are checked often to see if the girls need some
food. This is wonderful weather for us, but it doesn’t provide
much nourishment for the honey bees. I have noticed that our honey
bees are making a beeline to the water in the back yard whenever
they fly. Keep a close eye on the weight of the hive and feed
them as needed. Let’s hope there is a good survival rate
when it really does warm up for good.
Phil outlined some of the projects that the IHPA
board is working on in an article last month. This is a very energetic
and active group of individuals. We are working on some new programs
specifically targeted toward new beekeepers. We have some great
ideas and plans in the works. We will keep you posted. If you
have suggestions for the board to work on, please contact a board
member or officer.
The new beekeeping classes are being well attended
and we need to thank the education committee for the work that
has been done to make sure that these classes are being held.
Thank you to the presenters for taking time out of your busy schedule
to make this happen.
The new hive registration program is being outlined
in another article in this issue. If you have any questions, please
contact Becky at IDALS (Iowa Dept. of Agriculture and Land Stewardship).
Make sure that you register your hives to protect you in the instance
that chemical spraying is done in your area. If you are not registered,
you are not going to get any help in the event that your bee yard
is sprayed and it causes damages. It is a simple thing to do to
ensure that every precaution will be taken to avoid a disaster
for you and the chemical applicator.
Chuck Eckermann in the pesticide bureau at IDALS
contacted me to say that the section 18 needed for API LIFE VAR
and Checkmite + has been applied for. The EPA has to approve this,
so now we wait.
Mike and I attended the International Meadfest
held in Boulder, CO over Valentine’s Day weekend. We attended
some workshops and got to taste some great Meads from all over
the world. Dr. Marion Ellis was also there and we were able to
speak to him. He entered some of his mead in the Home Mead Maker
Competition and is anxiously awaiting the judges comments. The
Home Mead Maker Competition was a new competition this year. Dr.
Ellis stated that there were 63 entries in the class he entered.
The membership is always down this time of year.
Some members don’t remember to renew their membership. If
you know of someone who hasn’t done so, remind them that
a lot of our future endeavors might reflect the number of beekeepers
in the state and if we can’t substantiate the numbers, we
don’t look like a viable organization. A new directory is
being worked on and if the beekeepers aren’t in the database,
they won’t be included in the directory. It is hard to get
an accurate directory without everyone’s help.
As you are planning your coming year, don’t
forget to block out some time to help at the Iowa State Fair.
The IHPA State Fair sales booth is the only money making project
of our organization so a lot rests on the shoulders of the membership
to help make the stand a success. The Iowa State Fair is August
10th through the 20th this year. Please consider helping.
Hope to see a lot of you on March 3rd and 4th
for the joint meeting to be held in Overland Park, Kansas. I hope
March comes in like a lamb, but also goes out like a lamb. I am
being spoiled by our nice “winter” weather.
Sincerely,
Donna Brahms, IHPA President
The Buzz Newsletter Submissions
Please send submissions, classified ads, and photos
to Alex W. Ebert by email to TheBuzz@ABuzzAboutBees.com
or by mail to The Buzz, c/o Phil Ebert, 14808 S. 102nd Ave. E.,
Lynnville, IA 50153.
The deadline for submissions to The Buzz is the 15th of
each month.
The Buzz is a monthly newsletter published by the Iowa Honey
Producers Association which is an affiliate of the Iowa State
Horticultural Society. IHPA Membership is only $10 annually.
To join IHPA and receive your complimentary member subscription
to The Buzz Newsletter, please contact:
Gordon Powell, IHPA Treasurer
4012 54th St.
Des Moines, IA 50310
Phone : (515) 278-1762