 |
Iowa Honey Producers Association |
The Buzz Newsletter May 2004 |
 |
|
Back-to-Basics Beekeepers Back-to-Basics Beekeepers is a beekeeping club that started 5 years ago around a kitchen table with a group of 4 area beekeepers desperate for some apis mellifera information—at little or no cost. The club is currently made up of about 30 people of all ages who come together once a month to talk about all things related to bees and beekeeping.
Education is a big part of our beekeeping club. An eclectic group in Southeast Iowa, we are members of the Iowa Honey Producers Association and strive to promote continuing education related to beekeeping and bee products. We encourage new beekeepers through mentoring, celebrate the beekeeping successes, problem solve and brainstorm the beekeeping puzzles and review the latest scientific (and otherwise) research. Guest speakers, promotional events and hands-on experiences make our meetings worth the time investment. Where else can you find a club that is this fun, useful, regionally located and functions without declared officers or dues? (We “pass the hat” for pocket change only rarely to cover postage or facility costs). Visit our website http://showcase.netins.net/web/backtobasics/
A Voice From the Past IHPA Past-president, Paul Goossen, who moved to
northern Wisconsin several years ago, recently wrote: Because of the bears and since it is cold in the North Woods I built a bee house. All the books say that an indoor wintering building must be dark or the bees will not stay in the hives. I did not feel that was necessarily correct. So I built my bee house with a triple poly material sold for greenhouses on the roof. This lets in a lot of light as well as solar heat. I made very sure that the bees could only exit to the outside. I have not had any problem. We had one day when they could fly since the south side of the building was warm even though the temperature was only 39. My bees were very gentle and since it seems that bees are more gentle in a building I worked them without any protection and sometimes without smoke. Do not send me any of your (Africanized) bees from Texas. I had Carniolans. I had six hives, but one queen failure in spring, one swarmed and one queen failure in fall, so I only took three into the winter. Our season is so short that any problem means that the hive is out of production for the season. I have three Russian queens ordered for spring splits. I made two more trips to Ukraine to teach in the Bible College. It was a wonderful experience. I taught in three different schools. If the Lord gives strength and funds I would like to go back in fall or winter. I also built a greenhouse and it is nice to see and work with growing plants when the outside is so white dead and cold. Sincerely, Paul"
|
|
|
 |