The Buzz Newsletter

Page 3

Greetings from the President of the IHPA

Dear Honey Producers,

This year has flown by just like all of our honey bees have been flying because of the nice weather. They have been frantically looking for nectar, but finding none, we have been feeding them. The weather has been so unpredictable, nice one day, but fierce the next. We sure hope that Phil Ebert has been able to get his fall work completed with the unexpected tornado that touched down at his home.

Last month I told you about Mike’s adventure of forgetting to put the new queens into the nuc boxes, this time I have to tell you about my “mess”. I was putting a box of filled honey jars into my car during a downpour of rain, trying to balance the umbrella and an overflowing box of honey when I successfully opened the car door, set the box on the front seat and watched the gallon of honey on the top of the box topple over onto the floor on the driver’s side of my “new” car. I probably said something I shouldn’t have and walked around the car to pick up the honey. I was really soaked from the rain when I cleaned up the mess! The lid had broken when it hit the gear shift and honey streamed out of the container. So much for the new car. It ranked right up there with the deer trying to jump over it a few weeks ago. I have hoof scrapes down the drivers side. At least there wasn’t significant damage.

Last month I was so positive that we would have a State Apiarist by this time. I was actually excited and able to think that I would not have to field as many questions and find out answers for people that I didn’t even think about the possibility that not one of the 29 applicants for the job would be qualified. I talked with Maury Wills and found out that only one had any experience with honey bees and that person decided not to relocate. The other applicants just thought that the job would “be interesting”. IDALS is re-posting the position and let’s just hope and pray that someone applies for the job that is qualified this time.

The State Apiarist position, or should I say lack of a State Apiarist, has caused me some extra time and energy to identify people to fill the requests. I should explain that I get lots of requests for people to capture swarms, look at homes or buildings that contain honey bees and tell the home owners what to do about the bees taking up residence in their home, people want to purchase local honey or to put local honey into stores, people want to start beekeeping, etc. I have asked in the past for a list of members that would be willing to do these things. I have to look through the membership, decide who is closest to the caller and then find out if they would be willing to work with these people. We need members to identify themselves to the board so that we can successfully match up these requests. Please consider letting us know what it is that you would be willing to help us do to fill these requests. I know that Iowa isn’t as large as some states, but when we need someone to get to a swarm or help a person out, it is hard for me to identify who would be interested by looking at a list of people. I am sorry, but I don’t know everyone personally and I can’t identify everyone by a name all of the time. A name doesn’t tell me how long you have been a beekeeper, whether you have the time or desire to do these things or not. Please let a board member know if you would be willing to help out. Let’s talk about this at the annual meeting and get a list going. We don’t know if we will have a State Apiarist in the near future or not and that person is going to need a list to start with anyway. We have had such a renewed interest in beekeeping because of all of the publicity recently that we can’t afford to let these people down and not fulfill the requests unless it is absolutely necessary.

I hope everyone is able to attend the Annual Meeting in Marshalltown on November 16th and 17th at the Best Western Regency Inn. The registration form has been in the past issue and the meeting looks to be a great one. Let’s support OUR organization, the Iowa Honey Producers Association and have a wonderful turn-out.

The first year of Youth Scholarship winners will receive certificates if they have successfully completed the terms of their agreement at the banquet during the annual meeting and we have a new group of scholarship winners to identify. The youth program is the future of our great organization. Let’s support them in any way we can.

We will also award some recognition to some hard-working individuals and long-time members and also say good-bye to a very wonderful Iowa Honey Queen, Chelsa Bronnenberg. She will crown a young lady to carry on the tradition of having stellar representation in the honey queen program. Come to find out who will be receiving awards at the banquet.

I hope everyone has a truly THANKFUL Thanksgiving season with family and friends. Let’s start the holiday early by attending the Annual Meeting to show our appreciation for this organization and the officers and board members who work so hard for you.

Sincerely,

Donna Brahms, IHPA President