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Iowa Honey Producers Association |
The Buzz Newsletter October 2009 |
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(continued from Page 4) The next week between county and state fair, I had some test done and they had decided to do surgery on my right shoulder. I got hurt in a Varsity Volleyball tournament. I have been going to physical therapy throughout the year, but the Doctors have decided we need to take the next step. I almost forgot with all 4-H and Bee activities, I celebrated my 18th birthday! Of course we BBQ and I got lots of cool gifts!! My next trip for the summer was the Iowa State Fair! Mom and I had been making plans all summer, since I was going to stay the full 10 days. We loaded up the truck with everything I would need! Ha! Mom and I stayed at the Youth Inn. My Family and I have stayed at the Youth Inn ever since We went to our first State Fair over 20 years ago. My Mom tells the story when I went the summer I turned two. There is over 150 bunks beds, so lots of room for sleeping. I woke up that first morning and I told my Mom, "I didn't know God made so many girls." I guess growing up with older brothers, I had never seen so many girls in one place! Ha! The weather was really nice. Some days were maybe to wet, but it is really easy to find an indoor activity, wait a little bit and it would stop and the sun was out that is the privilege of living in good old Iowa!! Through out the 10 days I got to help out with many projects. I helped Mrs. Johnson roll candles at our table to help and promote the Honey Queen!! I helped in the booth selling products. I also was able to answer questions and tell about the bees at out booth. I want to thank everyone who stopped by the booth of watched my presentations. I got back home and am discovering I missed quite a few people who stopped by the booth when i wasn't there. I had the pleasure of helping to judge food made with honey. The food was excellent and I learned some interesting things I never knew about baking and preparing foods made with honey. I gave my presentation on making candles using beeswax I talked to a couple of families that definitely want to make beeswax candles this minter. I have hinted that I would like some new molds for Christmas.
We also gave a presentation on making food using honey. I made my Peanut Butter Balls. They are a great party or after school treat. I discovered at State Fair, they are really good when they have been chilled for a couple hours! I did a presentation about hives and bees. they asked a lot of interesting questions. one of the most frequently asked questions was about "CCD." I had some experiences that had nothing to do with the bees. several times I helped Kristi Ruth do her Farm Safety Program down at the Learning Center. She caught her arm in a PTO of a post hole digger 3 years ago. Now, She goes all over the Country promoting Farm Safety and also goes to Washington D.C. to meet with people who can help her fund the project in Iowa. I posed with a young bride from Canada, on Saturday who had gotten married at the Des Moines Zoo on Friday night. Her husband is a vet with a Specialty in Cardiology at the Zoo. When I was at the Learning Center there were 8 siblings and their spouses were all back to Iowa for the Iowa State Fair! They were all having a good time at the Fair!! We did a couple of Radio interviews for WHO. My neighbors left a message on our phone saying that they had heard me on the radio!! that was awesome!! We gave the announcers some Creamed Honey and other Honey products. They really enjoyed the honey and pretzels. We participated in the Grape Stomping at Grandfathers Barn, which is now promoting Iowa winners. It was so much fun! I did were my crown, and Iowa Honey Producers shirt and my volleyball shorts. They dumped a five gallon bucket of grapes into a half barrel. then for two minutes, I stomped grapes. I had a helper, that kept the straw open. Then, we had two more minutes to tip the barrel so the juice would come out the straw hole. It was so much fun! I was third out of three but I would do it again in a minute! Reed, from the Des Moines paper, came to my home in July for an interview, We went to our bee yard and I showed him our honey house and my hives. A Photographer came to the state fair for more photos. It came out in the Des Moines paper on Saturday, August 15th. I enjoyed the interview, but i felt bad when his fiancée Megan, got stung on the lip. In fact they will be getting married Labor Day weekend!! I was in Danbury's Corn days parade on Saturday, August 29, I passed out more Honey candy. I rode the 4-wheeler then went back thru again on my brothers John Deere A!!! The month of September is uncertain. First Mom and I have to kill 300 Broilers and I need to work on my 4-H record books. I will be having my surgery on September 8th. Depending on the out come, will determined my schedule. I hope to get to the Clay County Fair in Spencer to help the Northwest Iowa Beekeepers out in there booth!! Also school kids will be coming to the farm and last but not least it is time to harvest the Honey!! Happy Fall to All!!
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