 |
Iowa Honey Producers Association |
The Buzz Newsletter September 2005 |
 |
|
Greetings from the President of the IHPA Dear Honey Producers, Hot, humid and dry are all ways to describe Iowa this time of year. I write this article a month in advance and as you noticed last month, I anticipated you would receive the BUZZ following the state fair. I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the mail on a trip back home from fair preparations, to find the BUZZ. Maybe we will get the timing down yet. There are a lot of factors to deal with. Anyway, back to the weather. Maybe I will be wrong on the type of weather for September. Many beekeepers have reported that the honey crop was good. I hope a lot of you did report your numbers as Phil suggested. I also mentioned last month that Bob Cox was speaking in Missouri at their Fall meeting. Right after I wrote that article, we had a board meeting and learned from Steve that he had talked to Bob and he is also on our agenda in November. If you haven’t set aside the days for the Annual Meeting, November 18th and 19th, please do so now. A lot of preparation goes into the meeting and it is great to see so many beekeepers together. Lots of information is passed around and great knowledge is available to all. Thanks to all who worked at the Iowa State Fair in the IHPA sales booth. The IHPA couldn’t do this project without the help of so many volunteers. Our entire budget hinges on the success of the State Fair and we depend on you to help bring this about. Thanks again. I would like to remind you to check your hives as soon as you get the honey off for mite loads. If it is determined that you have an excess amount of mites, please treat your hives with one of the available treatments. If you aren’t sure what to use, please contact a board member or the inspectors for help. The colonies depend on your help to make it through the winter. A strong colony is the best bet to winter survival. Fall also brings the opportunity to speak to school classes and other organizations about honey and beekeeping. Remember that September is National Honey Month. Please do your part to bring the information to the public about the wonderful qualities of local honey. This should be a concerted effort with the entire membership. Honey and honey bees are more in the news and the almond industry did a fine job of making the public aware of the problems in the honey industry. Remember to let people know that if pollination stops, our food disappears. Materials are available from the National Honey Board, nhb.org. Take advantage of the Iowa Honey Queen when you have an activity in your community. Teresa is a wonderful asset to the IHPA, take advantage of that fact. She is very willing to help you promote your products and to speak to groups. Enjoy the “cooler” weather. Fall
signals the downhill slide of the year. It always goes so fast.
Make sure that you do the proper fall management to ensure your
colonies will be strong in the spring. Autumn and all its beautiful
coloring makes me stop to actually look around this great state
and see the splendor of the landscape. 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 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:
|
|
|
 |