LAST MINUTES
LAST MONTH'S MINUTES
Minutes from September 8th, 2015
Our speaker at the last meeting, Jeanette Klopchin, introduced us to a new program, Pollinator Protection, under the Division of Agriculture and Environmental Services. Their goal is to develop a statewide document of best management practices for the agricultural industry and to contribute to a national strategy to protect pollinators from pesticides. If you want to find out more the website is www.floridabeeprotection.org. Jeanette related that Jamie Ellis is on sabbatical in Europe until March, but you can still have your questions answered at the Bee Lab at [email protected]. She also thought we might be interested in finding bloom information at www.flmnh.ufl.edu/wildflower.
Mike Rich posed a question – why was organic gardening called ”organic” as anything possessing carbon could be called “organic.” And wouldn’t “pesticide-free” gardening be more apt? I did a little research and found that organic gardening is based on returning organic matter, such as plant and animal residues and natural rock products, to the soil. Organic soil is one which contains 20% or more organic matter (humus). Through the recycling of organic materials the soil structure is improved, fertility increased, and valuable microorganisms encouraged. In general synthetically produced fertilizer and pesticides are called inorganic. Organic gardeners prefer to use fertilizers and pesticides that occur naturally.
Our next speaker is David Westervelt, Apiary Chief at the Dept. of Ag and Consumer Services. Ken Young mentioned that David has degrees in both horticulture and entomology. He suggests that you come prepared to have all you questions about bees and blooms answered.
See you in October! Nancy
Minutes from August 11, 2015
First Order of Business President Cecelia Young called the meeting to order, welcoming all and asking those present to introduce themselves.
Second Order of Business The minutes were sent by email to members. Nancy Brewer gave a brief recap of the last meeting’s program and treasurer’s report.
Third Order of Business Cecelia reported on finding a larger facility for meetings. The County Commission had nothing adequate for our needs at present. After meeting with them, Cecelia was contacted to serve on a committee overseeing the design and building of a new Ag multi-purpose building with a kitchen, large meeting room with projection technology, offices, restrooms, a covered extension outdoors, and accommodations for several hives on the grounds. The state grant funded building will not be finished until late in 2016. Ken Cox volunteered the Lulu Community Center as an alternative for a large meeting. Members will continue to look for a centrally located facility.
Fourth Order of Business Our speaker for the September 8 meeting will be Jeanette Klopchin, a Pollinator Protection Specialist from the Division of Agricultural Environmental Services.
Program Jerry and Wendy Latner, of Dadant’s were our speakers. Jerry, in addition to being a commercial beekeeper, is an executive at Dadant’s in High Springs. He discussed the diseases and pests impacting bees today and a brief history of their origins. He projected varroa mites, American foulbrood, and small hive beetles as the three biggest problems to beekeepers. His recommendations were to sample hives for infestations and disease, treating as needed with insecticides or antibiotics, but not during the honey flow. Natural remedies, beetle traps, and managing your hives pragmatically may lessen the development of problems.
Wendy raises and grafts queens commercially. Queen rearing is a seasonal operation and takes timing, effort, and specialized equipment. Larva is selected from hives with a good profile, transferred to special frames, incubated, and placed in 5 frame nuc or a mating nuc. After queens have mated they are places in a queen cage ready to be relocated to a queenless hive.
Members questioned the Latners on queen shutdown, laying workers, local honey flows, pollen collecting, quality, and substitutes.
Additional Business The club had a mini-raffle consisting of a be related magnet and a Dadant smoker (donated by Jerry). The winner was member Greg Elwood.
Adjournment The president adjourned the meeting.
Minutes submitted by Nancy Brewer, Secretary
Our speaker at the last meeting, Jeanette Klopchin, introduced us to a new program, Pollinator Protection, under the Division of Agriculture and Environmental Services. Their goal is to develop a statewide document of best management practices for the agricultural industry and to contribute to a national strategy to protect pollinators from pesticides. If you want to find out more the website is www.floridabeeprotection.org. Jeanette related that Jamie Ellis is on sabbatical in Europe until March, but you can still have your questions answered at the Bee Lab at [email protected]. She also thought we might be interested in finding bloom information at www.flmnh.ufl.edu/wildflower.
Mike Rich posed a question – why was organic gardening called ”organic” as anything possessing carbon could be called “organic.” And wouldn’t “pesticide-free” gardening be more apt? I did a little research and found that organic gardening is based on returning organic matter, such as plant and animal residues and natural rock products, to the soil. Organic soil is one which contains 20% or more organic matter (humus). Through the recycling of organic materials the soil structure is improved, fertility increased, and valuable microorganisms encouraged. In general synthetically produced fertilizer and pesticides are called inorganic. Organic gardeners prefer to use fertilizers and pesticides that occur naturally.
Our next speaker is David Westervelt, Apiary Chief at the Dept. of Ag and Consumer Services. Ken Young mentioned that David has degrees in both horticulture and entomology. He suggests that you come prepared to have all you questions about bees and blooms answered.
See you in October! Nancy
Minutes from August 11, 2015
First Order of Business President Cecelia Young called the meeting to order, welcoming all and asking those present to introduce themselves.
Second Order of Business The minutes were sent by email to members. Nancy Brewer gave a brief recap of the last meeting’s program and treasurer’s report.
Third Order of Business Cecelia reported on finding a larger facility for meetings. The County Commission had nothing adequate for our needs at present. After meeting with them, Cecelia was contacted to serve on a committee overseeing the design and building of a new Ag multi-purpose building with a kitchen, large meeting room with projection technology, offices, restrooms, a covered extension outdoors, and accommodations for several hives on the grounds. The state grant funded building will not be finished until late in 2016. Ken Cox volunteered the Lulu Community Center as an alternative for a large meeting. Members will continue to look for a centrally located facility.
Fourth Order of Business Our speaker for the September 8 meeting will be Jeanette Klopchin, a Pollinator Protection Specialist from the Division of Agricultural Environmental Services.
Program Jerry and Wendy Latner, of Dadant’s were our speakers. Jerry, in addition to being a commercial beekeeper, is an executive at Dadant’s in High Springs. He discussed the diseases and pests impacting bees today and a brief history of their origins. He projected varroa mites, American foulbrood, and small hive beetles as the three biggest problems to beekeepers. His recommendations were to sample hives for infestations and disease, treating as needed with insecticides or antibiotics, but not during the honey flow. Natural remedies, beetle traps, and managing your hives pragmatically may lessen the development of problems.
Wendy raises and grafts queens commercially. Queen rearing is a seasonal operation and takes timing, effort, and specialized equipment. Larva is selected from hives with a good profile, transferred to special frames, incubated, and placed in 5 frame nuc or a mating nuc. After queens have mated they are places in a queen cage ready to be relocated to a queenless hive.
Members questioned the Latners on queen shutdown, laying workers, local honey flows, pollen collecting, quality, and substitutes.
Additional Business The club had a mini-raffle consisting of a be related magnet and a Dadant smoker (donated by Jerry). The winner was member Greg Elwood.
Adjournment The president adjourned the meeting.
Minutes submitted by Nancy Brewer, Secretary