BEELINES September, 2006

Regularly scheduled meetings are on the 2^nd Tuesday of each month. 7 p.m.
Meetings at 1305 Pine Avenue in Snohomish in the Christ the King Lutheran Church building.

Dates to Remember

Next Meeting: Tuesday September 10, 2006
At our September we will be having a thank-you party for all those who helped make the fair a success this year.  Jerry will be bringing a cake and punch so if anyone can bring cookies or pie that would be great!  We'll also talk about the upcoming State Convention and Regaional Meetings in October.

Evergreen State Fair

The educational booth planned by NWDBA won the 'Outstanding Educational Department' ribbon.  In addition Cindy won the coveted black and white ribbon for her Ag department!  Congratulations NWDBA and Cindy White!

There were a ton of volunteers that helped make it a success as the booth was manned by what seems like half the association members at one time or another.  It's impossible to name them all but special thanks go to those who helped with setup: Tim and Connie Bueler, Cindy White, Jim Ullman, Jerry Robnett, Stan Pallo, John Bryant.

Alan Pomeroy made a really nice drop box for those interested in beekeeping.  Also, Don and Janet Smith make a great handout featuring info on beekeeping associations and farmers markets.

The Beez Neez provided a lot of sample beekeeping equipment and Tim and Connie provided the bees used in the display.

The Honey Department was also very well attended this year with lots of entries to fill all the shelves.  As usual Jean, Theresa, and Rick were there at all hours keeping tabs on things and answering questions like "Where's the queen".   It seemed that traffic at both booths was helped by the other so beekeeping had a good year at the fair this year.  Thanks everyone!

Convention Registration
Please register for the State Convention to be held in Bellingham Oct 12-14.  You can register online at http://www.mtbakerbeekeepersassn.org/convention.htm
 

Below you can see Jerry talking up beekeeping.  I understand Jerry, John and others turned dare-devil later in the week and started sitting in the bee tent without their bee suits to draw a crowd.  The bees provided by Tim and Connie were very gentle bees and were a joy to work with during the fair.

Hopefully those who took other pictures can bring them to the meeting Tuesday!

September Beekeeping
You may re-queen your colonies now if you did not do so in the spring.  Unite weak colonies.  To winter successfully, each colony must have the equivalent of ten fully capped frames of honey in the second hive body plus honey arches in the lower hive body, and two or more deep brood combs of pollen.  If stores are insufficient, colonies should be fed a 2:1 sugar syrup mixture.  Use top feeders to prevent robbing.  Start feeding early in the month, because the bees will not store the syrup and cap the cells when the weather turns cool. Feed one gallon for each deep comb of needed stores.  The last gallon should contain Fumidil-B.  Feed pollen supplement as needed.  Extract honey now and give the wet combs back to the bees to lick clean.

October Beekeeping
Continue to feed bees if necessary.  Whether bees need food or not, give one gallon of two-to-one sugar/water syrup containing Fumidil-B.