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From the Director's Chair, Area 3, July 2008 |
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Written by Dick Counts
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Tuesday, 01 July 2008 00:00 |
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One of the nice things about having to write a report this late in the year is that you have had a lot happen. Now the problem is trying to remember it all. To begin with, Mr. Stanford Brantley and I went to Sacramento to attend the first joint meeting of the two national beekeeping organizations. Expected attendance was around 800, but over 1200 was the last count that I heard. Of course numbers mean something, but more important was all of the information that was presented. I also have to mention the over 30 vendors that presented anything you could want in beekeeping. For those of us who are picky, I know my numbers aren’t correct and this is old news.
More recently, beekeeping in East Texas is for, well, I don’t really know who would thrive here. We have had too much rain/too little rain—too cold/too hot. Of course, we are a hard lot to please. One of the good things is that we have been able to increase the price of local honey, if nothing more than because of the price of fuel. And of course, the supply of pure local honey is in short supply. And how about the bees? More swarming, bees in trees and buildings than I can ever remember. Some hives built up great, to some it didn’t matter how much you fed.
Now for the too late GOOD NEWS. If you missed the TBA Summer Clinic, you really missed a good one—lots and lots of good useful information. It was hosted by Randy & Arlene Johnson, owner of Johnson Honey Company of Paris. You missed seeing a well run outfit. Co–hosting this year was Ray Latner, Manager of Dadant & Sons Beekeeping Supply, also in Paris. My hats off to Eddie Priest and Jimmie Oakley for a job well done. Also thanks to Dadant for being open on Saturday.
For you guys who pollinate, I believe the blueberry growers are about to realize the benefit of honey bee pollination. If interested for next year, give me a call. |
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From the Desk of the Vice President, July 2008 |
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Written by Todd Youngblood
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Tuesday, 01 July 2008 00:00 |
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Dear Friends,
As I sit down to write this article, the weather has turned hot and dry—typical South Texas summer–time weather. Although we have experienced below average rainfall for 2008, we were still able to make a nice honey crop on the hives that survived the CCD phenomenon. We have been hit pretty hard with this problem that has been affecting a large portion of the beekeeping community. I have been visiting with a lot of beekeepers and the ones who are using supplemental pollen patties seem to be fairing much better than those who are not using anything. We have also switched from using corn syrup to using sugar syrup.
Over the last couple of months, I have also been working on the TBA convention program. We will be hearing a lot about nutrition for honey bees. I have also been in contact with Nancy Gentry, the lady in Florida that has been instrumental in getting the Florida Department of Agriculture to set a standard of identity for honey in Florida. It is their belief that if they can get enough states to set a standard that the FDA will ultimately be forced to accept one. She has agreed to come visit with the membership here in Texas at our November convention, if we can put all the pieces together. We will need to have someone stand up and take the ball after she has filled us in on all the details. So I hope to have a good line–up for the convention. Be sure to make plans to attend.
Another project we have been involved in over the last month or so has been the idea of moving the USDA Honey Bee Lab at Weslaco to College Station. I know what you are thinking, but I was told that the only thing that TAMU and the USDA Lab would have in common is that they would be located in the same city. I have visited with Frank Eischen about the idea and will be in touch with the other players in the coming days. We will probably have made a decision by the time you read this article, so we will fill you in at the convention or in the next TBA Journal.
As for the TAMU Lab, we continue to progress slowly. As Chad Wootton mentioned in the last Journal, we have picked up an additional $100,000 recently. This should put us in the 500,000– 600,000 dollar range. I have visited with Chad and he is working with a new architect and said he would be back in touch with me. I am planning to be in College Station in late July to help spur them along. It has been a challenge to say the least, but I continue to be cautiously optimistic of getting something going before year’s end. As I mentioned, we are close to the dollar range that they originally set for us, but I am also aware that inflation has to be figured into the equation. With that said, we continue to look for additional contributions. Keep this important project in mind when you are in a philanthropic mood.
Thank you,
Todd Youngblood |
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July / August 2008 Honey Queen Report |
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Written by Rachael Seida
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Tuesday, 01 July 2008 00:00 |
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Hey, Ya’ll,
This has been a very busy time for me. In fact as you read this I could be in any one of the following states: West Virginia, Ohio, Washington, Indiana, or Kansas. And I am very much looking forward to telling ya’ll about the events in these states. Now for what I have been up to since my last article.
The first week of June found me at the Texas Beekeepers Association Summer Clinic. This was a great event with over 120 people attending. It was good to see so many of you. The various workshops were also a huge hit. Some of the presenters included, John Talbert, Jimmy Oakley, Blake Shook, Ray Latner, and our host Randy Johnson of Johnson Honey & Bee Co.
The middle of June found me doing a radio interview on Heath and Honey with John Talbert at a local radio station in Allen, TX, and aired in July. This was a wonderful promotion and the DJ was so fascinated by the topic, she scheduled another interview for the fall.
Perhaps my most memorable event yet: on June 24th I did a school event with 3’s, 4’s, and 5 year olds in a summer class for the gifted and talented in Royse City, TX. This was an unusual and interesting bee talk as all the children were already very knowledgeable about the honeybee and brought up the fact that they already knew what a proboscis was before I could even sit down.
I would love to come to an event in your area. I am available for interviews, personal appearances, and beekeeping presentations. To arrange a visit from me or American Honey Princess Rachel Bryson, please contact Anna Kettlewell via email at
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. To set up an event here in Texas, please contact Shirley Acevedo via email at
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~Queen Rachael~ |
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Honey Queen Committee Chair Report, May / June 2008 |
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Written by Administrator
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Thursday, 01 May 2008 00:00 |
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Rachael Seida has completed half of her one-year reign as our Texas Honey Queen! She has talked to beekeepers and non-beekeepers in Plano, McKinney, Allen, Tyler, Austin, Ft Worth, San Antonio, Spring, Houston, Round Rock, Farmers Branch, Burleson, and Pasadena. She wants to add your city and your beekeeping club to the list of those she has visited!
June, July, and August are good months on her summer calendar for her to come to your area, at least to attend your general group meeting. On the day of your gathering or on the day following, Rachael could give a bee talk to a day care for older children or to the children's summer reading program at your local library or to a garden club or to a seniors group, for example. Call me or send me an email and I will take care of the details for you to have our Texas Honey Queen in your home area, promoting beekeeping and your honey and bee hive products.
Rachael's Queen Basket of bee hive products is expanding! She has lip balm and soap from the Priest's of San Antonio, 1 lb of honey from Metro Beekeepers Association of Burleson, Queen's Cream from the Kornfield's of Plano, propolis tincture from Dick Counts of Tyler, a Ross Round of honey from Michael Fox of Plano, a solid lotion bar made by Janet Rowe of Wylie, comb honey from Marc Hicken of Dallas, pollen and chunk comb honey and clover honey sticks from the Acevedo's of Princeton, a honey cookbook provided by Doug Buchanan of Plano, a handmade bag for carrying Queen/beekeeping essentials made by Linda Pelham of Whitehouse. Let's add your honey or promotional item from your apiary that advertises your beekeeping business! You may send items to Rachael Seida, 885 Legend Trail, Wylie, TX 75098.
Come to the TBA Summer Clinic on June 9! Rachael will be there!! Bring items for our Texas Honey Queen's Basket and your business card for her scrapbook. As people view her educational basket and scrapbook, she will be representiing you as she travels the state of Texas. She plans to represent all of us here in Texas as she goes to the ABF convention in Sacramento, California, in January 2008, to compete for American Honey Queen! Make your plans now to attend too!!
I look forward to hearing from you!
Shirley Acevedo
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May / June 2008 Honey Queen Report |
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Written by Rachael Seida
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Thursday, 01 May 2008 00:00 |
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Such a busy time! Since my last article, I have finished my freshman year of college and have begun to search for a part-time summer job.
My last promotion in March as Texas Honey Queen was to visit the Williamson County Area Beekeepers Association on the evening of the 27th to help present the new scholarships. It was a really fun trip. I arrived at Austin International Airport and was picked up by my host, Jimmy Oakley. I then had the honor of being taken out to dinner by WCABA Honey Queen Meghan Cantlon and her mom Karin. Later at the meeting, I got to meet the previous year’s scholarship student and help hand out the 2007 scholarships. After the meeting the students and families headed outside to assemble their woodenware. Everybody pitched in to help, and I even got to help glue and hammer!
On April 14th I joined the Texana Living History group in Farmers Branch, Tx, for Texas History Alive. We saw several hundred people. As it was an historical event I had the opportunity to dress in the appropriate time period. So I got to promote beekeeping and honey in a blue, hooped dress.
On the morning on April 16th I visited Serenity High School in McKinney. I talked to a group of about 40 high schoolers and their teachers. They really got into a lot of the different parts of the hive and types of bees, but amazingly most of them did not want to approach the observation hive! (Or at least not with their classmates watching them.) The teachers were very impressed and asked us to come back next year.
The Burleson Honey Fest on May 12th was my next promotion. The beekeepers’ booth was run by members of the Metro Beekeepers Association. I had a wonderful time meeting other Texas beekeepers and hearing about their bee hives. They thanked me for coming and honored me with a plaque. I plan on attending a meeting of the Metro Beekeepers later this summer.
On May 14th I had the privilege of going to North Texas Christian Academy in McKinney, TX, with CCHBA Honey Queen Sarah Feeny. During the course of the morning, a teacher approached us and informed us that there was a swarm of honey bees was on the playground and asked what they should do about it. Fortunately we had our bee suits with us and had the time, so we agreed to remove it. The teachers were delighted and asked if the kids could watch from inside. Shirley Acevedo and Sarah Feeny donned suits and climbed the ladders to get the swarm. This was definitely the most exciting school bee talk I have ever done!
The weekend of the 20th of May I spent in Houston for the 34th annual Strawberry Festival. I headed down on Friday and was picked up by my host family, the Novarks. I then spent Saturday and Sunday at the festival. One of the cool attractions at the event was the groundbreaking strawberry shortcake. This cake measured 1905 square feet. I got to have a piece of this monstrosity! It was good cake too!
On Monday the 21st, I had the opportunity to visit NASA again! As my last trip was a little hurried because of an evening flight I welcomed the chance to see what I had missed previously. Harry Reichart escorted me on this portion of my trip. We began with a private tour to building 32. This building houses the huge vacuum chamber known to the staff as “the big suck.” And they are not kidding! It was huge! Harry then gave me the privilege of meeting some of the exhibit speakers. One of the speakers even asked if I wanted to be her volunteer! I really enjoyed my second trip to NASA.
The morning of May 22nd was spent at Mathis Elementary school in south Houston, speaking to almost 300 kids and their teachers. Misti Dillon of Harris County Beekeepers generously drove me to the school and acted as my assistant. We saw the children in groups of 50-60 at a time for 30 minutes each. The kids were great, as were the staff.
The evening of the 22nd I attended the meeting of the Harris County Beekeepers. While there I got to meet the club’s scholarship student, Jocelyn. She gave a great talk on bees that she had made for a 4-H competition. It was a great talk; kudos to Jocelyn!
It has been a fun and busy 2 months. I hope to see many of you at the summer TBA clinic on June 9!
Your Texas Honey Queen
~Rachael~ |
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