Saturday, June 19th
Registration: 10:30 am
Cost: $12 for Adults - $7.50 for children
(Includes all activities and BBQ Lunch)

Hosted once again by:
Dr. Albert and Mrs. Marjorie Molnar
27 minutes East of Austin, TX at 20920 FM 969 - Webberville, TX

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by Jimmie Oakley

The Texas Beekeepers Association Summer Clinic was held this year on Saturday, June 20th in Webberville, Texas (13 miles East of Austin) on the spacious grounds of the home of Dr. Albert and Marjorie Molnar.
People began to gather early in the warm morning of what was going to be another hot day in a record breaking Texas summer heat spell. The side yard, designated the clinic area, was well graced with large over arching trees that formed a nice shaded area in which to keep cool, sit and talk, eat some good local Texas Bar-B-Q (Cartwright’s of Bastrop), and make the rounds of the individual tables set up for the talks and demonstrations on the various aspects of beekeeping in this learning event.
Dr. Molnar, a long time member of the Texas Beekeepers Association, had volunteered his home as a site for the Clinic at the Delegates Breakfast at the TBA Convention last November, and with the backing of the local association, the Williamson County Area Beekeepers Association, the event came off without a hitch. A neighbor friend of the Molnar’s (Brenda) directed parking; Sally
Tutor, WCABA membership chair, handled registration along with a couple of the Oakley boys, Caleb and Samuel; the noon meal was coordinated by “Abi” the Molnar’s grown son, and the various education stations were manned by knowledgeable qualified association beekeeper members.
Grace was offered by Sam Heinz, the delegate’s committee chair from D’Hanis, Texas, before the delicious meal was served buffet style just after the noon hour. As the groups gathered around the tables and chairs, conversation soon returned to the topic of the day; beekeeping. The noon time pause offered an opportunity for short reports from the Honey Queens and Princesses present,

drawings for door prizes, and a report on progress on the Honey Bee Lab from Todd Youngblood, TBA President and Lab Funding Raising Chairman.
With that business out of the way, the talks and demonstrations began. The clinic attendees rotated from table to table. They saw Blake Shook, CCHBA President, and owner of Desert Creek Honey, Blue Ridge, TX, talk about beekeeping equipment, its purposes and uses. Brandon Fehrenkamp, new TBA member and owner of Eastside Honey Company in Austin, brought his bee-vacuum for show and tell.

John Talbert, owner of Sabine Creek Honey Farms of Josephine, TX, demonstrated

proper checking and inspection techniques of the beehive. Eddie Priest, President of Alamo Area Beekeepers Association, showed how easy it was to make introduction cages for a sure-fire way to increase queen acceptance when requeening your hives.

Randy Oakley, a WCABA member and head of Oakley Family Apiaries of Manor, TX, showed how powered sugar dusting and drone frame trapping can reduce Varroa mites without using chemicals in the hive. Dr. Molnar (host of the event) was kind enough to drag out all his extracting equipment and set up to demonstrate his best practice technique from years of his own experience.
As everyone completed the circuit, the afternoon wore down and finally the cleanup crew of Molnar, Molnar & Molnar (with the help of some of the locals) put the finishing touches on another successful and enjoyable clinic. With almost a hundred in attendance, the Williamson County Area Beekeepers had, for the first time ever, the majority of attendees at the clinic with fifty. Collin County Hobby Beekeepers had a good turnout again with a little more than half that (26) for those who are counting.
For a first time event in the Austin area, many local area beekeepers are encouraged by the big turnout and from their positive comments, they may be hoping for something bigger in the future.
Our thanks again to our hosts:
Dr. Albert and Marjorie Molnar for a great time!

The Texas Beekeepers Association Delegates have set the date of June 20th, 2009, for the annual Summer Clinic. This year it is being hosted by Dr. Albert and Marjorie Molnar who live just east of Webberville, Texas, at the Travis-Bastrop County line. This year the program is aimed at informing beekeepers of the proper use of equipment, showing new equipment and new methods used by beekeepers in Texas.

Registration for the event will begin at 10:30 AM and will be followed by a free period to fellowship and story swapping before lunch. The noon meal of Texas style Bar-B-Que will come with all the trimmings. The registration fee this year is going to be $12 each for adult members and spouses. The price for the same meal for children 18 and under is only going to be $7.50. The registration for non-member adults is $15.00.

After lunch there will be different training stations set up for the mini classes. There is an abundance of shade trees to keep you cool, but bring your favorite lawn chair to help you remain comfortable while you eat and enjoy the afternoon. In the event of rain there is a big dry barn that will be used.

The Molnar’s are just 27 minutes east of IH35 on FM 969. Take Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd east off of IH35 (just south of UT campus) and continue eastward on MLK, which becomes FM 969 at US Hwy 183. Passing under SH130 (Toll Road) continue on FM 969 through Webberville and stop at the Travis – Bastrop County line. The Molnar’s are at 20920 FM 969 on the north side of the road, an American flag pole at the driveway entrance (across from the storage buildings). You may select an alternate (shorter) route after consulting your Texas map.

Please R.S.V.P. to TBA VP and Delegate Chair Ed Priest at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or by calling 210-722-7380 by Thursday, June 18th to allow for scheduled food preparation. The event should end around 4PM.

Directions to Dr. Albert Molnar’s:

Exit east off N. IH 35 onto Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd (south of UT campus)

Continue eastward on MLK, which becomes FM 969 E. at US HWY 183.

Passing under SH 130 (Toll Road) continue on FM 969 through Webberville.

Stop at Travis County - Bastrop County Line.

Dr. Molnar is at 20920 FM 969. American flag pole at driveway entrance across from storage buildings.