Welcome to Spring!

I have recently returned from a trip to Irvine, California where I attended the American Farm Bureau Commodity Conference. We enjoyed an interesting meeting, but my primary reason for attending was participation in the Conference on Bees and Apiculture. There were attendees from a number of states which have large numbers of beekeepers. A portion of our format included conference calls with commercial beekeepers and scientific researchers.

Some of the topics discussed included labor problems, honey and pollination prices and of course, the latest research information on Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).

Under the subject of labor problems, was the lack of available qualified workers who are willing to work with bees and the problems with legal immigrants with proper work permits being unable to travel out of state as part of their work requirements.

Almond pollination in California continues to be profitable; however, restrictions will become more problematic. Surveillance of possible fire–ant importation into California continues to be very strict. One case recited an instance in which two loads of bees were certified fire ant–free, but upon arrival in California, were determined to be infested. Both honey bees and ants were exterminated on sight.

CCD took up a lot of our meeting time and the following are some of the subjects that were covered:

1. The possibility of a virus which came into the USA in package bees from Australia. These packages have proven less than satisfactory for a number of beekeepers.
   
2. Nutrition of honey bees has been identified as a contributing factor in the demise of colonies in some instances.
3. Nosema may be a contributing factor in conjunction or combination with other influences.

The US military advisors in Afghanistan are attempting to reduce the local farmers’ dependence on cultivation of poppies by recommending other types of crops or products. One of the suggestions has been to help them modernize the beekeeping activity. I have agreed, through connections with Texas Farm Bureau and personnel from Ft. Hood, to be available to assist by E-mail with the promotion of beekeeping in the appropriate regions.

Arlen Pietsch

Hello Texas Beekeepers!

Our Honey Queen is doing a great job, managing two “colonies” at the same time—Texas and our Country as a whole! Rachael Seida was able to take part in the TBA Delegates Meeting in Dripping Springs, TX, talk about honey bees with 500 Houston school children and spent time at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. She accomplished all of this and more, while completing her fourth and final semester at North Central Texas College, in Gainesville, TX, from which she plans to receive her Associates Degree in Equine Science this coming May. She is an active Queen!

Rachael’s 2008 Texas Honey Queen trifolds are available now, and her American Honey Queen brochures will be ready soon. We are coordinating with her American Honey Queen schedule, intending for her to be at the TBA Summer Field Day in Paris, TX, Saturday, June 7 and at the State Fair Cooking with Honey demos in October, and of course, at the TBA Convention at the Southfork Hotel in Plano, TX, November 6–8. Rachael continues to be available for some other Texas events. Call or send me an email if you have an event in your area and would like for our Texas Honey Queen, who is now also the American Honey Queen, to participate.

Speaking of the Convention, the TBA annual gathering is a good opportunity to recognize past Texas Honey Queens and Honey Queen Chairpersons. At the end of this article, you will find a list of those women and the year(s) they served. If you have name changes and/or have contact information, please let me know. Do invite any of these persons to the TBA Convention.

Recently in McKinney, TX, I saw a lovely young woman driving a white vehicle that said Miss Texas 2007 courtesy car provided by donor company and phone number. Wouldn’t you like to see your beekeeping business name and phone number or your favorite car dealership name and number on a nice vehicle driven by our lovely Honey Queen, Rachael Seida? Just let me know the time and place and we will make arrangements for Rachael to meet you to pick up her car!

I thank you all for the support and consideration you have given to our Honey Queen, Rachael Seida, and to the Honey Queen Program. Over the years of the Program, many of you have participated by being the Honey Queen, hosting the Honey Queen, mentoring the Honey Queen, serving on the Honey Queen Committee, donating and purchasing items for auction for funds and in myriads of other ways. With your intentions and participation, you have enabled the Texas Honey Queen Program to continue, to flourish and to come to this point in time.

I particularly want to thank some Texas beekeepers who have been so helpful recently: Wendy Riggs, Colleen Perrin and Sarah Kornfield, for coaching Rachael impeccably well in preparation for ABF; Sarah Kornfield for accompanying Rachael to ABF; AP Warne for providing transportation for Rachael and others from Bergstrom Airport in Austin to Dripping Springs and back; Sylvia Priest for taking Rachael and others to shop at Wimberly, TX; Steve and Sheila Warne for picking up Rachael from DFW Airport and taking her back to college in Gainesville; Joan Coplin, Colleen Perrin, Wendy Riggs, John Talbert and Jimmie Oakley for work on Rachael’s 2008 Texas Honey Queen brochures; Misti Dillon, Cyd Christa, Don Angle and Harris County Beekeepers who transported, fed and cherished Rachael while she was in Houston.

May your bees never sting you unless you are in need of their venom! Looking forward to seeing you!

Shirley Acevedo
Honey Queen Committee Chair
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