2012 MONTHLY MEETINGS
|
|
|
We have a meeting each month. There is a short business session and a program led by a local or regional beekeeper about some aspect of beekeeping which should be of interest for both novice and experienced beekeepers. And there is always time for discussion of what is happening with our colonies and other subjects volunteered by our audience.
The short summaries of each of the programs on this and archived pages should give you a good idea of the kinds of subjects we think important for local beekeepers and of the breadth of experience of the members of our community. Please contact us if you want more information about a past program, would like contact information, or if you would consider sharing your own experience with us.
Please join us the third Monday of each month at 7:00 pm. The Oglethorpe County Farm Bureau in Crawford very kindly provides the excellent space. A link to directions to the Farm Bureau is available on the left sidebar.
20 AUGUST 2012 MEETING
Minutes of the Meeting
|
|
The Oglethorpe County Bee Club met on Monday, 20 August at 7 pm at the Oglethorpe County Farm Bureau on 925 Athens Road (US-78) in Crawford.
The guest speaker was Bill Owens of Owens Apiary and Georgia Bee Removal. Having learned about honeybees from his dad, Owens converted his single hive hobby into a successful business. In addition to honey production, Owens' business Georgia Bee Removal removes unwelcome honeybee colonies from homes and businesses around the state. Owens has served as Chairman of the Eastern Piedmont Beekeepers Association, President of the Georgia Beekeepers Association, and Vice President of the Eastern Apicultural Society. He is presently Webmaster for the Georgia Beekeepers Association. In 2006 Bill became the first beekeeper in Georgia to earn the highest beekeeping certification: Master Craftsman Beekeeper, a title which he alone still holds.
Bill last visited the Club on 21 March 2011 when he told us of the discovery of Africanized bees in Georgia and the Best Practices that beekeepers should follow to ensure that they do not collect, maintain, or distribute Africanized bees.
Bill talked about his bee removal business. This has been his primary business for the last 12 years.
He provided this service free of charge until he met Cindy Bee who was charging clients for similar services. Three years ago he bought out Cindy who was moving to Maine.
His four Principles are Customer Satisfaction, Quality Work, Fair Price, Guaranteed Work. He elaborated that he was always willing to listen to the client, was honest, sympathetic, willing to educate the client, find out where the bees are entering, and explained what he was doing. He noted that you must have insurance, insurance, and more insurance to survive litigation.
Bill outlined how he did his extractions. For tools, a 7-gallon Bee-vac with spare motor (build your own if you are going professional), fexible knife, drill, saws, pry-bar, hive tool, nails and screws, plastic bags/boxes, veil and gloves, hammer, ladders, lights and flash light, insulation, caulking, camera, coat hangers, smoker (needed once or twice a year), queen cage, #33 rubber bands, and drop cords, among others.
There are three ways to locate the bees: higher temperatures, colony noise, and as a last resort, driving a coat hanger through the walls. He makes no blind cuts. After removal of the colony, he fills in voids with fiberglass attic insulation to prevent other swarms from colonizing the same spot.
He rarely recovers enough wax or honey to bother processing them. He most often gets the bees out and gives them away or uses them himself for honey production. He also sells bees and queens and is interested in getting long-lived queens from strong colonies. He has 50-100 hives, which he manages without much sympathy for the bees. If they do well, fine.
He noted that Africanized bees are coming, and to be prepared for it.
back to top
|
16 JULY 2012 MEETING
Minutes of the Meeting
|
|
The Oglethorpe County Bee Club met on Monday, 16 July at 7 pm at the Oglethorpe County Farm Bureau on 925 Athens Road (US-78) in Crawford.
Details to follow.
back to top
|
18 JUNE 2012 MEETING
Minutes of the Meeting
|
|
The Oglethorpe County Bee Club met on Monday, 18 June at 7 pm at the Oglethorpe County Farm Bureau on 925 Athens Road (US-78) in Crawford.
Details to follow.
back to top
|
21 MAY 2012 MEETING
Minutes of the Meeting
|
|
The Oglethorpe County Bee Club met on Monday, 21 May at 7 pm at the Oglethorpe County Farm Bureau on 925 Athens Road (US-78) in Crawford.
Details to follow.
back to top
|
16 APRIL 2012 MEETING
Minutes of the Meeting
|
|
The Oglethorpe County Bee Club met on Monday, 16 April at 7 pm at the Oglethorpe County Farm Bureau on 925 Athens Road (US-78) in Crawford.
Details to follow.
back to top
|
19 MARCH 2012 MEETING
Minutes of the Meeting
|
|
The Oglethorpe County Bee Club met on Monday, 19 March at 7 pm at the Oglethorpe County Farm Bureau on 925 Athens Road (US-78) in Crawford.
Details to follow.
back to top
|
20 FEBRUARY 2012 MEETING
Minutes of the Meeting
|
|
The Oglethorpe County Bee Club met on Monday, 20 February at 7 pm at the Oglethorpe County Farm Bureau on 925 Athens Road (US-78) in Crawford.
There was no formal program.
back to top
|
16 JANUARY 2012 MEETING
Minutes of the Meeting
|
|
The Oglethorpe County Bsee Club met on Monday, 16 January at 7 pm at the Oglethorpe County Farm Bureau on 925 Athens Road (US-78) in Crawford.
For the program, we watched a NOVA documentary on DVD about the biology of the honey bee. It was entitled 'Tales from the Hive'.
back to top
|
|
|
