Note: No Meetings 'til Feb 2016
We are taking a break over the Christmas period so there are no meetings planned for December & January but we will hold our next meeting in February.
Night Meeting: 7pm Thu 11 Feb 2016
Topic: Swarm Patrol
Presented by: Andrew Grusowski
A website has been developed for the reporting and collection of swarms. Andrew will present ideas and it’s functions for the public and beekeepers. Other related beekeeping tips and topics will be announced before the next meeting.
Field Day: 10am Sun 28 FEB 2016
Agenda: To Be Advised
The details for this field day are yet to be finalised. We will advise you of the details early in February 2016
New Things Planned for 2016
Our committee has been planning some new and exciting things for our club for 2016 and these will be unveiled in the coming months. These include a new website, new topics and beekeeping workshops including beeswax processing, a look at bee diseases under a microscope, beelining, finding feral hives, drone catching, candle making and bee venom harvesting. An open day is also planned for the first half of 2016 inviting visitors from our community to come and visit us, our facilities and our lovely bees of course. The open day we held in Spring 2015 was a huge success in fact even more popular than we imagined so our next one is expected to be even bigger... stay tuned.
What We Did Last Month
Our night meeting featured a presentation on the basics of beekeeping and a demo from our IT department. Our field day included re housing of a feral bee colony that had taken residence in a possum box. Thanks to Ian and Clem who organised the most part of the day’s activity.
We also held our annual Christmas party on Sunday 6 December 2015 in our club house. Members celebrated and shared a meal, a few drinks, some laughs and a answered a few quizzes on honey in our honey tasting competition. A special thanks must go to Lamorna for organising the activities, Penny, Clem and Margaret who looked after catering and all others who lent a hand on the day. Many thanks to all those who attended and to those who didn’t make it this year… we hope to see you soon.
New Members
As mentioned, memberships for 2016 are now open. Please make sure you renew your membership and your insurance by 31 December 2015 to keep your membership and insurance cover valid. Renew Your Membership Now!
Bee Shop: Christmas Trading Hours
Many people are extracting honey this time of year and if you haven’t got your own extractor, our club provides quality portable extractors you can borrow for a few days. These are always in high demand so if you want to borrow one please see Ivan in the bee shop to reserve your spot. The shop will be open on monthly Thursday night meetings and Sunday field days approx. 30 minutes before the meetings commence. If anyone needs supplies outside of these times please contact Ivan on 0419 254 831 to arrange another time
Honey Extractors
Since there will be no meetings again until Feb 2016, you can still make it down to the apiary to pick up what you need on Thursday mornings.However note the Bee Shop will be open for the last time this year on the 17th December 2015 and close for the Christmas break to re-open on 14th January 2016. Please contact Ivan in our bee shop for more info on 0419 254 831
In the Apiary: Keeping it Cool
Summer has arrived and some days in spring have already seen temperatures around Sydney reach the 40’s so it’s important to keep your hives cool. Often this can mean providing a little shade over your bee hives if they are in direct sunlight… a little shade can go a long way. It’s also important to make sure your bees have a good water source nearby. A good idea is to use a shallow dish or a bird bath and fill it with pebbles or little rocks then pour fresh water over it leaving some rocks breaking the surface of the water for bees to land on. If you keep it topped up with water daily, you will find your bees will appreciate a reliable and fresh water source and they will probably keep out of your neighbour's pool too. This keeps your bees and your neighbours happy and it’s easy to do. The bees will use the water to help cool the colony down so you’ll get happier and healthier bees if you provide fresh water for them.
New Things Planned for 2016
Our committee has been planning some new and exciting things for our club for 2016 and these will be unveiled in the coming months. These include a new website, new topics and beekeeping workshops including beeswax processing, candle making and bee venom harvesting and an open day inviting visitors from our community to come and visit us, our facilities and our lovely bees of course.The open day we held in Spring 2015 was a huge success in fact even more popular than we imagined so our next one is expected to be even bigger.. stay tuned.
Thanks to all & Especially Sutherland Shire Council for their Support
It should always be remembered our club exists not only because of the support from the ABA of NSW but also the generous and kind members from our own branch over many decades of the past and present and the fantastic support we receive from our local council, the Sutherland Shire Council. The council's support has been echoed again in recent news with a sponsorship from their Community Services & Arts Grant program to produce a film or two about our branch and bees in our community. More details will be announced as they are finalised however if you would like to be part of these activities, please make yourself known at our February meetings or contact us.
Renew your Membership Now
Another year has flown by and that means your membership and insurance is now due. If you haven’t already done so make sure you renew by 31 December 2015. When you renew your membership remember if you wish to take out our recommended beekeepers insurance policy you must make sure you do so by the end of 2015 to ensure you are covered. For your convenience, all this including payment can be done online at the link below.
Renew Your Membership TodayRecycle Your Wax
Our club is planning some candle making, training and production with beeswax so we need your wax. Members are invited to donate any unwanted washed beeswax to the club that will go towards these sessions. Donations can be left at the club house.
Beginners Beekeeping Courses:
We are now booked out for the next bee course on 20 February 2016 however if you would like to add your name to the waiting list in case there is a cancellation, email us your your contact details, name and phone number to us here, There are still a few places left for the April course. To see more info and when our next course is due visit our beekeeping page below.
Emmanuel Farrugia [editor, the Buzz]
the Buzz by SaveOurBees.com.au
