Midwestern Beekeeper’s Association
October Meeting Minutes
DATE: Thursday, October 23, 2014 at Graceway Fellowship Hall in Kansas City, Mo.
OPEN: President Cathy Misko called the meeting to order at 7:00pm and requested all the Scholarship Students to stand and share the amount of honey they had harvested. She asked everyone to view how full the REAP barrel was and reminded everyone that REAP (Raytown Emergency Assistance Program) appreciates our continued sharing of food donations in the barrel located in the back of our meeting room. Cathy M. reminded everyone to park on the West side and use the Main Entrance. The wheel chair and drop off access as well as those who have difficulty ambulating distances, is on the South. For newcomer’s information, the Men’s/Ladies’ rooms are outside the meeting room on the right. Question: What’s the BUZZ ? Two words. Dianne Korneghy shouted out ‘Go Royals’ and won a Bee decorated jar opener.
Cathy M. asked if there were any new Members and/or anyone here for the first time. Welcome. She asked attendees to raise their hand if they were planning on going to the State Meeting. She then invited all to take a few minutes to introduce themselves to their neighbor and share what color of pollen their bees are still bringing in.
ATTENDANCE: ~71+
INTRODUCTION OF OFFICERS/CHAIRS AND REPORTS: Cathy M. asked if any corrections needed to be made to the September minutes posted online. No Corrections. September minutes filed as posted.
Secretary: Cindy Connell, back at the registration table passing out door prize tickets. Be sure and check out the monthly club minutes posted on our website @midwesternbeekeepers.org.
Membership: Tanya Fisher, takes membership dues and has a sign up list for receiving the Newsletter, “The Bee Line”, via your Email
Webmaster: Cheryl Westra, orchestrates our website, Facebook and Twitter.
Programs: Laura Fish, guarantees our important monthly programs.
Librarian: Tom O’Neill, no additions to the Library this month.
Three Wise Board Members: 1st Phill Levi (not present), 2nd Terry O’Bryan, and 3rd Ed Fisher.
Honey Plants Chair: Tom Britz, stated that the bees were not bringing in much except he noticed yellow pollen. Please refer to his article on Honey Plants in the Beeline.
State Liaison Chair: Dean Sanders, takes care of the State Fair Booth/ Fair Entries/Mo State Beekeepers Facebook.
Urban Liaison Chair: Ezekiel Amador (not present.
Treasurer: Wes Johnston, read the Treasurer’s report. Filed as read. Refer to attachment.
Publicity Committee Chair/Editor: Janice Britz (not here) out of town for a book signing. Cathy M. asked for a round of applause for the Bee Line.
Cathy M. stated that all of these Officers and Directors are here to answer any of your questions. At the back table are membership renewals, name tag orders for $8.00 and sign up lists to receive the newsletter by Email, Volunteer Mentor, and Swarm lists. Cathy M. stated that the book, ‘1st Lessons in Beekeeping’, was for sale at the back table for $10 each. No other unfinished business.
NEW BUSINESS: Cathy M. asked if the Nominating Committee for 2015 had any announcements. Cindy C., chair of the Nominating Committee for 2015 came to the front and read the list: President: Cathy Misko, 1st VP/Programs: Laura Fish, 2nd VP/Membership: Tanya Fisher, 3rd VP/Editor: Janice Britz, Secretary: Cindy Connell, Treasurer: Wes Johnston, Auditor: Committee at end of year, Librarian: Tom O’Neill, 1st Board Member: Dean Sanders, 2nd Board Member: Steve DeCaigney, 3rd Board Member: Terry O’Bryan, Honey Plants: Tom Britz, Webmaster: Cheryl Westra. Appointed Chairs: Mo Beekeepers Assn. Liaison: Dean Sanders, Urban Liaison: Ezekiel Amador III, Youth Scholarship Chairperson: Cathy Misko, Nuc Initiative Chairperson: Stuart Dietz. Joyce Justice made a motion to accept the Nominating Committee’s Nominations suggentions. Peter Fish 2nd. Cathy M. asked for show of hands in favor/opposed. All in favor. Motion passed. Andy Nowachek wanted the Nominees to stand and share a little about themselves and their beekeeping experience. From that request it was suggested to post the individual biographies in the ‘Beeline’ instead. Agreed. She then asked if there were any further nominations from the floor. None. Officers will be voted on next meeting.
Cathy M. shared a new activity in the making. Monthly Value Added Meetings will be held at Bass Pro and scheduled on an evening week night throughout the year. This is to address the growth of our club and cover various Midwestern needs and topics. She asked that members please separate these Bass Pro gatherings from our General Meeting held here at Graceway. Watch the Website for updates.
Laura F. was then asked if she had any announcements regarding the Nuc Initiative Pilot Program. Laura F. asked Stuart D. to share any progress the group has made. Stuart D. said that some guidelines were ironed out at the last meeting and will be shared with the membership the first of the year. The next scheduled Nuc Initiative meeting will be at Bass Pro on Nov.6 at 7:00. He also shared that after some price comparison, it was determined to purchase nuc boxes from Dadant. However to save more $ and avoid high shipping costs, 300 boxes will be purchased and he and his wife will drive to Dadant and pick them up. These are collapsible nuc boxes and he will bring a sample at the Nov 6th meeting along with a sign up sheet for individuals wanting to purchase them.
Cathy M. reminded all that the Mo State Fall Conference is this weekend in Jefferson City. Highlighted topics are: Queen Rearing, Natural Beekeeping, Long Bar Hives, and Health and Honey Yields . An added topic at 3:00pm is Keeping Bees and Selling Honey in Missouri covering Rules and Regulations.
Cathy M. announced that David Radcliffe will be in Warrensburg Monday, Oct 27, 2:45-3:45 at UCM covering globalization, environmental care, and poverty and hunger. She shared that David R. has traded his car for a bicycle.
Cathy M. reported that the 22nd National Small Farm Trade Show was going on Oct. 23-25 in Mexico, Mo. If interested there was a flyer about it at the back table.
She also wanted to share the many opportunities available through Community Outreach to educate young and old about the Honey Bee. Cathy M. is planning on offering an educational talk on what she does, to help you with ideas if you are interested in sharing the knowledge to others. She also had a sign up form for those interested on the back table. Please sign your name, call or email her if you can help. It is FUN FUN.
With no further announcements from the floor, Cathy M. then turned the floor over to Laura F.
Laura F. introduced tonight’s speaker,Tom O’Neill, speaking on fall hive management techniques. Tom O. is the clubs librarian and has managed bees for many years. His format was informal and covered topics of hive inspections, mite control including the ‘powdered sugar roll’ to name a few. He answered a variety of questions throughout his program. Thank you Tom O.
Open discussion followed. Ross Murphy, asked if he could speak on Small Hive Beetle control. He wanted to share a product he had tried and had success with for taking care of hive beetles in hives. He explained how to make the product and use it. He had also made several and brought them to share with attendees.
Laura F. turned the floor back over to Cathy M. for meeting closure with door prize tickets drawn and reminders about the upcoming State meeting.
Meeting adjourned.
OUR NEXT GENERAL MEETING IS SUNDAY,NOVEMBER 16, AT 2:30pm, AT GRACEWAY FELLOWSHIP HALL, 5460 BLUE RIDGE CUTOFF, KANSAS CITY, MO.
Secretary______________________________________________Date___________
