March Meeting Minutes
Date: March 15, 2015, at Graceway Fellowship Hall in Kansas City, Mo.
Attendance: 121
Open: Called to order at ~2:30pm by President Cathy Misko thanking all for their thoughtful donations to REAP and directing newcomers to location of restroom facilities. Informed attendees that this is our last Sunday meeting and next month we spring forward to Thursday evenings at 7:00pm.
Asked for a show of hands of any new members, how many are here from the MBA workshop, anyone here for the first time, and show of hands if your bees have signs of life and are flying. Asked if any of our Scholarship Award Students were here and shared with everyone that this year we awarded 2 Youth Scholarships and 3 Apis awards. Applause. Welcome.
Asked everyone to introduce themselves to their neighbor and share information about ordered bees or their present colonies. Reminded any with current colonies to make sure their bees are in the bottom box, have ample pollen and honey stored and the Queen has room to lay brood. Adjust accordingly. (1:1 sugar syrup this time of year).
Minutes: Cathy M. asked if there were any corrections to be made on the online February minutes. No corrections/file as posted.
Introduction of Officers/Chairs and Reports:
Secretary: Cindy Connell, at the back table. Be sure and check out the monthly minutes posted @ www.midwesternbeekeepers.org.
Membership: Tanya Fisher, also at the back table. Takes dues and has a sign up list for receiving Newsletter via your email. Be sure and confirm you email with us and check your spam.
Webmaster: Cheryl Westra, manages our website, Facebook! Twitter!
Programs: Laura Fish, orchestrates our important monthly programs.
Publicity Committee Chair/Editor: Janice Britz, (not here) sends the Newsletter.
Librarian: Tom O’Neill, (not here) in charge of educational materials and literature to check out for reference and/or pleasure.
Three Wise Board Members: 1st Dean Sanders, 2nd Steve DeCaigney, 3rd Terry O’Bryan.
Honey Plants Chair: Tom Britz, (not here). Cathy M. asked for input from the attendees about what plants they see their bees active with. Discussion.
State Liaison Chair: Dean Sanders, active with the State Fair booth. Check out Mo State Beekeepers Facebook.
Urban Liaison Chair: Ezekiel Amador III, (not here).
Hospitality Chair: Rick Messenger (not here), did an amazing job at the 2015 MBA Workshop, keeping ~150 happily fed.
Nuc Initiative: Stuart Dietz (not here). Cathy M. announced the next “EZ Nuc” Special Gathering at Bass Pro is April 2, 2015 at 7:00. The EZ Nucs ordered are stalled in customs and have not arrived yet. Refer to website for updates.
Treasurer: Wes Johnston (not here).
Cathy M. reminded everyone these Officers and Directors are here to answer any of their questions.
Ongoing Business: At the back table are signup sheets (swarm, Mentors, name tag orders), Workshop notebooks/ Books, Calendar sales $15, EZ Nuc orders $9, and John and Sue Stained Glass Spinner orders $25. Also be sure and sign up for email newsletter, in color and faster than USPS. Informational flyers and handouts are also available at the back table.
New Business and Announcements:
Our 2015 Midwestern Beekeeping Workshop (20th) was a tremendous success. Hopefully from these monthly educational meetings and from the rest of our “hive of folks” knowledge and experience, we can continue to answer questions and help each other be successful “keeper of the bees”.
March 21, 2015: Maryville Beginning Beekeeping Workshop.www.moveggrowers.org/beekeepingworkshops. University of Mo Extension and taught by MBA.
Keep an eye on our Website for updates for the Extra Value Added Meetings at Bass Pro.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015, Cathy M. will speak before the House Agriculture Policy Committee concerning the new Honey Bill/House Bill HB 1093. To follow log onto Senate Bill 500-Senate Ag Committee at http://www.senate.mo.gov/15info/comm/agri.htm.
Cathy M. announced Midwestern Beekeepers Association has finally been approved for Non-for-Profit Postage. Ongoing adjustments will be made as we go to standard mail instead of first class.
Cathy M. turned the microphone over to Laura F. who read a list of upcoming topics/meetings/presenters for the upcoming months. Refer to attachment. She also reminded everyone that in June we are featuring an Expo Fair for individuals to bring in homemade products (woodenware, wax products, inventions) and “sell their wares”.
Laura F. then introduced our first speakers of the meeting Doug Pontious and Dawn Refsellwhose topic was “Woodenware Assembly”. They provided detailed assembly of woodenware equipment and how to wire frames as an alternative to plastic foundations. Tips and numerous suggestions including a handout will help old and new beekeepers alike. Questions were answered during and after the program.
Laura F. provided our next program titled “Apiary Location (Urban and Rural). A variety of location options were discussed keeping in mind the Pros and Cons of each setting. Choosing wisely and well was her focus. Drift Watch was also discussed.
Cathy M. asked for a round of applause for our speakers and continued with discussion about web sites to go to for more information on beekeeping regulations in individual locales and reminders that our Vendors are still taking bee/bee equipment orders.
Thank you’s extended to all the muscle work to set up and return the room to order. Door Prizes.
Meeting adjourned.
SPRING FORWARD
Our next MBA General Meeting will be held on THURSDAY, April 16, 2015, at 7:00pm at Graceway Fellowship Hall.
Secretary_________________________Date______________
