Midwestern Beekeeper’s Association
February Meeting Minutes
Date: Sunday, February 15, 2015, at Graceway Fellowship Hall in Kansas City, Mo.
Attendance: 95
Open: Meeting called to order at 2:30pm by President Cathy Misko thanking all for thoughtful donations to REAP this month. FYI, it is National Ferris Wheel Day. Informed any new attendees where the Men’s/Ladies rooms were located and welcomed any new members or anyone here for the first time. Asked any Scholarship Applicants present to please come up to the front at the end of the meeting and meet with her and the Board Members. Cathy M. asked all to turn to their neighbor and introduce themselves and in honor of Valentine’s Day share their favorite Honey sweet dessert or exchange contacts to share recipes.
She asked if their bees have signs of life and are buzzing. When warm enough, they need to be checked to assure they have food above and next to the cluster. Feed 1:1 sugar syrup this time of year.
Minutes: Cathy M. asked if there were any corrections to be made on the online January minutes. No corrections/filed as posted.
Introduction of Officers/Chairs and Reports:
Secretary: Cindy Connell, be sure and check the minutes posted @ www.midwesternbeekeepers.org.
Membership: Tanya Fisher (not here) takes dues and has sign up list for receiving NewsLetter via your email.
Webmaster: Cheryl Westra, orchestrates our website, Facebook! Twitter!
Programs: Laura Fish prepares our monthly programs.
Publicity Committee Chair/Editor: Janice Britz, has the task of putting together the ‘NewsLetter’ each month.
Librarian: Tom O’Neill, reported he has one new addition to the Library on order and it will be available at the next meeting.
Three Wise Board Members: 1st Dean Sanders, 2nd Steve DeCaigney, 3rd Terry O’Bryan.
Honey Plants Chair: Tom Britz, reported that bees may be bringing in pollen from willows and elms at present. The maples are ready to pop and with a few more warm days the Henbit and Dead Nettle will be ready. He is anticipating putting a pollen chart in the Newsletter next month.
State Liaison Chair: Dean Sanders, reported the Mo State Fair was Aug 13-23 this year and invited everyone to come and help out.
Urban Liaison Chair: Ezekiel Amador III (not present)
Hospitality Chair: Rick Messenger
Nuc Initiative: Stuart Dietz, reported that the EZ Nuc meeting at Bass Pro date was going to be changed to possibly March 9 or 15 for people to pick up their EZ Nucs. Watch the Website for an update.
Treasurer: Wes Johnston, read the Treasurer’s report. Filed as presented.
Ongoing Business: At the back table are signup sheets (swarm, email Newsletter, Mentor)/name tag sales/Calendars $15/EZ Nucs $9. Also this month is a signup sheet for the Stained Glass Spinners made by John and Sue Stained Glass.
New Business: Announcements:
Eastern Mo Advance Beekeeping Course in St. Louis is coming up.
March 7, 2015 is the 20th Annual Beginning Beekeeping Workshop with the Midwestern Beekeepers Association at the Point, across from Graceway Fellowship Hall. Members were encouraged to take fliers from the back table and distribute within their communities.
Cathy M. asked Grace Sanders, Youth Scholarship Student, and her Mentors Dean Sanders and Ron Vivian (not here) to come forward, where she presented her with a Certificate of Ownership for the hives and equipment. She also received a Youth Scholarship Pin. Applause.
Programs: Laura F. introduced tonight’s first speaker, Garrett Miller, 2014 Youth Scholarship Student, with his presentation titled “G’s Bees and the Quest for Honey.” He shared Power Point highlights of his first year/first hive with his Mentor Steve Box. It included special activities at the State Fair and assisting his Mentor Steve B. with splitting his hives. Humorously he even received a 10# bag of sugar for Christmas which he shared with his bees. Questions were answered during and after.
Laura F. introduced Tom Britz, the next speaker. His presentation titled “Late Winter, Early Spring Management” led Beekeepers through the options we have to help our hives/bees survive these unpredictable seasons until the trees and flowers come back to life. Complete with detailed photography, he included tips/suggestions from articles in the “The American Bee Journal” and stories in “Gardening for Bees” that have been successful for him and others. Questions were answered both during and after.
Laura F. and Cathy M. then asked members if they knew who the owner of a plate left from the Christmas dinner might be and the owner of a glove left behind from the last meeting. Discussion. A question from the membership inquired if at the suggested ‘Expo’ in June, would members be able to bring and sell bee stuff other than woodenware such as soap, lip balm etc. Discussion. Answer was yes. Another attendee asked if the speakers presentations could be put online. Janice B. will check into it.
Cathy M. reminded Scholarship students and Board members to please meet up in the front after the door prizes and also thanked everyone for the muscle work to set and return the room to order.
Meeting adjourned ~4:10 followed by a Youth Scholarship Committee meeting.
Secretary___________________________________________Date________________________________