Queen's Castle Beekeepers Assoc.

 3rd Minutes for the Queen’s Castle Beekeepers Assoc.

                   March 29, 2014

                                    21980 U. S. Hwy 29, Andalusia, AL  36420, 334-222-0751/376-9824

    Old or Ongoing Business:  Work on the Bathrooms and Building

    New Business:

          Lots of discussion on swarms and the stories of what to do and not do with swarms.  Many swarms have emerged from OJ’s hives and he and Lucy had pictures for everyone to see the differences of the types of swarms he had captured already.  And we went outside and captured 5 swarms while the club was gathered.

This lead to some discussion on how a swarm starts to build a hive. 

OJ is still feeding the bees because there is not enough food sources available for his bees.  He is using trays with wood slates covered with sugar and a little water in the tray to supplement them now until the food is available.  The technique is used instead of feeding with jars to keep the bees from fighting to get at the food.  If you feed from jars at this time of the year you should use a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water.  When the bees stop going to the sugar water they have found enough nectar available out in the flowers in the area. 

As you start to add supers to the hive always add to the top.  And when you are ready to take supers off; take the bottoms ones first so they will fill the next box up. 

Plant stuff for your bees’ year round, Lemon mint is the current suggestion to plant for a flower source that blooms from late spring to fall.  The key is to plan to have something all year round for the bees. 

There is a new bee that Gary talked about that has a longer mouth to get at more flowers to produce more honey.  But no one could remember the name of the bee.

Work day is set for 12 April at 09:00am.  We will be block laying block for the walls of the bathroom. Bring a cover dish. 

We voted to keep our current website and pay Randy the renewal price of $15.00.  He needs pictures to add to the site.  Maybe the photo books that OJ and Lucy are developing can be placed on the site so you will have images of activity for Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter on the site.

Several have nukes to pick up at Millie Bee and talked about coordinating a single pick up for four of our members.  But the swarms interrupted the talk before a decision was made.

Not sure we should have a booth this year at the EXPO due to not being a money maker for our beekeepers.  OJ will have a booth with honey and plants.  We may try to approach Harold Barns with a different way to have a club booth this year. 

Great meeting and another wonderful meal shared by all.

Present at our meeting was Lucy and OJ Blount, Keith Robinson, Sharon Campbell, Gary Barrow, Vicky Barrow, Randy Shaffer, Jimmie and Sarah Winters, Dirk Price, Buster and Cheril Stone, Marie Williams,and Joe Blount.

Buster Stone, Sharon Campbell, OJ Blount, Dirk Price

Keith Robinson, Jimmy Winters, Cheryl Stone

Vicky Barrows, Gary Barrows, Lucy Blount, Keith Robinson

Gary Barrow, Cheryl Stone, Dirk Price, OJ Blount, Keith Robinson

OJ's Top Bar Hive with front viewing window

Frame with wax and spacer

Frame is nailed in and spacers removed

Bee swarm with Buster, OJ & Gary

Buster putting swarm in brood box

Cover is to provide a dark place for the queen to feel at home

Cheryl & Marie Williams watching the action