Honey Bees the Club and Talks!

[DonMcJr]

Well it's been a year now since the little spark of the local bee club was started by me at our local "Earth Fair". I asked the Nature Center last year at Earth Fair if we could have Meetings there if I started a Club and man did it take off!

Here's our Booth at this years Earth Fair...( I'm taking the Pic )



We were asked to Visit a 1st Grade Class last year and did and that was a lot of fun. This year that once class turned into all the 1st graders in that school so 95 students!  Also another school has asked for us to do a talk on Honey Bee's!

Last month I was asked to talk at the local "Council of Aging" and figured I'd get schooled from some old-timers but went anyway! It was a great time!

Oh and our Bee Club email's about 90 people and we picked up another 50 email's/ people from the Earth Fair!

[blueblood]

That is great! Now, you need a live observation hive there this year.   

[Zweefer]

Awesome news Don!
Please keep us posted on your progress / future presentations!

[LazyBkpr]

Man thats great. Glad it is going so well.
   I have let the thought pass through my head but there are three clubs within an hour. The closest and most local only meets 4 times a year, and has a one page website..   As I get to know them and get more involved I am hoping to step it up just a little. The club officers are fantastic people, but the VP does not even have EMail.. gonna harass him about that at the upcoming meeting.
   Keep up the good work. Sounds like your doing a wonderful job!

[robo]

Awsome!   There is no shortage of folks wanting to learn.  We need to do our best to introduce as many as possible to beekeeping.   I live in a very small rural town and just started a bee group at our library,  and the turn out is overwhelming.  I have folks driving 70 miles for our monthly meeting.

Keep up the good work, it is very satisfying.

[Lburou]

Congratulations Don!  It sounds like you are having a good time.

Don, Robo, Lazy and others....What makes the best bee club meeting?  Which subjects do the members want/need to hear?  Any special meetings that work?

We had the Texas honey queen at our last meeting and it was a good, informative talk.  We've shown some videos on pests and diseases with good results.  A show and tell is always useful when so many are beginners.  Good speakers from other clubs are helpful.  You can see some of our Club outreach on the front page of our web site here.

I'm interested to hear what you folks do at bee club meetings, and what brings people back...Lazy, what kind of program would get you to drive those miles to attend?  Please share.  Don, I don't mean to hijack your thread, I hope you see this question as a followup to your original post.  Keep up the good work! 

[robo]

Not sure I am much of an expert on this as our club has just started,  but I can share what we have done and what our plans are.

I've done a 10 hour intro to beekeeping course a few times over the last couple of years and have kept all the contact emails.   I did one in February and there was a desire from folks to continue the "conversation",  so the library suggested we start a monthly bee group.

My emphasis has always been to share my experiences and methods, but NOT to teach how to keep bees.  My goal is to give folks information that will make them think and determine what beekeeping is to them.   As you know there are many different and competing methods and thoughts on beekeeping.  Some folks want to be completely treatment-free,  some are comfortable with organic acids,  some are comfortable with synthetics.   There is no one right way to keep bees.   I tell them up front that some of my beliefs and methods are in direct conflict with traditional methods and I won't be offended if you choose a more traditional style.   They need to think and be comfortable that they understand and have a reason for doing something,  and not do it just because "that is what they where told to do".   We can have good discussions on all methods and can respect each others decisions.

As far as our meetings go,  the plan is to have a 20-30 minute topic that is relevant to the season and then open discussion on anything folks want to discuss.   We are always open to suggestions on topics.

Our first meeting was in April and since the season already started so we where getting a late start.    April's topic was installing package bees/nucs & kick off swarm traps.  May's meeting will swarm trap baiting and locating (swarm season starts around Memorial Day here)  and we will also talk about making splits (topic request from a 13yr old at April's meeting).   Tentative June topic is a hands-on queen marking discussion.   My main bee yard is less than a mile away from the library,  so hands-on activities are planned for the summer as well.

We have other plans for the library that I will be sharing in the near future.

We are trying to take advantage of social media and technology as well.   We have started a website -> www.hvhives.com  (not much content at this point since we just started, but it will grow).  We are also planning on doing podcasts of each monthly meeting so that folks that can't make it can participate via phone,  or listen to it at a latter date.

Hope this helps,
Rob...

[Zweefer]

I love the podcasting idea!

[LazyBkpr]

   Lburou, As I read your post I was thinking about it, and I had plans to do a bit of typing....   Thankfully, Robo said it almost hitting the nail squarely on the head..
 Usually in following what Robo said, a two hour meeting often becomes two and a half hours or more.
   Everyone at that meeting has a different method or agenda, so they have their own questions. Trying to help every one of them often spreads the information out and more questions are brought up as the curiosity of listeners grows.
   Respecting everyone's desire to keep bees their own way helps, encouragement to keep bees their way makes them feel comfortable so they start asking questions.

[apisbees]

Remember to ask the newer beekeepers and members if there are any topics they would like discused.
Bee field days where multible topics can be presented covering topics from beginner hive managment to advanced beekeeping practices such as making splits or raising queens.

Sent from my LG-P500h using Tapatalk 2

[Bakersdozen]

That's great Don!  There are a lot of folks out there thirsty for knowledge.  Not all want to be beekeepers, some just have curious minds and some are concerned about the future of the honeybee.

[DonMcJr]

What we do is try to have a different speaker at every meeting. Most of the Members are brand new his year so we've geared the whole year toward New Beekeeping and the Beeks with a few years under their belt always come and help out!

Next year we will split it up in 2 rooms; one "New Beekeeping" and the other "Advanced Beekeeping" and in the advanced we plan on teaching Splits, Grafting, etc etc.

We have a Raffle where everyone brings something to raffle off if they want and sell $1 tickets or 6 for $5 and we always have 5-10 Prizes and the club make around $50 on the raffle.

We also have a "Swarm List" for those wanting to be called for Swarms and just started the " Bee Buddy List " where you put your name and number and town and you can get with another Beek if your both new and tackle it together or get with an experienced beek and have a "mentor".

July we plan on having a Picnic and I made another thread where one member built an Observation hive and we are installing a Nuc in it this week and it will be inside the Nature Center where we meet.

Off season Speakers we do Wax Products, Mead, etc etc...

So far so good!  We take bids for a Package Bee Supplier and a Hive Supplier and have them come to the February meeting and take orders. A lot of folks would get into beekeeping if they just knew where to get bees and equipment.

We also have a lot of folks that are coming to the meeting this year to learn and start next year!

I invite anyone to come to my hives and watch/help out to learn and we have a "Club Hive" at the Nature Center too that we inspect every month before the Meeting.