Month: August 2021

The good news is here so please call me if you are having any trouble with your bees. It is essential that you can look after them. By now blossom is arriving all around us so when the sunshine gets out they will be happy bees.

The most important part is to get into your hives, clean up the frames, discard dirty frames with new ones. Look  for Queen cells. The warm weather snaps we have been getting will make Swarms starting now.

Next make decision of whether you are going to put treatment in for Varroa. It needs to be done and removed before the HONEY flow.

I advise that Club Day on Saturday 4th.September is canceled….again….but as soon as possible we can have Club Day we will. Thanks Gordon Club  Hivemaster. Ph  0275389568.

The committee wishes to send you and your families all the very best for Spring and wish you a great start to the new season.

It’s not easy in Lockdown to get help with beekeeping things but please – use the forum to ask questions or email the committee if you have any worries about your bees.

Good news here.

The club is to hold a special training course for Newbees! Hive Master Gordon and AFB inspector Lindsay Moir are the tutors.

The charge will be $150.00 per club member and $190 per non-member. Two days from 9am to 4.30 am on Saturday 18^th and 25^{th Sept}. Booking is essential.

This is a full and very thorough introductory course to bee keeping from two very experienced tutors!

Yet again I have to announce a cancellation of the coming AGM on Saturday 21, because of Covid.

All officers of the club will maintain their present status until the AGM date is reset.

I know you will share my frustration as we seem to have cancelled a number of events this last year or so because of weather

and Covid. This new form of Covid it is really quite deadly, and although the chances of it affecting the South Island is less than the North Island,

I cannot countenance having any of our member’s put in danger. You will be notified as soon as a clear path forward becomes available.

Attachments:

Attached are the minutes of the last committee meeting for your perusal. Any questions or suggestions please contact me by email (pod@xtra.co.nz).

In the second attachment you will find the rules pertaining to the club site (apiary). All persons on site must follow these, members or not!.

The third attachment is the actual club rules for all members.

As member’s, please ensure that you know and understand them and be able to assist Newbees! Also if you wish to have something added or changed

the next AGM is the place. So write up your suggestion or submission and send it to me or the secretary.

Honey Flow,

Are you ready? Boxes prepped, disease control ready? Refresh yourselves with the myriad of available written and electronic information and talk to other

experienced beekeepers within our club, the hive master for instance!. I feel that September will be clear start, though, I note my bees are already bringing pollen and nectar.

Yours

Paul O’Donnell

President

Update

Hello Team,

SORRY but the hive master informs me the apiary is awash with water.

It is pointless hoping for the best, therefore, tomorrow has been cancelled.

So folks see you all at the AGM .

Don’t forget to be thinking about any business you wish to bring forward, now is your chance!

Regards

Paul.

President.

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Cancelled

Well in two days’ time starting 10-30am we have our first Field Day of the new beekeeping season.

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Then, two weeks after that on the Saturday 21^st, will be our AGM!

The question, as usual, it seems is should we hold the field day as we are in a band of inclement weather?

Well, we have hive preparation work to do before the honey flow which is looming on the horizon! In fact I am not sure if my bees have gone

nuts because the temperature outside is dead on 9 Deg and they are flying straight and true directly into the South- West returning with loads pollen..

Apart from the four hives lost due to AFB the other two are looking fine and, this is the first time I have nearly got through winter without cold weather problems.

The brood boxes are wrapped and the hives are now about 230mm clear of the ground on pedestals.

And, we have also had a number of minus 6deg frosts in the paddock this year! I digress!

This Saturday will be held unless it is absolutely pouring down but the weather prognosis to date is for partly cloudy and 12degC.

Keep an eye out on the web page or this email for any possible changes. It is doubtful at the moment if we will open any hives.

Still, this is a critical time to prepare your hive(s)

The syllabus will be as follows:

Cleaning frames and boxes, repairing and painting.

Prepping hives for the honey flow and what you will need and do.

Discuss weather and variations: colony collapse.

Ventilation

Cleaning of equipment or disposal of.

In depth discussion on the new season.

AGM: have you put in a submission: what is a submission and why? This can be on voting or general items you want discussed.

I will post a confirmation again early Saturday morning and do check the web site as well.

Regards

Paul O’Donnell

President.

Thanks to all of those who came along at short notice to help.
Here are some of the jobs we worked on:

Looking forward to the start of the season Sat 7th Aug, 10.30am start.

Yours,

Jo Winter