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Greetings Members

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.

Cancelled

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

Then, two weeks after that on the Saturday 21st, 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.

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Delighted with the progress at the working bee Saturday 31st July 8

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

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Thanks for the help at the working bee

Great working bee at the club site on Saturday 24th July 2021.

Gordon, Dave and Irene had us all helping to tidy up the site ready for the start of the season.

We needed all those gardeners and folk who came along today, to contribute to the club’s pruning, shifting slabs of paving, concreting, painting and a myriad of other jobs.

It was a fabulous example of what a team of members can do when we all pull together.

Our heartfelt thanks go out to all those who took time out of their day to come down and do what needs to be done.

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agm

AGM Saturday 21st August

AGM is on Sat 21st Aug at 1.00 p.m at Holy Trinity Church Hall, Jeffreys Road, Bryndwr, Christchurch. Nominations for positions on the committee are to be completed and returned to the Secretary Bronny Kirkwood bkirkwood@outlook.co.nz

Or to the Vice President Jo Winter at goarrow1@gmail.com.

We are also taking bookings for the next fundraising dinner at Visions to be held on Friday 17th September 2021. Thanks Dave Spice for organising this, the last event was a real success.

AFB Refresher Course (starting directly after the AGM)  You must click on the link and apply as usual to book your place. The cost is $10.00 for members.

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working bee

Working Bee postponed to 24th July

Working Bee postponed to Saturday 24th July 8.30pm – 3.00pm

Hi Team, 


SORRY EVERYONE but the working bee at the club has been cancelled for tomorrow.
I have left this for the last moment just in case we will miss the rain event. However, the weather office assures me that there will be a consistent amount of rain around the port hills and probably the city proper.
As I write Arthurs Pass is now closed due to slips.
The working be is postponed until next Saturday. I know you will be bitterly disappointed!

See you next week!

Paul O’Donnell
President.

So what needs doing? Can you spend an hour or so helping out to do just one of these tasks? I know you want to help so here’s our dream list to get done before the season starts:

  • Hoeing the gardens.. Keep those weeds down.
  • Staking up trees.
  • Popping in the plant signs.
  • Planting lavender etc.
  • Prune fruit trees.
  • Raking up leaves and acorns.
  • Removing dead branches – may need a ladder or saw/ loppers
  • Cover water tanks
  • Move paving stones for beehives
  • Rotary hoe and operator for new garden
  • Painting – brush handed wanted
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working bee

Working bee 22nd May

Greetings All

This coming Saturday is a Working Bee you might like to attend as a good club member.

The following jobs need to be attended:

  • Toilet hand rail and skirting to be painted and towel hooks and door stops fixed in place.
  • Connect water pipe to toilet tank system.
  • Prepare dining table area.
  • Signage and plastic cover on notice board needs to be removed using supplied heat gun (or bring your own) and meth’s.
  • Finish with a light sand of 250 grit. When done I will paint the whole board with 379 anti-graffiti urethane.
  • Water Irrigation to be added to.
  • Planting Borage and other plants.

Contact El Domo Gordon 0275389568 for further info.

So Roll Up, Roll Up and enjoy a cuppa tea and a natter with fellow members, and a wee bit o work!

Regards

Paul

President.

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field day

Last Field Day of the season 2021

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Coming up

  • The last field day of the season we’ll be having a BBQ, please bring salad or appropriate. The day will end with a short planting session, a mini working bee.
  • Help create our new hedge, we are asking you to bring your gardening gear to help with putting in a plant or two at the end of the session.
  • Saturday is all about good Queens, the best way to winter down and food for your bees oh yes another reminder to check for disease and investigate the new HiveHub.
  • Show Day Wed 10th – Fri 12th  is coming up where we present to the public and we’ll need folk on the stand to help during the day.  Can you offer a whole or half day? We start our preparations on Tuesday afternoon stacking the truck to take down our stall to the Show Grounds and have it up and ready to go for the start of the show on Wednesday. We also rely on club members to help to heft gear back on the truck and bring it to back to storage at the Hive Site on Friday afternoon.
  • Dinner out together -Be in quick to book your place at the dinner on Thursday 13th of May at 6.30pm  – Visions Restaurant three course meal $45.00 per person, drinks available but at your own cost. It’ll be great fun, we’d love to see as many of you along as possible.  Give your name to Dave Spice who’ll be cooking the sausages.
  • Mid winter meeting will be at Ara 1.00pm Sunday June 13th – watch for more details to be posted on the website.
  • AGM will have Marco speaking and there will be a Honey Show as well.
  • August 7th will be our first Field Day
  • Keep checking in to our website for any additional announcements – look out for a beginners course in June/July or a working bee in-between.

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