Tag: field-day

Saturday 6.5.23. a 9.30am start. It’s time to plant the last of the plants to bed them in over winter. Enjoy and celebrate our successes with the Honey Show.

We have to check the hives for disease, remove varroa strips if necessary, clean up frames and feed the bees. Going into the hives is weather dependent but we will be meeting.

Bring your honey, wax and mead for the honey show on Saturday. Check the website for details or contact a committee member if you have any queries. But come and have a go! Beginners very welcome.

There’ll be a BBQ for lunch. We also love it when you can bring along a treat to share. 

Nomination forms for standing on the and committee will be there and we’ll be encouraging you to help your club and share your knowledge and expertise  by joining.

There are also conferences coming up soon and of course our 60th anniversary dinner. Please do come along to our big night!

We’ll be starting back on the first Sat in Aug. There are 2 beginners days planned to start the year; part 1 on the 22.7.23 part 2.  9.9.23(to be confirmed). 

The AGM will be held on the 19th of Aug check the website for more details.

During June and July we leave the grounds to rest and it’s time for us to put our feet up after a busy and satisfying beekeeping year. We’re looking forward to see you all there Saturday.

La dolce vita,

Jo Winter

Inventive, genius at it’s best! We had so much fun. Here’s a taster of some of the brilliant ideas that our creative members came up with and demonstrated at our ‘Gadget Day’

I will also share the three winners. Peter Heeringa came first, Andy second with the repurposed pet water bowl and Lee came third with the gauze bag to protect others from bees when they are close by, either gardening or allergic visitors.

• Jeff Robinson
  • propolis collector
• Gordon Nairn
  • top feeder- 4x 2 litres
  • wasp guard
• Bronny Kirkwood
  • easy wedge tool
• Kevin Gates
  • lifting tool
• Andy McGill
  • protection for nucs etc while transporting in the car.
  • Repurposed pet water bowl for bees
• Peter Heeringa
  • small power tool run honey extractor
• Jeff Chandler
  • toothpick and hole idea in your varroa strips
• Brian Pilley
  • stacking base for collecting honey supers
• Murray Baxendale
  • hive tool holder and hive porch roof
• Skippy Liddicoat
  • swarm vacuum 
• Lee Carmichael

This was a day when we could all learn something new. Even those of  us who get a little lost when the talk turns to different types of vices’s – and some of us only get as far as thinking -GIN?

We are all planning our new inventions for the next ‘Gadget Day’  and looking forward to similar events.

I’d like to welcome all our members to the September Field Day, the second of our season. It will include a BBQ, gluten free sausages will be available. It would be great if you would bring along some other food to share as well.

The programme for the day is focusing on Varroa mite. 

How do you detect evidence of an infestation in your hive before it’s too late?

There will be demonstrations and practical participation to help you learn the skills you need to stop varroa in its tracks.

• varroa checks by sugar shakes, alcohol wash, sticky boards (and how to make them) and how to spot varroa on your bees or evidence that your hive has been infested.
• treatment options will be discussed
• we will be opening all the hives – weather permitting
• we will also be checking for diseases
• checking all frames for the season ahead and replacing frames to give the bees a clean foundation to build on and allow space for food and brood
• we will have reminders of how to clean your tools and also how to light a smoker so it will stay working while you are in the hive.

It will be great to see old and new members down at the site on Saturday. Early birds (9.30) to help out onsite.

To All Members,

As president of our club, after consultation with some members, some emails received and given

the current state of affairs in regard to Covid, I have come to the conclusion that we must cancel the Field Day this coming Saturday.

Ara and the university are suffering an outbreak of Omnicom and Covid, as indeed are a number of people in gathering places both in Christchurch and other towns. Over 100,000 people to date have been recorded with this disease in NZ. Some members are definitely nervous.

As your President I have made the arbitrary call to protect our members: no matter how insignificant the risk is by wearing masks and social distancing.

I alone will be held responsible for this call. Even if you are vaccinated you can still pass this disease on, particularly to children etc.

If you have a bee problem, or wintering down query, call Hive Master Gordon Nairn 0275389568 or any member or myself.

Be Safe!

Paul O’Donnell

President.

As promised I have waited till this afternoon to post the notice for tomorrow’s Field Day..

You will be well aware that the forecast is for rain starting at 7am approx. at 60% chance of precipitation working up to 80% by 12P.M

Gordon our hive master has offered the following to members:

“12th February is our Field Day and again the rain ️️️ is forecast.

But still work has to be done.

We have jars to be bagged up @ 50 per bag and they are 250ml for sale at the Club…$30.00 per bag.

We can talk about treatments for the hives how to use them.

No doubt some questions to ask.

Good news is 5th March next club Day hopefully a fine day.

Thanks Gordon,

Hive master for the Club.”

The grounds are quite soft so wear good boots. There are a lot of midges because of the wet conditions,

They can cause quite an itch so wear long pants and bring some dimp…..just in case! You will still need to show your pass as usual and wear a face covering

even if you are working in the container with people.

Beeline will not be attending but ring Brian on 0272456427 to place an order.

Also, subs are due and Kerry will be accepting them as time is nearly up!

WOULD COMMITTEE MEMBERS please txt/email me that you will or won’t be attending. Unfortunately I cannot attend but our V.P Jo Winter will be.

Regards All

Paul O’Donnell

President.

Beeline Supplies will be back – if you’re needing any gear check out their website and get ready to pre-order.

As a club raffle fundraiser, drawn on the day, Maggie James has generously donated a caged mated laying queen. Good temperament, good brood pattern.

Available to members – Bayvarol strips in packs of four strips (enough to treat a two story hive) at $10.00 per pack. Available at club field day on a first come first served basis, Cash only on the day.

Dinner on Thursday 13th of May at Ara’s restaurant Visions a three course meal for $45.00 per person see Dave Spice for more details.

What a great day for our final Field Day of the year! There was a great turn out of members new and old to enjoy all the activities in action on Saturday.

If you wanted to try your hand at opening a hive, or check if you were testing for varroa to industry standards you had your chance to have a go, and ask questions.

Jeff R showed us how best to cut comb honey from our frames. Lindsay’s hoistable swarm collector was pretty amazing for it’s ingenuity and value as a tool to collect swarms from difficult places.

Topping it off was having our ‘LIfe-Members’ Kevin Gates and Jeff Chandler cutting our Xmas cakes donated by Dave Spice. Thanks again to all our members for making our Xmas Field Day so much fun.

Keep safe and have a wonderful Christmas, watch that your bees have enough water and food over the break, yours, Jo Winter Vice-President’

This Saturday the 5th of Dec is our Xmas Field Day

Start time 10.30am

Here’s the Saturday’s Programme:

• spinning honey
• cutting comb honey
• creaming honey
• swarm checks
• varroa checks
• AFB Checks
• Nuc Raffle – bring a gold coin

Bring something to eat to go with a BBQ, or something sweet for afterwards.
Looking forward to seeing everyone this Sat.