Boston Area Beekeepers Association

Massachusetts Beekeepers Assoc Fall Meeting
2015-11-14 09:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York)
More information on www.massbee.org/meetings/2015-fall-meetingSpeaker: Don Hopkins – North Carolina Bee Inspector talks about colony inspections, diagnosis, and treatments of common ailments.Speaker: Ed and Marian Szymanski – talks about Massachusetts Honey Plants.
Time: 9:00AM – 3:30PM
Location: Red Apple Farm, Phillipston, Massachusetts
Lunch: King Phillip Restaurant – TBA
“MBA Honey Show” Enter your best honey and beeswax products.
Morning presentation “Apiary Inspection System in North Carolina” Considered a model inspection program, Don will provide an overview of the bee inspection program, and offer practical suggestion on how to evaluate a bee colony.
Afternoon presentation “Even Farther South: Bees in Bolivia”. Working with Dewey Caron and local beekeepers in Bolivia, Don will talk about his experiences and the importance of beekeepers taking responsibility for their bees.
Don Hpokins – became interested in bees at the age of 5, when beekeeper Dave Pruden was also the bread delivery driver in his neighborhood. He didn’t get a hive until he was nine or ten, but he has kept bees almost continuously since then. He joined the Morris County Beekeepers Association as a junior member, as well as the Somerset County 4-H Beekeeping Club. During his early years as a youth beekeeper he was inspired by New Jersey State Apiarist Jack Matthenius. As a senior member of the Morris county organization he served as program chair and then president of the MCSBA in the early 80s. He attended his first EAS meeting in Wooster Ohio in 1978.
After moving to North Carolina in 1988, Don started working for the NC Department of Agriculture in 1989 as a bee inspector. In 1994, he became the NCDA&CS State Apiarist. Joined the Apiary Inspectors of America in 1995. He was president of AIA in 2000 and 2010. At EAS, Don has presented several workshops, primarily on bee diseases. His primary interest is honey bee health and biology. The North Carolina inspection program is considered one of the best in the U.S. Don will discuss the NC program and the importance individual beekeepers make to a well organized inspection program.
Don has been on many volunteer projects to educate and learn from beekeepers in other countries. His trips to Bolivia have given him experience with Africanized Honey Bees and insight as to how the beekeepers there work with the bees. His observations will be part of his afternoon presentation at the Fall MBA meeting

BABA Nov 2015 Meeting
2015-11-10 18:00 - 21:00
Speaker: Nicolas Vidal-Nanuet, Veterinarian, Beekeeper, Author, NY Bee Sanctuary board member, visiting from France on book tour, author talk at 7pm with book signing to follow

Hands-On Workshop - Winter Hive Prep
2015-10-24 00:00 - 23:59
Hands-On Workshop – Winter Hive PrepSaturday, 10/24 (time TBD)Agricultural Hall, 245 Amory St, Jamaica Plain, MACome learn how, and actually build, components to help your bees overwinter successfully.Updates to this meeting will be posted as we get closer to the meeting date.

Beekeeping 101: An Introduction to Honey Bees as a Hobby
2015-10-17 13:00 - 16:00
Instructor: Sadie BrownMaximum # of Participants: 30
Cost: $25 for Mass Audubon members, $30 for non-members
Signup: BNC Website
Did you know that you can keep bees in your backyard? Even small urban yards (or roof tops) can play host to a hive of honey bees, and those who tend them can enjoy honey, beeswax, pollen and of course, the bees themselves.
In this three-hour workshop, you will learn what it takes to keep a busy, productive hive of bees happy. Learn where to get your bees, how to set up and maintain the hive, and what types of activities and time commitment are required throughout the year. This is a beginner’s course, so no previous knowledge is required. The workshop will include lots of time for Q&A, and is a good precursor to a more in-depth Bee School if you are uncertain whether keeping bees is right for you.

To register contact Boston Nature Center at 617-983-8500. An online registration link will be posted here as soon as it is available.
Directions: http://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-sanctuaries/boston-nature-center/directions)

BABA Oct 2015 Meeting
2015-10-13 18:30 - 19:30
This first meeting of the “slow season” will bring an opportunity for beekeepers new and old to gather, discuss highlights from – as well as issues they dealt with over – the summer, and concerns/questions we have going into the winter. We hope to see you there.Directions:The building we will be meeting in is the Perry and Marty Granoff Music Center (Granoff for short) at address is 20 Talbot Ave, Medford, MA, Room 155. There is a visitor parking lot at street level on the College Ave side of the building (despite what the signs say we have been told that parking after hours does not result in ticketing, but if you are nervous you may wish to park along the street or take public transportation). The closest T stop is Davis (off the red line) and the 94 and 96 buses both stop across the street from the building (College Ave @ Dearborn).

Backyard Beekeeping Workshop
2015-09-27 11:00 - 13:00
Ever want to keep honey bees, either for their delicious honey or simply the benefit of additional pollinators on your property? Learn the fundamentals of backyard honey bee care during this workshop hosted by experienced backyard beekeeper Joel Govostes. The program will cover topics including how to get hives started, how to maintain your hives throughout the different New England seasons, and honey harvesting.Tuition is $20 per person. Workshop is hosted by Wright-Locke Farm. Registration via wlfarm.org is REQUIRED (option to pay the day of the event is available).
Register: https://www.wlfarm.org/events/

Urban Agriculture Fair 2015
2015-09-27 10:00 - 14:00
It’s Fair time! The Urban Agriculture Fair returns to the Loring Greenough House (12 South Street, JP), on Sunday, 9/27, from 10am to 2pm, for another four hours of family fun and games, demonstrations, contests, and displays. Make apple cider (fresh and ‘hard’), watch bees tend their hive, pat a chicken, toss eggs, win prizes, and much more! And if you have garden goodies, kitchen concoctions, baked beauties, and other homemade/homegrown creations, enter them at the Judging Table for a chance to win swag, bragging rights, and ribbons (including the coveted “Pomme d’Or” gold ribbon)!

Beekeepers, bring along your smokers. The second annual Smoker Stoker contest is sure to be a nail-biter. If you can keep your smoker lit longer and stronger than anyone else, you take home a beautiful new Maxant (‘made in Mass’) hive tool!
For more information, see the Ag Hall website.

Preparing Your Beehive for Winter (Metro South session)
2015-09-19 14:00 - 16:00
Instructors: Rebecca Rosenblum (TBH) & Ed Karle (Master Beekeeper, Langstroth)Maximum # of Participants: 30
Cost: $5 for non-members
Signup: BNC Website
One of the greatest challenges to beekeeping in Massachusetts is getting colonies through the winter. Last year Eastern MA beekeepers lost over 50% of their colonies over the winter months; the bees (and beekeepers) need all the help they can get. Come learn from a panel of experienced local beekeepers the techniques they have used and found to be successful for overwintering. The panel will include beekeepers tending Langstroth and Top Bar Hives (all of whom have successfully overwintered their hives). This session will be indoors and include guidance on how to prepare your hive for winter, with time for Q & A after the panel discussion.
To register contact Boston Nature Center at 617-983-8500. An online registration link will be posted here as soon as it is available.
Directions: http://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-sanctuaries/boston-nature-center/directions)

Preparing Your Beehive for Winter (Metro North session)
2015-09-15 18:00 - 20:00
Panelists: Anita Deeley (TBH & Langstroth) & Mel Gadd (Warre, TBH & Langstroth)Suggested donation of $5
One of the greatest challenges to beekeeping in Massachusetts is getting colonies through the winter. Last year Eastern MA beekeepers lost over 50% of their colonies over the winter months; the bees (and beekeepers) need all the help they can get. Come learn from a panel of experienced local beekeepers the techniques they have used and found to be successful for overwintering. The panel will include Anita Deeley of Beverly Bees (and one of the state’s Apiary Inspectors) and Mel Gadd of Clumsy Dog Apiary. These beekeepers have experience tending and overwintering Langstroth, Warre and Top Bar Hives. This session will be indoors and include guidance on how to prepare your hive for winter, with time for Q & A after the panel discussion.
The building we will be meeting in is the Perry and Marty Granoff Music Center (Granoff for short); its address is 20 Talbot Ave, Medford, MA and we will be in Room 155. There is a visitor parking lot on the College Ave side of the building. The closest T stop is Davis (off the red line) and the 94 and 96 buses both stop across the street from the building (College Ave @ Dearborn).

Honey Harvest
2015-09-12 10:00 - 12:00
Instructors: Bill Perkins and Boston Area BeekeepersMaximum # of Participants: 25
Cost: $5 for non-members
Signup: BNC Website
Harvest & process honey with us from comb to jar. This family-friendly workshop will involve a discussion of where honey comes from and its various uses in different cultures, while engaging participants in the process of extracting this liquid gold from the comb. During the event we will reflect on the honey bees’ year’s work, dip our fingers for a licking experience of our very own, and taste test various honeys. This participatory workshop will cover the full cycle of extraction, including cleanup.
To register contact Boston Nature Center at 617-983-8500. An online registration link will be posted here as soon as it is available.
Directions: http://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-sanctuaries/boston-nature-center/directions)

Tufts Research Apiary Visit 2015
2015-08-12 18:00 - 20:00
Join us for a tour of the Tufts University bee research field site. Rachael Bonoan, Kelsey Graham and Nick Dorian are Tufts students researching bees in the Boston area. They are excited to take us on a tour of their apiaries and introduce us to the research they are conducting, including investigations on honey bee nutrition and brood development, bumble bee population dynamics and how an invasive bee (the wool carder bee) affects foraging behavior of a native bumble bee.We will meet right across from the Tufts University Steve Tisch Sports & Fitness Center (161 College Ave, Medford, MA) and then head over to the field site together. At the field site, we will get a chance to check out 14 different field bumble bee hives (for those who were able to come last year, there are a lot more bumbles this year!), 1 lab-reared bumble bee hive (if all goes well), and 7 observation honey bee hives. Call or text Rachael @ 401.440.8039 if you need to get in touch last-minute.
Link to MeetUp: https://www.meetup.com/Boston-Area-Beekeeping-Association/events/

The Buzz About Bees
2015-07-20 19:00 - 20:00
Learn why bees are critical for food production, why they are dying and what you can do to help save them, while learning more about beekeeping in the Boston area.

Mass Bee Annual Field Day
2015-06-20 09:00 - 15:00
Participants can choose from twenty-four, one hour beekeeping workshops. The event is FREE to all beekeepers, butregistration is required for this special all-day event. You are highly encouraged to pre-register. For those interested,we have arranged to have coffee and muffins for purchase in the morning. Also, we will have a BBQ lunch available for$10 each. The lunch must be pre-ordered on the registration form below. In addition, ice cream will be available forpurchase at the event following lunch.A schedule of speakers will be provided at the event. Workshop topics will be appropriate for all, from beginners toadvanced beekeepers. This is a live bee event, so we strongly recommend participants bring protective clothing andwear veils while presenters are working hives. This is a policy of MBA and we want everyone to safely enjoy Field Day.Because the event takes place in an open field, it can get hot. It is a good idea to bring a folding chair, sun screen, a hat,and plenty of water.
We will have Better Bee, Brushy Mountain Bee Farm, and Mann Lake selling beekeeping equipment at the event. If youplace an order with them in advance, they can bring it to the event saving you a lot on shipping. Plan ahead and placeyour order with these vendors!
This event is a collaborative effort with the University of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Beekeepers Association andthe Franklin County Beekeepers.
Registration is required for this special day long beekeeper event. It is highly recommended that you pre-register beforecoming to the event. Late registrations will be taken on the day of the event from 8:30am – 9am. Early registrationmust be in by June 15th. Registration is FREE to all beekeepers including non-club members. Please note: you must signin at the event when you arrive. Down load Registration Form here.

An Introduction To Bees And Beekeeping
2015-06-10 18:00 - 20:00
Did you know that you can enjoy honey, beeswax, pollen, and the miracle of bees in your own backyard? Yards of all sizes, and even rooftops, are often excellent locations for urban beehives. Working with bees is tremendously enjoyable, and a healthy hive can produce several gallons of delicious, healthful honey every year. In this workshop, gain an introduction to the fascinating world of the honeybee, and learn what it takes to keep a busy, productive hive of bees happy. Learn where to get bees of your own, how to set up and maintain a hive, and what types of activities and time commitment are required throughout the year for an urban beekeeper. Our second session will include a hive visit in Roxbury; details to be discussed in class.More information and signup…

The Buzz about Bees
2015-06-06 13:00 - 15:30
Learn about the importance of honey bees from art, experts, and local preservation organizations in the community. This buzz-filled event is inspired by Jarret Mellenbruch’s Haven sculptures in the Park.1–3 pm: Community OrganizationsDrop in to chat with local preservation organizations including Middlesex County Beekeepers’ Association, People Protecting Pollinators, Little Beehive Farm of Holliston, and the Watertown Friends of Bees.
1:30 pm: Talk with Dr. Noah Wilson-RichJoin an informative and lively conversation about the declining bee population with Dr. Noah Wilson-Rich, founder of The Best Bees Company, author of The Bee: A Natural History, and dynamic TED talk speaker.
2:30 pm: Dialogue with Brynmore Williams and Rachael BonoanIn partnership with Catalyst Conversations, an organization founded in 2012 to open a critical path for dialogue between the arts and sciences, Brynmore Williams and Rachael Bonoan discuss their respective interest in and mutual admiration for bees. An urban beekeeper and documentary filmmaker, Williams is fascinated by the sound of bees. Bonoan is a PhD candidate and researcher who studies how nutrition affects honeybees’ immune systems.
For more information, see their website.

Jacqueline Freeman presents The Song of Increase
2015-05-28 19:00 - 21:00
Follow the Honey is delighted and honored to host treatment free beekeeper, biodynamic farmer & author, Jacqueline Freeman, whose recently published, “A Song of Increase: Returning to our Sacred Relationshiop with Honey Bees” has met with rave accolades for its poetic prose, critical insights & prescient message.Please join Follow the Honey for a talk, book signing & light refreshments.
Jacqueline Freeman has been stewarding bees since 2004. In her first year, she attended bee school where beekeepers were taught to douse their bees with chemical treatments and pinch (kill) the queen each year. She instinctively knew that was not the route she wanted to take. She committed herself to treatment-free beekeeping, seeking ways to recreate the natural methods bees use to maintain good health.

Even with good intentions, she lost all her bees the first few years. Back then there wasn’t as much support for clean beekeeping and it was hard to find books and discussion groups that put the needs of bees first, but she managed to find a few. Meanwhile, she spent thousands of hours watching her bees, hoping to unravel the mysteries of responsible beekeeping.
After many years of bee study, she began to see subtleties in their behavior and to grasp larger lessons about the colonies themselves. She learned to be quiet and listen, watching them for hours on end, asking the bees how to care for them and what would help them thrive. She sometimes saw images in her mind that included information she had never read or known. She carefully recorded her notes and began to realize the bees were indeed communicating with her. Gradually, a richer understanding of bees emerged.
Honeybees were once thought of as heavenly messengers, an expression of the wisdom in the universe, a spark of cosmic consciousness and a gift to the world. When bees became a commodity of modern agriculture, this deeper understanding of their true nature was lost. Right now honeybees are in crisis; their populations dwindling at alarming rates. Prevailing attitudes and conventional beekeeping methods are designed to make beekeeping easier for humans, but not all of these methods are bee friendly.
Now a new, more compassionate movement is emerging. Asking first, “What is best for the bees?,” caring beekeepers are questioning human-centric methods and finding new principles to guide their bee care.
Jacqueline has been treatment-free for more than a decade and her hives are strong. She listens to the bees, observes their behavior and interactions to understand what goes on in the hive and how best to support them. She treats bees with respect and gratitude. This bee-centered approach re-establishes a reverent and respectful relationship with them and a meaningful manner of interacting with them.
Jacqueline’s book, “The Song of Increase: Returning to Our Sacred Partnership with Honeybees,” contains her observations and communications with the bees. This is not a typical user’s guide to beekeeping, rather it offers unique insights that inform and inspire, and in so doing, fundamentally alters our relationship to, and understanding of, bees in ways that help ensure their survival. Her talk is full of gorgeous images and recordings of bee life.
Originally from Massachusetts, Jacqueline has lived in Washington state for the past 25 years where she and her husband are biodynamic farmers.

Slovenian Hives and Beekeeper Tours to Slovenia
2015-05-19 18:30 - 19:30
Join us in learning about how bees are kept in Slovenia, the beautiful alpine country that is home to the Carniolan honey bee and has earned the nickname “Beekeeper of Europe”! In their presentation, Suzanne Brouillette and Mark Simonitsch (of the Barnstable County Beekeeper’s Association) will discuss the unique Slovenian hive and the Slovenian beekeeping tour they led in September 2014. They are also going to bring a Slovenian hive to show us how it works.When:Tuesday, May 19, 6:30 pm
Where: Tufts University, Granoff Music Center, Room 15520 Talbot Ave, Medford, MA
Transportation: Red Line (Davis Square), 96 (College Ave @ Dearborn Rd), 94 (College Ave @ Dearborn Rd), or by car (visitor parking available!)

The Birds and the Bees
2015-04-18 00:00 - 23:59
The Nave Gallery Annex (Somerville, MA) invites artists to participate in the curated exhibition The Birds and the Bees.The buzz of bees, the chirping of birds, vibrantly colored flowers, and green tender shoots pushing up from barren ground are dreamed of promises during these cold winter months. Rest assured, spring will come again, and with it:
Pollination!
The Birds and the Bees exhibition invites artists to explore and celebrate fecundity in all its guises. 2 and 3-D work as well as small mixed media installations which explore this topic literally, poetically, figuratively or metaphorically are welcome for consideration along with imagery exclusively of birds, or exclusively bees.
Brush up on bee lore, botanical illustration, nest building techniques, avian husbandry, honey hunting or ornithological sleights of hand. What might it all mean? Waggle dances? Colony Collapse disorder?
BUT then again-
Maybe it’s all just about LOVE, SWEET LOVE!

GUIDELINES:
– $15 entry fee payable through PayPal
– A maximum of 3 pieces may be entered for consideration
– Submissions will be accepted through February 20, 2015
– The Nave Gallery will retain a 30% commission for work sold
– Artist is responsible for cost of shipping work to and from the gallery
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR WORK:-Send up to three artwork submissions as .jpg files to info@navegallery.org.
-Each .jpg should be 1200 pixels in the long dimension and named as “NAME_#.jpg” where # is the submission number and NAME is your last nam
-Include an image list with your jpeg submission email, indicating submission number, title, size, process and year, as well as a brief artist bio and statement
-There is a $15 submission fee, payable through Paypal. Paypal is available here. Please include “Birds and Bees” in the memo
Accepted pieces should be delivered to the Nave Gallery Annex located in Davis Square (53 Chester St, Somerville, MA) ready to install.
CALENDARDeadline for entries: Friday, February 20, 2015Notification: Sunday, March 15, 2015Artwork drop-off: TBAExhibition dates: April 18-May 10, 2015Opening reception: TBD

ABOUT THE CURATORAnnie Silverman is a printmaker, book artist and urban beekeeper. She is the proprietor of ABRAZOS PRESS, a teaching and professional print shop in Somerville, MA. She has been a part-time teacher at Mass College of Art and Design in Boston for over 20 years. Annie has been working with imagery concerning birds and bees since 2007. Her print and wire installation: VANISHING POLLINATORS, about bees and hummingbirds, has been exhibited at Brickbottom Artist Gallery in Somerville, The Boston Public Library, and at Holy Cross College in Worcester, MA. Annie is also an avid urban gardener, and was Somerville Artist of the Month in September 2013. Her artist books and prints have been exhibited nationally and internationally, most recently in Naples, Italy, Utrecht, Holland, and Peterborough, NH

BABA to "Follow The Honey” on Tanzania Nyuki Safari
2015-04-16 19:00 - 20:30
We are excited to invite you to join mother-daughter apis melliferous team, Mary & Caneen Canning, as they share their “honey for humanity” social entrepreneurship journey into the heart of Africa, bringing home wild Tanzania Asali.

The evening will kick off with light refreshments & a short video vignette featuring traditional to modern beekeeping in Tanzania, followed by Mary & Caneen sharing their journey to help alleviate poverty through “honey money” in alignment with Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda and business partner, David Camara, CEO of Tanzania National Beekeeping Supplies; a partnership forged to demonstrate how community based resource management protects wildlife and the environment while returning profit to human stewards.

Their mutually held mission establishing sustainable beekeeping practices, utilizing modern equipment with traditional methods, is meant to empower local farmers’ entry into the global marketplace. Thus Follow The Honey has partnered with New York based architects Jaklitsch/Gardner to build the first state-of-the-art USDA certified facility in Dodoma, Tanzania. For the uninitiated, “nyuki” is Swahili for bee and “asali” is Swahili for honey. Haba na haba hujaza asali kibaba. [Little by little fills the honey pot.]

Do join us for a “hakuna matata” of an evening promising to be rich in cross-cultural bee education sweetened with tastes of molasses-like Tanzania miombo blossom honey.

DIRECTIONS: Follow the Honey is just a short walk from the Harvard T stop. For those who drive please note that Cambridge parking meters go until 8pm, so bring your quarters!

Urgent Meeting Re: Cambridge Beekeeping Regulation Recommendations
2015-04-13 18:30 - 19:30
Cambridge wants to push forward with a city ordinance on beekeeping and has set a deadline of Friday, April 17th by which he would like local beekeepers’ input regarding what the regulations in Cambridge should be. BABA is therefore convening an urgent meeting on this topic to garner community input from all who would like to have a say in this important issue! We will be circulating a draft letter of regulation recommendations in advance of the meeting on April 13th. A link to it will be posted here once available, as well as to our google group, so please stay tuned for further details.
Help us edit this document to be presented to the City of Cambridge.

Swarm Management: An intermediate level beekeeping workshop
2015-04-11 12:30 - 15:30
FREE, but space is limited so PLEASE PRE-REGISTER via Mass Audubon: http://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/program-catalog#program:sanctuary=21:keywords=Swarm:program_code=39819
This intermediate level beekeeping workshop will discuss the causes of and reasons for honeybee swarms, how to manage and reduce the swarm impulse in your own hives, and what to do if you notice swarming behavior in your colonies.

If weather and time permit, we may head outside to the apiary. Please wear long pants, closed toe shoes, and bring your veil if you have one.

Instructor: Nancy Mangion, experienced beekeeper and owner of Beekeepers Warehouse in Woburn, MA

FREE of charge. However, raw local honey will be for sale, so bring some spending money if you’d like some.

An Introduction to Bees and Beekeeping
2015-03-22 09:30 - 12:30
Did you know that you can enjoy honey, beeswax, pollen and the miracle of bees right in your backyard? Urban yards (and even rooftops) are often excellent locations for beehives. Aside from the fact that a healthy hive can produce several gallons of delicious, healthful honey every year, working with bees is tremendously enjoyable.
In this one-session introductory workshop you will gain an introduction to the fascinating world of the honeybee. We will talk about what it takes to keep a busy, productive hive of bees happy; where to get bees of your own; how to set up and maintain a hive; and what types of activities and time commitment are required throughout the year. This is a beginner’s workshop, so no previous knowledge is required. The workshop will include time for Q&A, and a honey tasting.

Instructors: Stephanie Elson and Sadie Richards
Cost: $25 for Mass Audubon members, $30 for non-members
Online Registration now open for the Class.

2015 Spring Mass Bee Meeting
2015-03-14 09:00 - 16:00
Coolidge Hall (see #22 on map)
http://massbee.org/meetings/2015-spring-meeting

Speakers:
David Tarpy via webinar- Professor and Extension Apiculturist, North Carolina State University
Jarrod Fowler, M.Sc. – instructor of Entomological Horticulture, UMass Amherst
Bryn Clark, from New Harmony Center for Health & Wellness
Lunch can be purchased for $10 at the door. Soup and cold cut sandwiches.

Worcester County Beekeepers All Day Meeting
2015-03-07 08:00 - 16:00
They have two of the nations premier apiary scientists for this meeting in order for all of us to advance our beekeeping knowledge and skills. Dr. Spivak and Dr. Finstrom are both outstanding speakers and are a wealth of knowledge. They will be able to answer your advanced questions on honeybees and fill you in on current research to save our bees. For more information, see the WCBA website.
Note WCBA members get free admission, but there is a fee of $10 for non-members.
Agenda:
8 A.M.-9 A.M.-Free Coffee and Danish and Bee Talk (Free to all WCBA Members-Others $10 registration fee)
9 A.M. Opening-Norm Mercier, President WCBAIntroduction of Speakers-Ken Warchol
9AM-10:15 A.M.- Dr. Marla Spivak(see bio below)Topic: Ratchet,Hatchet,Pivot: The Bees Perspective: A historical perspective about the decline in bee populations and what is being done and can be done to reverse the trend
10:15-10:30- Break
10:30-12 Noon-Dr Mike Simone Finstrom(see bio below)Topic: Propolis and Honey Bees: What is the use of resin in the hive(see enhancent of talk below)
12Noon-1 P.M.-Lunch (Must be pre-ordered by March 1 on form below)
1P.M.-2:15 P.M.-Dr. Marla SpivakTopic: Good News and Research from Minnesota: A potpourri of very cool current research findings in my lab with graduate students and of legislative efforts to support pollinators
2:15P.M.-3:30 P.M.-Dr. Mike Simone FinstromTopic: Bees Defending the Hive: Interaction Between Individual and Social Community(See further description below)
3:30 P.M.-4:P.M. Raffle and Wrap up

Lunch (non-vegetarian option only) is an additional $15 and must be pre-registered for by March 1, 2015
You do not have to pre-register to attend this event unless you would like to buy a lunch.

If you do not wish to pay for lunch, you may bring your own or go to nearby restaurants.
Lunch Form (Must be emailed to Ken Warchol at kenwarchol2[at]msn.com by March 1, 2015)
Name:____________________________
Number of lunches Ordered___@$15 each=Total remitted to WCBA $___________”

Mike Simone-Finstrom
USDA NIFA Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Department of Entomology
NC State University
Campus Box 7613Raleigh, NC 27695

Research Website

BIO:Originally from Southern Maryland, Mike has found himself North Carolina for a large part of his academic career. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with degrees in Marine Biology and English. Then he went to the University of Minnesota to earn his PhD in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, where he fell in love with the wonders of honey bees. He pioneered a line of research with Dr. Marla Spivak regarding how and why bees collect plant resins and use them as propolis in the hive. Since 2011, Mike has been working back in North Carolina with David Tarpy (NC State University). Mike has worked on a number of different projects including a collaboration with NC State and Olav Rueppell (UNC-Greensbroro) to understand stress resistance in honey bees. He also completed a USDA Postdoctoral Research Fellowship to conduct research on the interactions between individual immunity and social, behavioral immunity in honey bees. As part of this large-scale project, he has examined the integrative effects of propolis, grooming, hygienic behavior, genetic diversity and honey bee physiology on colony health. More recently, Mike has further expanded his research program and began a collaborative project with NC State and Tim Linksvayer (University of Pennsylvania) to understand the sociogenomics of queen quality. The overarching goal of all of his projects tends to relate to how honey bees can be made stronger, healthier and more productive using their own natural defenses and traits.

Talk 1
Propolis and honey bees: What’s the use of resin in the hive?
Honey bees defend themselves and their colonies against parasites using various tactics. One exciting and poorly understood behavior that has potential benefits to colony health is the incorporation of plant resins into the hive architecture as propolis. He will share information on the natural history of resin use by honey bees and explain some recent research relevant to beekeepers concerning the health benefits that honey bees may gain from using resin.

2nd Talk option 1
Defending the Hive: Interactions between individual and social immunity
An in-depth study looking at the interactions between individual immunity and social, behavioral immunity in honey bees. As part of this large-scale project, I examined the integrative effects of propolis, grooming, hygienic behavior, genetic diversity and honey bee physiology on colony health. Really the goals of this project were to understand if there are any trade-offs between the different types of defenses that bees use and how bees invest in these different defenses. Once we have a better idea of this, we can use this for more informative breeding programs, etc. This talk would be an extension of Talk 1, in that it then expands upon the other defenses honey bees use.

2nd Talk option 2
Breeding for quality: Assessing morphological and genetic variation of queens across strains of honey bees
This talk would be on research that I’m currently working on as we speak. We’re trying to characterize what the natural variation is among queens from different commercial stocks (Russian, Carniolan, MN Hygienic, VSH and Italian) from both hive reared queens and queens that we rear completely in the lab. We’re also trying to determine the genetic component of larvae that become queens, both hive reared and those reared in the lab.

Marla Spivak
Marla Spivak is a MacArthur Fellow and McKnight Distinguished Professor in Entomology at the University of Minnesota. Her research efforts focus on protecting the health of all bees, breeding bees for their natural defenses against diseases and parasites, and propagating floral rich and pesticide-free landscapes to support the nutrition, health and diversity of bee pollinators.
Marla’s Talks:
1. “Ratchet, Hatchet, Pivot: The Bees’ Perspective” : A historical perspective about the decline in bee populations and what is being done, and can be done, to reverse the trend.
2. “Good news and new research from Minnesota” : A potpourri of very cool current research findings by graduate students in my lab, and of legislative efforts to support pollinators in Minnesota

“Delicate Balance” - Traditional Swarm Management with Ken Warchol
2015-02-27 19:00 - 20:30
In this presentation, Ken Warchol (Worcester County Beekeepers Association President) will discuss the dynamics and signs in the beehive that beekeepers should recognize in order to prevent swarming and then prescribe options that beekeepers can take to prevent an emerging swarm, particularly in congested neighborhoods. After decades of swarm prevention, Ken has recognized that there are clear-cut signs from early in the process right up to the point of swarm emergence that he will present in a visual power point presentation. This talk is a must particularly for the urban beekeeper. Ken will also present some pretty amazing swarm stories from his 60+ years of beekeeping and inspecting.Meeting location: Geological Museum Building, 24 Oxford Street, Haller Hall/Room 102 (nextdoor to the Harvard Natural History Museum)
Ken is a 6th generation beekeeper going back to Poland. He was introduced to beekeeping early on in life. After college and a stint in the army, Ken started teaching and coaching at Northbridge High School and remained there for 37 years until he retired in 2009. He started as a seasonal apiary inspector in Massachusetts in 1976 and has been in the position ever since inspecting beehives all over Massachusetts in addition to managing his own 120 colonies. In 2009, Ken was called upon by the USDA to help Dr. Jeff Pettis of the Beltsville Bee Lab run a 40 colony study in the Asian Longhorn Beetle Quarantine area to see the effects of tree injection on honeybees and he worked on that study until 2013. Dr. Lu of Harvard called upon Ken in 2009 as well to help direct a study on the effects of neonics on honeybees for 5 years which he still is at. In a recent symposium at the Ratcliffe Institute at Harvard, Ken was asked to do a presentation to a worldwide group of beekeepers,scientists and regulators on what he has seen in his inspections over the last 5 years. Ken has been actively involved in the Worcester County Beekeepers Association since 1950 as Vice President,President, Program Director and Bee School Director. He has been a Massachusetts Beekeeper of the Year and has received a number of other awards. Needless to say that Ken is involved in bees up to his ears.

BABA Jan/Feb 2015 Meeting
2015-02-17 00:00
Local Bee Research Update – Tufts UniversityRachael Bonoan, Kelsey Graham and Natalie Kerr are Tufts graduate students researching bees in the Boston area. We are thrilled that, after touring us around their field research sites last summer, these scientists have offered to share the findings of their recent research with us! Kelsey and Rachael will both be talking about their research which was featured in this Tufts Now article and Natalie will be discussing bumble bee population dynamics.
Slides from Natalie Kerr, Rachael Bonoan and Kelsey Graham at Tufts Crone Lab
Logistics (UPDATED)
Tufts University, Perry and Marty Granoff Music Center, Room 15520 Talbot Ave, Medford, MA
There is a visitor parking lot on the College Ave side of the building. The closest T stop is still Davis (15 min walk off the red line) and the 94 and 96 buses both stop across the street from the building (College Ave @ Dearborn).We’ll be in Granoff room 155.

Organic Bee School
2015-01-22 19:30 - 21:00
We will cover the basic techniques of “organic” beekeeping, including materials and equipment, beehive structure, the life cycle of bees, hive development and dynamics, seasonal apiary work, honey and hive products, common pests and diseases, and organic hive management “organic” hive management (with an emphasis on treatment-free and ecologically-friendly management techniques). We will taste local and varietal honeys, and learn about harvesting and using bee products. You will learn everything you need to know to set up your own backyard apiary!

DATE & TIME: Six consecutive Thursday evenings, January 22rd – February 26th, 7:30pm – 9:00pm. There will also be a hands-on field date in April, date TBD.Space is limited! Register today! Pre-registration required.
Cost: $165** COURSE FEE INCLUDES A HANDS-ON WORKSHOP ON A DATE TBD IN APRIL
Course books will be provided on the day of the class, for an additional $12
Course instructors: Stephanie Elson and Sadie Richards are on the Steering Committee of the Boston Area Beekeepers Association (www.bostonbeekeepers.org), and organizers of the Tour de Hives (an annual bike tour of Boston’s urban apiaries). Together with other area beekeepers, they operate a ‘Teaching Apiary’ at the Boston Nature Center. Stephanie has been keeping bees for 6 years. She runs The Benevolent Bee (www.thebenevolentbee.com), a local business selling honey, candles, and other handcrafted bee products. Sadie is a 5th year beekeeper. She keeps her bees at the Leland Street Community Garden, at the Boston Nature Center, and at her home in Melrose, MA. She is on the Board of Classroom Hives (www.classroomhives.org), an organization that has been placing observation hives in classrooms in the Boston area since 2001. Guest lecturers will also visit the class on occasion. Both Stephanie and Sadie trained in beekeeping under local organic beekeeper, Jean-Claude Bourrut.

NOFA Mass Winter Conference
2015-01-10 00:00 - 23:59
Interested in organic farming, backyard gardening, or food justice? Don’t miss the NOFA/Mass Winter Conference on January 10 at Worcester State University.Featuring 70 workshops on: beekeeping (Breeding Honeybees with Bonita & Dan Conlon of Warm Colors Apiary and Beekeeping for Beginners with Sanne Kure-Jensen), vegetable production, health, livestock, skill building and lots more.
More information at www.nofamass.org/winterconference

Meet the Author: THE BEE : A Natural History
2014-12-14 16:00 - 18:00
Enjoy an informal meeting with Author Dr. Noah Wilson-Rich.
Complimentary light refreshments will be served and limited copies of his book are for sale on site so be the first to get yours.

This book takes an incomparable look at this astounding diversity, blending an engaging narrative with practical, hands-on discussions of such topics as beekeeping and bee health. It explores our relationship with the bee over evolutionary time, delving into how it came to be, where it stands today, and what the future holds for humanity and bees alike.

The book also contains a wealth of information for would-be beekeepers on the benefits of backyard hives and practical advice on how to get started. There is mounting evidence that bees (honey, bumble, and others) are bioindicators and that their population decline indicates larger ecological, environmental, and agricultural concerns. Getting a 360˚ picture of the past, present, and future of bees in the world is an important first step to tackling these larger issues and, in this respect,THE BEE is an invaluable resource.
If you are curious about beekeeping, THE BEE provides a quick overview of the basics whether your goals are to generate honey for consumption or simply to provide homes for new populations of bees. Wilson-Rich is the founder of The Best Bees Company and there are few people who could provide better advice or a more comprehensive understanding of this hobby.
THE BEE: A Natural History is the most accessible source of information about all bee species, written for non-scientists by some of the world’s leading bee experts and researchers. This book is for everybody.

Class: Print, Wax, Poke & Stitch
2014-10-21 18:30 - 21:00
FALL CLASS OFFERINGS AT ABRAZOS PRESS:Gain new skills, or just try something out of the ordinary to gather your acorns for the winter!
1. THE LAYERED PRINT: 6 alternate Wednesday evenings Starting : Oct.1
2. PRINT,WAX, POKE & STITCH: Dimensional Prints: 4 sequential Tuesday Evenings: Starting : Oct. 21.
3. IMPROVISATIONAL WOODCUT: 6 alternate Tuesday mornings : Starting : Oct. 21
Evening classes are from 6-9:30PM, Mornings: 9:30-1PM
BEGINNERS are heartily welcomed and applauded for trying new things. Classes are small and individually oriented.
FULL CLASS Descriptions,costs and registration information at: ABRAZOSPRESS.com
More information about Annie is available at her web site: anniesilverman.com
