Bee Girl Comes to Boston
2017-10-21 12:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Over the last six years the Bee Girl organization has grown from one person with a passionate vision, love for bees, and two bee hives towed to Oregon from Montana in a uhall, to a thriving nonprofit organization with two staff members, three graduate student interns, seven directors, and a world-wide impact. Sarah Red-Laird, founder and executive director, will take you on the journey of her story, driven by a deep reverence for our honey bees. She’ll also report on her latest education programs and research projects, collaborating with Washington State University, The Farm at Southern Oregon University, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.Registration is required, and is available at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3095096
Sarah Red-Laird, “Bee Girl”, is the founder and Executive Director of the Bee Girl organization, a nonprofit with a mission to educate and inspire communities to conserve bees, their flowers, and our food. She is a graduate of the University of Montana’s College of Forestry and Conservation with a degree in Resource Conservation, focused on community collaboration and environmental policy. Aside from running the Bee Girl organizations programs, Sarah is the Kids and Bees Director for the American Beekeeping Federation, is an active member of the Northwest Farmers Union, the Western Apicultural Societys President Elect, the Regional Representative for the Southern Oregon Beekeepers Association, and a brand ambeesador for Mountainsmith. When she is not tirelessly working with bees, beekeepers, kids, farmers, land managers, and policy makers, Sarah love to read historical fiction, ride her bike, hike in the hills, see new places and things, people watch, and snuggle any animal that she can catch.

September BABA Meeting: Overwintering Panel
2017-09-13 19:00 - 20:30
Come discuss overwintering with a diverse panel of beekeepers! Be sure to bring all your questions! Our panelists include:Anita Deeley, Beverly Bees (https://www.beverlybees.com/welcome-to-the-apiary/)
Peter Montague, BABA Vice President
Bill Perkins, Agricultural Hall (http://www.aghall.com/)
Dave Strickler, BABA Webmaster
LOCATION:
This meeting is free for BABA dues-paying members. We suggest a $5 donation from non-dues-paying members to offset the cost of the meeting. Dues/donations go back to you in the form of educational programming and events!
Sign up as a dues-paying member here:https://bostonbeekeepers.org/membership/joining-baba/

Tour de Hives
2017-06-18 09:00 - 12:00
The Tour de Hives will engage, educate and enchant you with a first-hand look at honey bees in hives across the city, guided by the humans who tend them. On Sunday, June 18th, from 9am til noon, join us for a bicycle tour of apiaries in Mattapan and Jamaica Plain followed by a bring-your-own-picnic lunch at the Boston Nature Center. Come celebrate the bees with us! Full details here

Hive Loss Update & Beekeeping Tech
2017-05-09 19:00 - 21:00
Kim Skyrm will be speaking on the winter loss survey/honey bee health update.Dave Strickler will speak on beekeeping tech and remote data collection with BroodMinder devices. His map of apiaries uploading data from BroodMinder devices is available at www.beecounted.org, and the site for beekeepers who want to share their data is www.beekeeping.io
From the beekeeping.io website:
For thousands of years, beekeepers have only guessed what’s happening inside their hives. Beekeeping.io is about to change all that.
We collect environmental conditions from hives around the world, then analyze and share that information with curious individuals, citizen scientists, and entomologists. We know bees are in trouble, and that tried and true beekeeping methods are no longer working.
By sharing data on a global scale, we’re showing beekeepers methods that are improving bee survival rates, using scientific data to back it up, not worn out traditions.
Come explore with us what’s happening inside of the hives, when the covers are on, and it’s only the busy bees in total darkness, and the sweet smell of honey. The Internet of Bee™ has only just begun.

Swarming
2017-04-11 19:00 - 21:00
Dean Stiglitz will speak on swarming as we enter spring in New England. The meeting will be held in 50 Milk Street in the Meridian room, fifth floor. 50 Milk Street is a few blocks from the Orange Line’s Downtown Crossing stop.

Urban Beekeeping
2017-03-27 19:00 - 21:00
DATE HAS CHANGEDCome to our BABA March meeting to hear Tufts bee-searcher Nicholas Dorian discuss his research on the bumble bee life cycle and how such research can aid in conservation efforts.
Talk title: God save the queens: Assessing bumble bee conservation from a life cycle perspective
About the talk: Many bumble bee species are in decline despite efforts to provide flowers to growing colonies. It is possible, however, that other life stages are also important since little is known about how queens survive the winter and start colonies in spring. Specifically, my research in the Crone lab at Tufts seeks to 1) understand the effect of queen body size on overwinter survival and colony establishment and 2) explore the role of these life stages for bumble bee population viability. In this talk, you’ll hear my answers to these questions, learn why rearing bumble bees is rewarding (despite that you can’t harvest honey), and hopefully get excited to find bumble bee queens of your own buzzing around this spring.
About Nick: I graduated from Tufts with my B.S. in Biology and Environmental Studies in May 2016, and am looking forward to continuing my education at Tufts as a Ph.D. student advised by Dr. Elizabeth Crone this fall. Academically, I consider myself a budding population ecologist who’s enthusiastic about using both models and fieldwork to inform pollinator conservation. When I’m not studying and thinking about bees, I spend my time watching and photographing birds, gardening, and cooking.
This meeting is free for BABA dues-paying members. We suggest a $5 donation from non-dues-paying members to offset the cost of the meeting. Dues/donations go back to you in the form of educational programming and events!
Sign up as a dues-paying member here: https://bostonbeekeepers.org/membership/joining-baba/

Pollinator Gardens
2017-02-14 19:00 - 21:00
Itziar Garcia will be speaking on pollinator gardens.

Introduction to Beekeeping
2017-01-25 00:00 - 23:59
Sponsored by Boston Nature Center and Boston Area Beekeepers AssociationInstructor: Bill Perkins – Boston Area Beekeepers Association
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Register online (ticket link above) or call 617-983-8500 to register by phone.Mass Audubon Members: $25.00Mass Audubon Nonmembers:$30.00
Did you know that you can enjoy honey, beeswax, pollen and the miracle of bees right in your backyard? 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 honey bee. 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.
For more information, contact:Boston Nature Center500 Walk Hill StreetMattapan, MA 02126bnc@massaudubon.org
Tickets available at http://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/program-catalog#program:program_code=49832

Urban Beekeeping - Pest Management
2017-01-10 19:00 - 21:00
Anita Deeley will be presenting on Urban Beekeeping & Pest Management

Honey DNA & Beekeeping Tech
2016-12-13 19:00 - 21:00
Dr. Noah Wilson-Rich will present on Honey DNA & Beekeeping Technologies.

Beekeeping in Tanzania
2016-11-15 19:00 - 21:00

Tufts Research Update
2016-10-11 19:00 - 21:00

September BABA Meeting: Overwintering
2016-09-13 19:00 - 21:00
Lots of exciting changes will be happening for BABA this year! These changes (see below) will be discussed at 7:00pm.At 7:30 pm, we will have a talk on overwintering from Mel Gadd, beekeeper for Drumlin Farms. Mel has experience with Langstroth, Top Bar, and Warre hives.
After Mel’s presentation, he will take any questions you have about getting your hives through the winter!
MEMBERSHIP DUES
As of September 2016, annual BABA membership dues will be instated. As a recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, your dues can be written off as a donation and will go back to educating beekeepers, bee enthusiasts, and the general public alike. Also, with dues BABA will be able to bring in speakers from around the U.S. rather than just from the Boston Area (not that we don’t have awesome speakers in the Boston Area!). We will be accepting dues payments at this meeting and soon, on our website. Please feel free to bring any questions regarding dues to the meeting.
Dues-paying members will receive the following benefits:
• Discounted (sometimes even free) entry to BABA meetings featuring noted speakers. Going forward, there will be a suggested $5 donation to attend the regular monthly meeting if you are not a due-paying members.
• Discounted registration for BABA’s annual Bee School.
• Discounted and priority registration for BABA’s annual Tour de Hives
• Opportunity to be nominated for and elected to the BABA board of directors.
• Opportunity to vote on which featured speakers from around the U.S. BABA will invite.
• And more as BABA grows!
Dues will be:
• Student: $15/year
• Individual: $20/year
• Family: $25/year

NOMINATIONS FOR BOARD MEMBERS
We will be accepting nominations for board members. The positions on the BABA board and their responsibilities are as follows:
• President – Coordinate Bee School, insurance compliance (teaching apiary, Boston Nature Center, Tour de Hives, etc.), allocating emails to appropriate contacts
• Vice President – Oversee committees, workgroups, and events (e.g. Tour de Hives planning committee, educational workgroups)
• Treasurer – Collects membership dues payment and tracks funds, works with Vice President to fund events
• Secretary – Membership chair, documentation, storage
• Webmaster – Keeps our website up to date
Each board member serves a year-long term and is welcome to serve longer. The current board will review nominations and make the final decision regarding who will make up the board for the coming year. If you would like to nominate someone (or yourself), please come prepared to fill out a nomination form with his/her name, the position being considered, his/her contact information, and why he/she would make a good board member.
LOGO DESIGN CONTEST
BABA doesn’t have a logo and we want your help! Submit your entry here (PDF, JPEG, or TIFF) by 11:59 pm on October 4, 2016. The submissions will be compiled and discussed at the general October meeting (October 11). The current board will make the final decision on which logo is picked. A good logo must be informative (we’re beekepers from the Boston Area!) but simple enough to print on t-shirts, flyers, and all sorts of other BABA paraphernalia!

Meet the Beekeeper
2016-07-23 10:00 - 12:00
The next Hive Dive/Meet the Beekeeper will be July 23 — from 10:00 to noon. Robbing will be the featured topic. Hive robbing picks up in late summer, and this will be a chance for us to discuss how to proactively protect against robbing, and how to stop it once it starts.Directions: http://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-sanctuaries/boston-nature-center/directions

Tour de Hives 2016
2016-06-26 00:00 - 23:59
Buy tickets for 6th Annual Boston Tour de HivesThe Tour de Hives will engage, educate and enchant you with a first-hand look at honey bees in hives across the city, guided by the humans who tend them.
On Sunday, June 26th, join us for a bicycle tour of apiaries in Somerville, Malden, and Medford, followed by a picnic lunch. Come celebrate the bees with us.
Apiaries Featured On The Tour Include
Site A: First-year Backyard Beekeeper First-year beekeeper Carl Palme will show his hive, discuss how he got started, and answer basic questions about hive management for newbees
Site B: Tufts University – Honey Bee Research See the different life stages of honey bees through the glass of observation hives, and learn from Tufts University PhD candidate Rachael Bonoan about her work linking honey bee nutrition to brood development
Site C: Tufts University – Native Pollinator Research See the inner workings of bumble bee hives and learn from Tufts University PhD candidate Kelsey Graham about her research on the impact of the invasive wool carder bee on native pollinators
Site D: Community-owned Backyard Flow Hive Check out the new hive design that last year inspired the sixth-most successful crowdfunding campaign EVER. Hear perspectives from a group of beekeepers who are giving it a try this season while implementing shared hive ownership and management.
Site E: Seasoned Backyard Beekeeper Experienced backyard beekeeper Carl Puglisi will cover topics including successful overwintering strategies, mite prevention, and splitting hives Site F: Groundwork Somerville Visit honeybees and native pollinators at the Somerville South St. farm and hear about how they fit into Groundwork Somerville’s work in community education and engagement.
Each group will visit 3 of the above sites.
REGISTRATION
We will have groups starting out from two locations in the morning. You will have the opportunity when buying your ticket to select your preference to begin your ride at Fellsmere Park, near Malden Center on the Orange Line, or at Nathan Tufts Park, near Davis Square on the Red Line. We will do our best to accomodate requests. Meet up at your location at 9am on the morning of the tour to get your teeshirt, join your group, and start the ride!

BYO PICNIC LUNCH
After a full morning of cycling and bees, all groups will gather at Fellsmere Park for a picnic lunch and a chance to mingle! Please bring a bag lunch, bicycle, helmet, and water bottle! The total cycling distance is ~10 miles.
Please contact us if the suggested early-bird registration fee of $25 is prohibitive for you. Any proceeds raised will bee reinvested in education & outreach initiatives by the BABA (formerly Boston Beekeepers Club).
Many thanks to this year’s sponsors!
* Best Bees Beekeeping Services
* Follow the Honey

Swarm Management & Making Splits
2016-04-30 12:30 - 15:30
An intermediate level beekeeping workshop with Dean Stieglitz. Basic hive inspection & smoker manipulation tips will also be covered.Saturday, April 30th (rain date May 1) 12:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Location: Fenway Victory Garden Apiary; refer to the Google map at: https://www.google.com/maps?cid=1704224708794287105 and enter at Path Q. Then ask around — almost anyone in the garden will know where the apiary is.
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. Making swarm control splits will also be discussed.
This workshop is free, but donations are gladly accepted. Space is limited so please pre-register via EventBrite, HERE. Space is limited; if you do not register, you may not be able to get in.
Please wear long pants, closed toe shoes, and bring your veil if you have one. Gloves are also recommended — you may have a chance to handle and observe activity on populated frames. Please be advised that live, populous hives full of tens of thousands stinging honeybees will be opened. By showing up to this workshop, as with almost any workshop held in an apiary, you might be stung.
Dean Stieglitz is a beekeeper, author, and owner of Golden Rule Honey in Leominster, MA. Dean will also have Golden Rule raw honey for sale, as well as copies of his book, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Beekeeping, so bring some spending money if you’re in the market for either.

Founder of Gaia Bees talks about new practices toward a bee-centric Apiculture
2016-03-30 19:00 - 21:00
Please join us to receive a very special guest, Michael Joshin Thiele, Founder of Gaia Bees, who advocate for a fundamental shift inApiculture and develops new practices toward a bee-centric approach. Michael is coming to the East Coast for the first time as a participant in a 2 day intensive at the Harvard Divinity School on The Spirit of Sustainable Agriculture, so we are very honored to have him gather with us for an evening.

Michael Joshin Thiele is leading an innovative approach within the biodynamic apiculture movement and teaches in the United States and abroad. Gaia Bees is engaged into the research of wild Apis Mellifera and new dimensions of apiculture in a sociocultural, agricultural and spiritual context. In the last decade, Michael has been involved with the creation of Honeybee sanctuaries and refuges as a means of protection and education. The most recent project is the Honeybee Sanctuary & Refuge at Green Gulch Farm.
The underlying concept of a “Landscape Apiarium” is the leading principle in this bee-centric approach. In 2013, he worked as a biodynamic consultant for the USDA in the Dominican Republic. His work is documented in various national and international magazines, books and film documentaries (“Queen of the Sun”). For one of the most recent interviews (2015) go to:
Michael will explore how the bio-integrity of Honeybee nests can inform and heal our apiaries and landscapes, and how the wisdom of Honeybees can be an inspiration for the evolution of new paradigms of life.

BABA Bee School Winter 2016
2016-03-17 19:30 - 21:00, 2016-03-10 19:30 - 21:00, 2016-02-25 19:30 - 21:00, 2016-02-11 19:30 - 21:00, 2016-01-28 19:30 - 21:00, 2016-01-21 19:30 - 21:00
DetailsWe will cover 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 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.
Dates
Six Thursday evenings Jan-March from 7:30-9:00pm (see below for exact dates and times). There will also be a hands-on field date in April, date TBD based on weather & bees’ activity, and a 3/24 backup date to make up for a possible snow day.
Location
Urbano Project, 29 Germania Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 (located in the Brewery complex on Amory Street, across from Stony Brook T Stop)
Please register ASAP by clicking here.
Space and time to enroll is limited. Pre-registration highly recommended (space may fill up and only those pre-registered will be guaranteed a seat).
Cost: $165
** COURSE FEE INCLUDES A HANDS-ON WORKSHOP ON A DATE TBD IN APRIL
Scholarships
Limited scholarships are available to interested individuals experiencing financial hardship. If you are interested in a scholarship, please send an email describing your circumstances to info@bostonbeekeepers.org.
Course books will be provided on the day of the class, for an additional $10.
Course Instructors
The course will be taught by members of Boston Area Beekeepers Association (www.bostonbeekeepers.org). This year’s instructors include Rachael Bonoan, Noah Wilson-Rich, Paul Quigley, Dave Strickler, Mel Gadd, Bill Perkins and other experienced local beekeepers. For more on our organizing team & core instructors please visit: https://bostonbeekeepers.org/membership/board-directors.

Beekeeping 101 : An Introduction to Honey Bees as a Hobby
2016-03-13 09:30 - 12:30
Note: Pre-registering through this link (or by phone: 617-983-8500) with BNC is the only way to guarantee a spot.
Sponsored by Boston Nature Center and Boston Area Beekeepers Association
Instructor: Bill Perkins – Boston Area Beekeepers Association
Non-members can join today during checkout and take immediate advantage of member prices.
Did you know that you can enjoy bees and bee products right in your backyard? Urban yards (and even rooftops) are often excellent locations for beehives. In this introductory workshop, you will learn about the fascinating world of the honeybee. We will talk about what it takes to keep a busy, productive hive of bees happy; how to set up and maintain a hive; and what kind of time commitment is required. This is a beginner’s workshop, so no previous knowledge is necessary. We will end with some local honey tasting.
Fee: $25 members / $30 nonmembers.
Registration is required.
|| get directions

The Mighty Mason Bee
2016-03-12 10:00 - 12:00
Mason bees, or orchard bees, are prodigious pollinators. Unlike honey bees, mason bees are solitary (and native to the Americas) and, as such, all females are fertile and produce eggs which they lay in small deep holes packed with food (a pollen and nectar mix), and seal with mud. And they’re really cute & gentle.
Learn about our native mason bees and how to provide them an attractive nesting house. The workshop ends with a mason bee house construction project after which every participant will leave with a mason bee house ready for the bees’ arrival — any day now! Provide them a home and they will move in.
They’ll be here soon but they’re only active for a few weeks; they showed up in Boston by April 16 last year.
The entire two-part workshop will be taught twice, once from 10-12 and again from 12-2.
Attendees are encouraged to bring an empty can measuring anywhere from 2 – 3.5 inches in diameter and 4-5 inches tall. You’ll see why…
Registration is required for this paid (but affordable) event. Visit http://masonbees.bpt.me/
get directions

BABA March 2016 Meeting
2016-03-08 18:30 - 20:00
Join us in hearing about honey bee health in Massachusetts from our new chief apiary inspector, Kim Skyrm! Kim is also interested in getting feedback from the regarding re-design of the Apiary Program so please come with suggestions and/or comments.
On-street parking available on Pike Street (which is a one-way road exiting onto Albany Street). The entrance to Best Bees and the Lab is off of Pike.
Directions to the Urban Beekeeping Lab & Bee Sanctuary
By Bike: Take the Southwest Corridor to Melnea Cass Bike Path to Albany Street (or from other parts of the city take Mass Ave to Albany). Turn onto Pike Street (across from Hampden Street; Boston Body Works is on the corner and actually shares the building with the Urban Beekeeping Lab/Best Bees). Once on Pike Street, the building on your left is your destination, but the entrance is around back so bring your bike around into the lot. Our entrance door is the last door on the left, just before the stairs and the end of the parking lot.
By Bus: MBTA stops nearby (follow directions for biking or driving from there):
Silver Line 4 & 5 (corner of Washington Street & Mass Ave)
#1 bus (corner of Albany Street and Randall Street)
#47 bus (corner of Harrison Ave and E. Lenox St.)
#9 bus (corner of Mass Ave and Albany St.)
CT3 bus (Albany St. opposite Boston Medical Center)
#10 bus (corner of Mass Ave and Albany St.)
#276 bus (corner of Mass Ave and Albany St.)
CT1 bus (corner of Mass Ave and Harrison Ave)
By car: Once on Albany Street be on the lookout for Pike Street. It is a small street located directly across from Hampden Street. The Bee lab is behind Boston Body Works. There is a parking lot behind the Urban Beekeeping Lab. Some parking is available in the lot off of Pike Street (directly behind the building) or on Pike Street. Of note, ignore the Do Not Enter signs by the side of the building; they were put there by our landlord to reduce traffic and are not legal.
Our entrance door is the last door on the left, just before the stairs and the end of the parking lot.
get directions

Bee-themed Holiday Party
2015-12-10 19:00 - 20:30
Join the BABA Board and members for a bee-themed holiday party at Follow the Honey. If you’re looking for wonderful bee-related gifts for the honey lover, beekeeper (or beekeepers to be) in your life, this is the place. Stop by, say hello, and help out one of the most unique shops in Harvard Square.

BABA Dec 2015 Meeting
2015-12-08 18:30 - 20:00
As part of the meeting, there will be an Indian beekeeping presentation by Jonathan Abbott. Jonathan is a Masters student at MIT who studies improvements to Indian beekeeping using mechanical engineering. See some of the similarities and differences in beekeeping techniques and learn some cool things that might help your hives.Best parking is on Vassar Street (free at 5PM) or take 1 Bus or Kendal T Stop.
web.mit.edu/jabbott/Public/Bee/BABADirections.jpg
You may find parking closer on Mass Ave if lucky.

Massachusetts Beekeepers Assoc Fall Meeting
2015-11-14 09:00 - 15:30
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
