General Meeting (September 2017)

The Capital Regional Beekeepers Association (CRBA) meets on the second Thursday of every month.

This meeting usually starts with a beginner’s corner 30 minutes before the regular club proceedings start around 7pm.

Agenda

• 6:30pm – New Beekeeper Corner (lower meeting room) – Barry D: Winter bees
• 7:00pm – Main meeting (upper hall)
  • Welcome – Bill F
  • What’s in Bloom – Nairn H
  • What to do in September – Larry L
  • Winners and Summary of the Saanich Fair – Irene T
  • Questions about winter bees – Barry D
  • I think I’ve got mites – Don L
  • August financial update – Rupert R
  • Notice of proposed amendment to the by-laws – Bill F
• 8:00pm – Find your local group – Bob W
  • How much honey did you get and from where
  • Are you selling your honey?
  • For how much?
• 8:15pm – Just so you know…
  • Outyard wrap-up – Derek W
  • November dessert potluck and Silent auction
  • Other member notes
• 8:30pm – Social

Minutes

Bill F called the meeting to order at 7:05pm.

Bill’s opening comments to the members was to recap what would be happening in the evenings meeting.

• Notice of Proposed amendment to By-Laws. The executive has recommended that:
  • A 2-member financial review committee to be struck each year.
  • The January to December transactions to be review by the committee.
  • Purchases over $300.00 needed to be approved by the executive.
  • Financial commitment’s in excess of $1000.00 need to be brought to the membership.
• What’s in Bloom now – Nairn H
  • What to plant for the bees at this time of year: Sunflowers, fall asters, golden rod, cosmos, garlic chives, autumn crocus.
  • Spring bulbs to plant now – snowdrops crocus
• What to do in and around the hive in September – Larry L
  • Finish extraction of honey
  • Varroa mites – check the bottom board
  • Feed the bees now and protect the hive from wasps
  • Check the wintering stores for the hive
  • Assess the hive as whether it is strong enough to survive the winter
• Winners and Summary of the Saanich Fair
  • White Honey – Open – 1 Carolyn Hissen – Best in Show
  • Golden Honey – Novice – 2 Breanne Robinson
  • Golden Honey – Open – 1 Alanya Smith, 2 Katie Dragert
  • Amber Honey – Novice – 1 Jennifer Leamy, 2 Rupert Rode
  • Amber Honey – Open – Lindsay Dault
  • Shallow Frame of Honey – Novice – 1 Piper Hargreaves
  • Shallow Frame of Honey – Open – 1 Carolyn Hissen – Best in Show
  • Dipped Candles 3 – 1 Robert Leece
  • 2 Cakes of Wax – 1 Robert Leece
  • 3 Molded Candles – Nancy Leece
  • Mead – 1 Jason Smith
  • Honey tasting was again a success with 826 votes cast with a favourite with 166 votes.
• Winter Bees – Barry D
  • Bees being born now will see the hive through the winter and until the queen starts to lay in late January.
  • Barry mentioned the upcoming BCHPA AGM in Kelowna in October, 2017. He informed the members that the 2018 BCHPA AGM will be hosted by the CRBA.
  • Don L spoke the members as to what happened in a small nuc which was infested with mites. The virus which the mites brought to hive produced bees with wings and bodies that were malformed, the queen has disappeared. Don checked the hive for mites with the sugar shake method and then tried the alcohol wash and found out that the mite count for this hive was 20%. This hive will die.
• August Financial update – Rupert R
  The majority of the income of the club comes from the membership fees. The club has 185 members paid for the year 2017. There is $1064.00 in the operating account. A down-payment for the venue for the 2018 BCHPA AGM has been paid but will be reimbursed when the BCHPA has their AGM in October and the BCHPA membership votes on the issue.
• Find your local Beekeeper’s in your area – Bob W
  4 sections of the Greater Victoria area were marked and members were asked to go to the area where their hives are. Members were asked to sign up and supply their telephone number and email so there can be meet ups and members can interact with each other in their area.
• Shirley Richardson was checking hives for a member and found that colonies were re-queening and producing drones which at this time of year is not heard of. Could the bees be confused with the weather pattern that has occurred this year?

Meeting was adjourned and refreshments were served.