Christmas Day and Boxing Day were highlighted by Zoom calls with the extended family. New Years Eve reached midnight with friends on a Zoom call and my meetings with other board members for the CRBA, Thrift Shop and a local Arts Society all were conducted through on-line conversations. It is likely to be the way through the coming year for our club so our website and emails and links to Zoom or other social media will be our connecting points – at least for the next few months.
The joy is that a vaccine is almost within reach; reinforcements are on the horizon, the siege will end. In the meantime we have to remain vigilant and not allow the rate of infection to creep up and get us, or our families before protection is achieved.
Is there a parallel with mites in our hives? Does the same scenario of population health and protection play out in each of our hives? Cleaning our equipment between hive checks, managing mite populations early and aggressively and sterilizing equipment before the bee season begins are all steps we can take in the next few months. The joy of beekeeping is that we can still carry on with our work as we have in the past and enjoy our time in the gardens with these wonderful creatures.
Membership Renewal
We have dropped the price for 2021 to $22.00 and ask that you use the website to pay by credit card or PayPal. There is also the option to pay by cheque which can be mailed to PO Box 46024, Quadra Street, Victoria, British Columbia, V8T 5G7.
Year End and Executive Members
It is time to renew the executive team and add some new minds around the table. Kazlyn has done a great job as Treasurer and is now stepping away. Cindy came on board last year as a Director at Large and as a result everyone received a card and discounts this year with local bee suppliers. Please consider getting involved. And after 6 years it really is time that I step aside and let someone else be president. Please contact me or Secretary Simon Lightbody to let us know if you are willing to be part of this great team.
Iotron
The Iotron trip is scheduled for March 1, 2021 so we can start inventorying gear that we want to ship to Port Coquitlam for treatment. Remember not to wrap it too soon or you get too much condensation in the boxes!
BeeBC Program
The provincial program supports small-scale regional/community-based projects to research, explore, field-test and share information about best management practices associated with bee health in British Columbia. For the 2021-22 fiscal year there is a total of $100,000 in funding available.
The program will enhance bee health-related activities and enhance information sharing amongst beekeepers. The Program is providing up to $5,000 of grant funding per project and it is expected that participants will contribute a minimum of 20 percent towards the total cost of the project, with in-kind contributions being eligible.
Applications are being accepted until February 12, 2021.
For more information: Bee BC Program