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Newsletter for November 2023
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Join us for the November Meeting
Thursday, November 9
Central Skagit Valley Library
Sedro Woolley |
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Our monthly meeting is coming up on this coming Thursday, November 9th at 7 PM. We will be meeting at the Central Skagit Valley Library in Sedro Woolley once again, not at the Burlington Library where we have typically met. The address is 110 W State Street.
But come early if you can, for our informal "bee chat" beginning at 6:30 PM.
Share your questions and tips with your fellow beekeepers - and the
refreshments that Don Johnson and Brenda Crossley will be
bringing. Thanks to your both. |
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- Bee talk- Our speaker this month is Seth Smith, who will delve into the pests that haunt hives and what to do about them.
- SVBA officer elections - We will elect the officers for next year - see the short bios of our nominees in this newsletter, and join in the process.
- Zoom option -
If you can't come, but want to participate you can join us by Zoom. An
e-mail with the link will be sent to members before the meeting.
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Our
annual election is coming up at the November meeting. The
following folks have raised their hands and - with your
support - would like to contribute to the SVBA as leaders. They have provided these brief bios to introduce themselves to those who might not know them. |
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Brett DeLawter
For SVBA President |
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It
has been a privilege to have been your president for 2023. I am seeking
your continued support as I am placing my name into consideration for
the 2024 president's position. The club is making real strides to
continue to expand our teaching experiences for all our members and
particularly our new beekeepers. Our goal from the officers is to give
as much support as possible to our members no matter their level of
knowledge and expertise.
I am a retired dentist having
spent 38 years in practice. Susan and I have lived in Bellingham 4.5
years. We have 4 children and 8 grandkids. We have been beekeepers
since 2015. |
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Domie Bourgeois
For SVBA Treasurer |
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My name is Domie Bourgeois, and I’m running for SVBA Treasurer.
2023 is my third year as a beekeeper and first year as a club member.
I’m an avid gardener who has always been fascinated by eusocial
animals, and I added the first beehive to my garden in 2021.
I
currently work as the Quality Assurance Manager for Primoprint, a
web-based printing company where I’ve been since 2017. While my current
role doesn’t include many financial duties outside of issuing and
tracking refunds, I do have a wealth of previous experience that would
allow me to succeed in the role of Treasurer.
From
2009 to 2016, I was an employee-owner who managed a small cafe for
Equal Exchange, a national fair-trade food company. My responsibilities
there included reconciling tills, petty cash, and bank statements;
distributing employee tips; processing accounts payable; purchasing
equipment; and updating retail prices as needed. I was also responsible
for generating monthly, quarterly, and annual sales reports.
I
live in Mount Vernon on an accidental urban farm with my husband, Paul,
and our two cats, six chickens, two beehives, and countless vegetables.
In my free time, I enjoy cooking, hiking, reading, and mushroom
hunting.
I look forward to getting to know you while serving as SVBA Treasurer! |
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Brenda Crossley
For SVBA Secretary |
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My name is Brenda Crossley and I have nominated myself for the position of club secretary.
A
few things about me. I have 5 children and 6 grandchildren and
moved to Washington in 2019 to be closer to 4 of my
grandchildren. We now live on 11 acres in Arlington, plenty of
room for at least one hive!
As a single mother of 5,
I am used to being very busy and retirement life is strange to me. My
previous life revolved around at least 2 jobs and multiple children's
activities to attend on an almost daily basis.
I recently
joined the Skagit beekeepers club to improve my knowledge and skills
before starting my first hive, while also enjoying the fellowship of
like-minded people. Studying bees for at least 10 years has been a
hobby of mine but I did not have the time or space to actually have a
hive of my own.
Before retiring this year I worked
for 43 years in veterinary medicine. My most recent position was
Practice Manager and LVT for a Woodinville veterinary hospital.
My
community involvement included travel ball team mother, cub scout den
leader and treasurer, softball team assistant coach, parent support for
my son and daughter's crew teams, football team concession coordinator
and assistant Boy Scout troop leader. In a professional position I
coordinated and participated in pet health and vaccination clinics for
disadvantaged community members, and helped families in need by
providing food, clothing and gifts on an ongoing basis for several
years with a group of associates from my workplace.
I would be honored to serve as the club secretary and look forward to getting to know you all.
Thank you for your consideration. |
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Chris Zimmerman
For SVBA Board Member |
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- A retired chemical engineer and Anacortes resident, happily married for 19 years
- We have a daughter on the high school sailing team and a recent graduate of driver's ed
- First year beekeeper - based on getting a Flow Hive as a Christmas 2022 gift
- Told that if you have one hive, you have to have a second (10 frame Langstroth) so now I have a comparison point
- Have attended all association meetings since Spring 2023 either in person or via Zoom
- Interested in keeping the association strong and making the meetings useful for new and old beekeepers
- Constantly amazed at how much there is to learn about bees to do it right
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Pest Management - Mice, Bears and Many More
November 9th at the SVBA Meeting |
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Seth Smith will
recount stories of beehive raiders and uninvited guests that can
disturb or even destroy our colonies. He will then share his practiced
tips about what works - and what doesn't - to control them. |
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December Meeting
Holiday event and cookie exchange
Dawn Beck completes her presentation
Thursday, December 14th |
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The
December meeting is a relaxed opportunity to share stories, meet fellow
beekeepers, and dive into some holiday refreshments as we round out
another Skagit Valley beekeeping year. We all baked up a storm last
year, and had a colorful array of choice offerings to take back home.
Honey-themed goodies are encouraged, but we're not very picky, so find
a favorite recipe and share the results. |
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Dawn Beck will
complete her presentation that she has prepared on "fat bodies", which
are an internal part of bee anatomy rather than a reference to
overweight insects. It is a fascinating topic that has emerged as part
of her participation in Cornell University's Master Beekeeping program. |
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Heroes to Hives
Intensive beekeeping training program
For service members and their dependents |
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SVBA member Jerry Hopen has
shared information about a terrific free beekeeping program oriented
towards service members and their dependents. Organized by the Michigan
Food & Farming Systems, it has already trained over 10,000
participants across the country. They offer an on-line version of the
9-month course that is self-paced and would be a convenient option for
the Northwest. Registration is open between November 1 and February 28.
For more information, visit www.heroestohives.com |
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Setting up Your Hives for the Winter
October tips from Dawn Beck |
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Dawn Beck,
our Master Beekeeper from Bow, provided a discussion and demonstration
of how to set up your hives for the winter. Here are a few take-aways: |
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- Moisture boards work -
Dawn prefers to insert water-absorbing fiberboard above the winter top
board to pull moisture out of the hive, which is key to bee survival in
the wet Northwest winters. She buys big sheets of Homasote at a local
home improvement store, then cuts them to size on a table saw, saving
the cost of getting them from a bee supply outfit.
- The many uses of solid foam insulation -
Dawn is a fan of solid foam insulation that you can get at a home
improvement store, then cut for different uses. She cuts and places a
layer on the inside of the top cover, lifting it up above the moisture
board. If there are empty frames in the hive, she replaces them with
2-inch slabs of insulation cut to the same dimension. You would push
frames with honey or pollen to the inside of a super and add the
insultation on the edges. Keep those bees warm!
- Wrapping your colonies -
There are different perspectives on the effectiveness of wrapping hives
for the winter, and Dawn is a pro-wrapper beekeeper; she uses bubble
wrap, which can be easily stapled around the edges, while making sure
to keep clear of the air passages into the hive.
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Monthly Tips
November: The weather outside is frightful |
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The
cold, wet and stormy weather is upon us. You need to finish buttoning
up any hives that lack their full inter set-up. Here is a November
checklist drawn from Brad Raspet's monthly schedule of activities:- For
colonies without strong honey or pollen reserves, provide cane sugar,
sugar patties and/or pollen patties to help tide them over.
- Make sure that your opening reducers are in place, and mouse guards if you use them.
- Add your moisture control and insulation if still needed.
- Start thinking about next year, and obtaining the new gear you will need.
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Les's Bees always
has a range of beekeeping supplies in not-too-far-away Bellingham, and
owner Les Scott might even arrange to drop off on-line purchases for SVBA members at our meetings if you arrange it in advance . Go to leszbees.com. Or you can contact Les Scott directly by e-mail, call, or text: 360-303-0396. If
you have supplies and equipment that you may be interested in swapping,
selling, or just plain giving to other interested members of the SVBA, send a brief description, price, and contact information to your editor, cecilbees121@gmail.com. |
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Membership: Renew or Join Us!
Use our online sign-up, or just send or bring a check |
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Please join (or rejoin!) the SVBA. Dues get you an annual membership and supports our many activities, meetings, and special programs. The annual dues are only $12 (or $13 using our online payment system). The
dues support the many programs and benefits that the Skagit Valley
Beekeepers Association offer our community of helpful beekeepers. The
membership form and payment instructions are found at: http://skagitvalleybeekeepers.org/SVBAMembership.htm The online payment option is located at: https://skagit-valley-beekeepers.square.site |
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Brett DeLawter, President 818-416-2208 Dawn Beck, Vice President 206-719-3666 , dawnrunner@live.comRob Johnson, Treasurer
360-770-6170, rsjohnson2u@yahoo.com
Susan DeLawter, Secretary
818-259-9059, susandelawter@sbcglobal.netSteve Cecil, Newsletter
617-719-7870, cecilbees121@gmail.comGail Buce, Board 360-333-8655, ougreene@aol.comDon Johnson, Board
homebrewtwo@gmail.com
Jim Kohl, BoardHeather Oates, Board 360-391-7357, hoates@gmail.comSeth Smith, Board 360-770-0481 |
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