This is a resend of the newsletter sent out 2 days ago Monday 10/21, just to remind you not to miss this chance to talk bees! Hope to see you tonight 6:30PM Wed 10/23.

Topic: End of Season Awards and Winterizing Hives, SnoKing Oct. 23, 2024 Meeting

Time: Oct 23, 2024 06:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89830489061?pwd=HO8bHnUWx5ZDXHQtUplUbbaNPWdrUI.1

Meeting ID: 898 3048 9061

Passcode: 717588

One tap mobile

+12532158782,,89830489061#,,,,*717588# US (Tacoma)

+12532050468,,89830489061#,,,,*717588# US

Cover Photo: Tim Ade, 2024 Beekeeper of the Year, explaining at a recent SnoKing meeting how honey is judged and how to enter honey at fairs. Here's the plaque that Tim can proudly display for a year as the second recipient of this state-wide award:

We will start the meeting with a few announcements and congratulations to people such as Tim Ade, 2024 Beekeeper of the Year, pictured above, and a quick review and reassurance to beginner and anxious beekeepers that we are doing in our hives what we should be doing.

Then will come some thoughts on advanced winterization strategy, including what beekeepers have tried in the last century or two, or even millennia! that should get conversation going!

So we will start with slides of the basic concepts underlying winterization procedure, but keep it interesting for all levels of beekeeping experience (or inexperience!) with illustrations of what beekeepers throughout the century have used to boost overwintering success, and what they are still using today. In the history of beekeeping, it has not been merely a question of "To wrap, or not to wrap?" but a history demonstrating creative and adaptive ingenuity throughout the world and centuries, because beekeepers have so many different conditions and setups at their apiaries.

The first item in this newsletter has to be celebrating a well-known 'bee wrangler', known to many in the Snohomish County area and beyond, but not necessarily by name. Here is Tim Ade, Beekeeping and Honey Booth Supervisor at the Evergreen State Fair in Monroe, demonstrating live bee handling - bare-handed! - this past August, as he has done for years.

Below is Tim with his wife Debbie at the exhibit that they and members of the Ade Family put up each year to reflect the Fair's theme and to display the honey and hive products entered by us local beekeepers. More of Tim's contributions for over a decade of his beekeeping enthusiasm can be found in his nomination letter.

After the Evergreen State Fair, the WASBA Annual Conference was held October 4-6, and again this year on the west side of the Cascades in Lynnwood, WA. Here are a few of the volunteers who staffed the SnoKing booth at the conference.

Here is the award presented to SnoKing at the conference. Congratulations to the members of SnoKing Beekeepers!

Those volunteers and 100s more in the last 5+ years have given generously of their time, energy, effort, and donations to build SnoKing to the point that it is this year's recipient of the Large Beekeeping Club of the Year, awarded by WASBA. In honor of all of those volunteers, we dedicate the reposting of this facebook photo:

CALENDAR of UPCOMING EVENTS: 

10/23 6:30PM SnoKing Monthly Meeting

10/24 6:00PM The Hive Mind discussion group

email ginacuff@gmail.com for info and zoom link if interested

11/6 Trophallaxis discussion group for Journeyman class, Journeymen and Masters

For info/link, contact eliochel@snokingbka.org

2025 classes already scheduled!

11/20 6:30PM SnoKing monthly meeting

12/4 Trophallaxis

12/18 6:30PM SnoKing monthly meeting

1/8/2025 Trophallaxis

2025 classes already scheduled!

1/24/2025 6:30PM Beginner Class on Tuesdays starts

1/16/2025 630PM Journeyman on Thursdays starts

1/20/2025 Apprentice Class on Mondays starts 

'Season Finale' monthly meeting 6:30PM this Wed will feature a presentation on different approaches to overwintering bees from the basic "enough bees, enough stores, dry housing, 'do not disturb until spring approach' " to the creative strategies of beekeepers throughout time and different locations on the globe.

The presentation slides will be intended to get conversation going and we will be sure to end any formal presentation by or before 8PM. However, you are welcome to stay longer to talk bees. Beekeepers, be ready with your photos or diagrams if you wish to show us what you have come across or tried. As much as we may be tired of Zoom, it has one outstanding feature -- with a couple clicks, we each can 'share screen' and ideas! We will also answer as many questions as possible and direct beekeepers to resources when possible. Networking as a group, we can get more information to more beekeepers than any of us can do alone.

DISCUSSION GROUPS

11/6 6:30PM – 8PM Trophallaxis first Wednesday meeting for Journeyman, Masters, and those who have taken or are taking the academic portion of Journeyman. To join the discussion, email Eli eliochel@snokingbka.org for Zoom link.

Master Beekeeper Certificate at Cornell University

    Cornell is still offering 33 1/3% discount for SnoKing members. Contact Eli Ocheltree for the discount code.

Apiary Managers:

Granite Falls - Ron - dizzybeeapiary@gmail.com 206-719-3604

Maltby - Eli - eliochel@snokingbka.org  206-859-7392

Policy Statement: There will be one essential rule at Trophallaxis and at any meeting or activity hosted by SnoKing Beekeepers. Ron Robinson stated it best for our Facebook discussion group, when he said:

"SKBA prides itself on the fact we are not like other groups on Facebook. We have become known as a safe group for keepers of all levels to comfortably ask questions and opinions without being blasted or publicly humiliated for asking what may seem like a very basic question to others. Any harassing, bullying, demeaning behavior, or such will not be tolerated. We have a zero tolerance policy and such behavior will result in immediate removal from club and all club activities."

We look forward to talking bees with you at 3rd Wednesday monthly meetings. Zoom link for this meeting:

Topic: End of Season Awards and Winterizing Hives, SnoKing Oct. 23, 2024 Meeting

Time: Oct 23, 2024 06:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89830489061?pwd=HO8bHnUWx5ZDXHQtUplUbbaNPWdrUI.1

Meeting ID: 898 3048 9061

Passcode: 717588

One tap mobile

+12532158782,,89830489061#,,,,*717588# US (Tacoma)

+12532050468,,89830489061#,,,,*717588# US

The mission of the SKBA, a 501c3 member club of WASBA, is to provide educational opportunities, networking and support to beekeepers and people interested in honey bees, particularly those involved in small-scale beekeeping in Washington State west of the Cascades.

"We talk bees!" at SnoKing Beekeepers Association.