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8-03-2010 

Check out the bees!  The Hope Garden

 

www.agriculture.utk.edu/news/videoReleases

 

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7-29-2010 

 

 

Welcome to the National Honey Bee Awareness Day and the National Honey Bee Day Website

The National Honey Bee Day program started with a simple concept. Bring together beekeepers, bee associations and clubs, as well as other interested groups and individuals to connect with communities and advance beekeeping. By working together, and harnessing the efforts that so many individuals and groups already accomplish, and using a united effort on one day a year, the returns and message can be magnified.

The primary goals of the National Honey Bee Day program:

1) Promotion and the advancement of beekeeping.

2) Educate the public to honey bees and beekeeping.

3) Make the public aware of environmental concerns.


The first National Honey Bee Day program was held on August 22, 2009. 16 states and 42 bee association and individual programs were presented to the public. Events consisted of programs such as educational seminars at environmental centers, open houses at apiaries, hosted honey tasting events, as well as displays at county and state fairs.

National Honey Bee Awareness Day (August 22, 2009) was formally recognized and a proclamation (click here to view) announced on the 11th. Day of August, 2009, the two-hundred thirty-fourth year of the Independence of the United States of America. Signed by Thomas J. Vilsack, the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States of America.

The first event and all the costs were paid out of the pockets of concerned individuals and association budgets. People contributed on so many levels to make this happen. This is what we were striving for when we decided to do a grassroots program. We asked beekeepers to step forward and help in the promotion of the very industry and hobby that they have come to enjoy. And did they ever! Many companies are doing wonderful things to help with solving some of the problems within the bee industry. Many bee groups are raising money for research, and funding other efforts. The National Honey Bee Day program is focused on expanding the beekeeping community, and working to educate the public to industry problems.

We are hard at work planning the next National Honey Bee Day event, which is scheduled for August 21, 2010. This year’s theme, selected by vote from beekeepers across the country is “Local Honey - Good for Bees, You, and the Environment!” We are asking for participating groups to incorporate the overall message into the program this year. The theme can be used in many ways to educate the public about the benefits of local beekeeping, local agriculture, and the overall bee industry in each particular community.

Please read the information on the "Sponsors" page of this website. The National Honey Bee Day is 100% free for bee associations, bee groups, and concerned individuals to participate. (No membership fees, no yearly dues, and no obligations.) But that does not mean we do not need some help.

Whether you are a beekeeper, non-beekeeper, farmer, backyard gardener, a nature lover, a concerned steward of the environment, or anyone else, please consider getting involved on some level. Together, we can make a difference. Thank you.

 

The National Honey Bee Day program operates and is administered under the registered non-profit listing and status of Pennsylvania Apiculture Inc., adhering to all laws and guidelines of a 501 ( c) and filed in the state of Pennsylvania.

 

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6-25-2010 


Beekeeping in Tennessee
The University of Tennessee now has available the revised version of this great publication.  You may download a pdf version of the publication for free.

 

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5-16-2010 

 

Sorry we missed the meeting Monday.  No, REALLY!!

 

Feel free to share this with anyone you wish - it is quite an unusual story

- even if I do say so myself.

 

Well, we tried and we tried Monday night 'til dark, and couldn't get the

swarm out of the tree permanently (I was pruning with a shotgun - not an

easy task when the tree is a white oak and the limbs they insisted landing

upon were as big as my forearm and at least 30 feet up).  I had gotten much

of the swarm onto the ground and into a hive once during the evening - but

they did not stay.  So I finally gave up and went to bed.  Yesterday morning

(Tuesday) they were still there.  I figured "maybe we'll get lucky" and they

will find the hives I had stationed under them and set up housekeeping for

me after all.  Well I got home Tuesday afternoon and by golly they were

STILL in that tree!  So out comes the shotgun again - the neighbors probably

think I am totally INSANE - but finally, FINALLY I got the limb they were on

down - it involved a lot of advanced simple machines (ropes and more shotgun

shells), Whew!!

 

So FINALLY I wore through the limb they were on and the entire mass landed

right on one of the hives I had placed on the ground, below  - yee -

haaaaaa!!!  Bees were flying everywhere - but I got some newspaper and

started gently scooping bees towards the hive entrance (we are talking 10

pounds of bees minimum - the biggest swarm I have ever seen) and they

dutifully marched in for a while.  I watched and waited and coaxed and

scooped and waited and... then I looked up into the tree again - AND to my

complete and utter dismay  - there was about half of the swarm UP IN THE

TREE again in a very well formed cluster with no agitation (indicating to me

that the queen was probably present in that cluster) - on a limb about as

big around as my LEG!!  OH MY!!!

 

I was sure I had missed the queen - and she was up on the tree.  The hive

had a lot of bees in it and they were fanning their tails like crazy - like

the ones there thought they had found a new HOME - so I still had hopes of

coaxing the swarm into that hive - though those hopes were waning.

 

I poured a little sugar water on the front porch of the hive and they lapped

it up - I was thinking I might still coax them into that hive and I wanted

to keep the mass that was there from leaving again - I had gone through a

similar exercise Monday night and all the bees had left the hive and joined

the bees in the tree again.  I repeated adding sugar water to the front

stoop a couple times over 20 or 30 minutes and added an entrance feeder to

the hive, too.  There were a lot of bees in the hive, so I added a second

brood chamber (the first had DRAWN comb in it) and the bees on the outside

of the hive started filing in.  Then after about 30 minutes the swarm in the

tree started to take flight - what a sight - and a sickening feeling -

because it appeared that the bees in the hive were starting to take flight

too.  What a bummer.

 

Well they did not fly off, they just kept circling the tree - what a

cacophony!!   Sounded beautiful - because they were NOT flying AWAY!!

 

About 15 minutes later they were ALL OVER the hive and so I was beside

myself, sore shoulder and all.  (If you take all the times I had fired a

shotgun in my entire life prior to this week and compared that to how many

times I fired one this week - easily - this is the most I have ever used a

shotgun in my entire life - easily.)

 

It is the biggest swarm I  have ever seen (I know, I sad that once - but it

is true), and I fed them more this morning before I went to work.  With

drawn comb, I hope the queen will start laying within the week, and with

that many bees I hope they can start to draw and fill the second brood

chamber right away.  I hope they stay in my hive - I have had swarms leave

before - so I plan to treat them REALLY NICELY to help assure that.  I just

hope the entrance feeder does not start robbing amongst the hives in my yard

- I may switch to an internal feeder tonight.

 

What an ordeal.  Now I have to go buy a bunch of shotgun ammo to replace all

that I used up cutting that tree down to size  -  so I can be ready for the

next swarm!!!!!  I did get a little firewood out of the deal though.

 

What an adventure!!!!!

 

 

Mitch and Jane


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5-03-2010 

 

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/beekeeping.html

This publication discusses various aspects of beekeeping or apiculture, including state inspection programs, beginning basics, income sources and budgets, insurance, Africanized bees, organic certification, and various bee pests and diseases. Information on educational and training opportunities and further resources are also discussed.

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5-03- 2010 

Interesting article from Darold regarding crops and bees.  http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/may/02/food-fear-mystery-beehives-collapse

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5-03-10

Lone Star Farms

"I am looking for “Chemical Free” beekeepers. Please read through my new website. www.lonestarfarms.net  We promote chemical free beekeeping and chemical free beekeeping products. To make a real impact, we need everyone to participate. It does not matter where you live. This is about taking a stand against making our bees sick. Please join us in saving the bees one hive at a time. So many of us have gone chemical free in our hives and it really works. The chemicals are killing our bees and polluting our bee products. Please forward this information to everyone you know and enjoy the site." Thank you. Dennis Brown

 

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4-22-2010 - Remember that your bees need water! 

 

Pause Stop Previous Next View full-sized photos

 

 

 

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3-27-10 - Article from Otis Kelly -

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100324/ap_on_sc/us_food_and_farm_disappearing_bees

 

 

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4-02-10 - 

 

Hello Beekeepers,

 

Please find the attached brochure and registration form for an upcoming seminar on  April 23 and 24th  with DR. Richard Fell.  Sponsored by the Clinch Valley Beekeepers Association in Thornhill, TN  .  Please pass this information to your members.    You may also register at our website www.clinchvalleybeekeepers.org click on the news link at the bottom right then click on the seminar information link on the right.  Let me know if you have any questions.

 

Sincerely,

Debbie Clayton

Upper East TN Regional VP TBA

 

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3-19-10 - Beekeeping Workshops, page 2-

 

Biodynamics Today: Revelations and Realities

five workshops

in the heart of the blue ridge mountains

for gardeners, farmers, wine growers

and everyone interested in food and the earth

February 27

April 10

June 12

September 25

November 13

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3-17-10  Book by Kevin Braun

How to Start Beekeeping

 

Inexpensive yet informative.  The Association bought copies for our Bee-ginner Course.  -- Jane

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1/27/10  - If you are l1/27/10  - If you are looking for a unique gift, consider a honey pot made by a local potter from Tennessee Ridge.  Fonda Hancock has wonderful items.  She has honey pots in stock now.  They are $20 and come with a wooden dipper.  Stop by and  say hello to her.  She will be located across from the library.  You can contact her through her website - Tennessee Ridge Pottery or call her at   931-721-4189. 

 

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1/27/10  - Chuck Cook has provided us with a unique recipe using honey:

 

"I have never heard of anyone using this recipe before.  I think I invented it. 

 

May of us have had foamed molasses on biscuits.  This is the same recipe but you substitute honey for molasses or sorghum.

 

Heat the honey in a seasoned cast iron skillet until it just starts to bubble.  Toss in some baking soda (pinch, smidgen, 1/8 teaspoon, etc.) and stir as the honey foams.

 

Immediately apply liberal amounts to freshly baked and buttered biscuits.

 

Yum, yum.

 

It is so good it will make your tongue slap your teeth out."

 

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 1/20/10  - LIST of bee suppliers provided at the Fall TBA Conference:

 

     PAGE ONE

 

     PAGE TWO

 

These are a bit hard to read, but you can get the names from the sheet and look them up online.

 

 

provided by Robert Henderson

 

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1/11/10 

Articles -   Feeding Bees

                    George Pink's Pages - Keeping Bees Alive

                    GPP - All About Feeding

                    Late Season Candy Recipe                    
                    
Wintergreen & Salt-grease Patties for Varroa Mite Control

 1/19/10     Monsanto case against alfalfa ban reaches the Supreme Court

 

provided by Linda Priddy

 

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12/22/09 

Article - Beekeepers must focus on Varroa mites to beat CCD

 

provided by Darold Barnes

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12/22/09  Discount Subscriptions
 
Did you know you can save 25% on the American Bee Journal subscription and 12% on the Bee Culture subscriptions?
 
Contact Jane for more information!     or call her at 931.289.2243
 
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12/02/09 

Facts on Honey & Cinnamon -

 

Cinnamon and Honey 
Honey is the only food on the planet that will not spoil or rot. It will do what some call turning to sugar. In reality honey is always honey. However, when left in a cool dark place for a long time it will do what I rather call "crystallizing".   When this happens I loosen the lid, boil some water, and sit the honey container in the hot water, turn off the heat and let it liquefy. It is then as good as it ever was. Never boil honey or put it in a microwave. To do so will kill the enzymes in the honey.
** Jane’s secret – I make sure the cap is tight and place the jar into the dishwasher and let it run with the regular cycle.  It re-liquefies the honey and cleans the  “sticky" from the jar.

Cinnamon and Honey 
Bet the drug companies won't like this one getting around..  Facts on Honey and Cinnamon:  It is found that a mixture of honey and Cinnamon cures most diseases. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a 'Ram Ban' (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases.  Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of diseases. 

Today's science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients.   Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada , in its issue dated 17 January,1995 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon as researched by western scientists: 

HEART DISEASES: 
Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, instead of jelly and jam, and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack.  Also, those who have already had an attack, if they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat.  In America and Canada , various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as you age, the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins. 

ARTHRITIS: 
Arthritis patients may take daily, morning and night, one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured.. In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week, out of the 200 people so treated, practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain, and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain. 

BLADDER INFECTIONS: 
Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder. 

CHOLESTEROL
Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, given to a cholesterol patient, was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours.   As mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured. According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

COLDS: 
Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and clear the sinuses. 

UPSET STOMACH: 
Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers from the root. 

INDIGESTION: 
Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.. 

INFLUENZA: 
A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural ' Ingredient' which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu. 

LONGEVITY: 
Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age... Take four spoons of honey, one spoon of cinnamon powder, and three cups of water and boil to make like tea.. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans also increase and even a 100 year old, starts performing the chores of a 20-year-old. 

PIMPLES: 
Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with warm water. If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root. 

SKIN INFECTIONS: 
Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections. 

WEIGHT LOSS: 
Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. If taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet. 

FATIGUE: 
Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens, who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts, are more alert and flexible. Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M. when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, increases the vitality of the body within a week. 

BAD BREATH: 
People of South America , first thing in the morning, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water, so their breath stays fresh throughout the day. 

Remember when we were kids? We had toast with real butter and cinnamon sprinkled on it! 

 

http://www.advancedhealthplan.com/honeyandcinnamon.html

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10/24/09 

Learn more about Honey - Honey facts  

 

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Montgomery County Beekeepers Association

 

 

 

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10/20/09 

OCTOBER SPEAKER INFO - Chemical Free Beekeeping

 

John Seaborn - Wolf Creek Organic Apiaries

931.729.9229

Centerville, TN   

4.9 bees, Honey Wax, Queens and more
 

Trevor Qualls - Bon Aqua Springs Apiaries & Woodenware

931.670.6862

8 & 10 Frame Bee Hives, Hive Woodenware, Organic Raw Honey


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Seeds for attracting honeybees from Botanical Interests - 6-13-09
 
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Article - Honeybees in Danger  provided by Darold Barnes - 4/26/09
 
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Article on Mason Bees provided by Charles Cook
 
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Recently, several of our members were trained to be state bee inspectors.  Contact Scott Sutton or Mitch Latsch for more details.

 

 

 

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A pair of our members educating school children in Clarksville, TN
    The Leaf Chronicle 12/1/2007. 
 

Bee Ordinances in Clarksville and Michigan

 
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previous articles
 
What is it? Where is it? How do I know if my bees have it? So far, nobody knows.  by Malcolm T. Sanford
(this article suggests a chemical class of pesticides as the possible cause of CCD)