Minutes from December 9, 2019

Minutes From December 9, 2019

President Dave Irvin called the meeting to order at 6:25.

ECIBA officers were introduced, and new members invited to tell a bit about themselves. Welcome to all.

Treasurerer Jean Stallman reported on the club's funds.

Secretary Jim Davis gave a report on upcoming beekeeping classes and events. Will Swain will be teaching a Beginning Beekeeping Class. Classes will be held at the Environmental Education Center at the Eastside Recycling location on Scott Blvd, Iowa City, beginning in January for 5 months. Registration can be done at iowacitybeekeeping.com or contact Will at 319-530-3343 or at will.swain072@gmail.com.

Ed St. John will be offering beginning beekeeping classes at the Solon library, January 15 and 16, 22 and 23. Classes will be free. Contact Ed at esj178@gmail.com for more information.

Indian Creek Nature Center will be starting Beginning Beekeeping Classes in January as well and Kirkwood Community College offers a couple sessions introducing beekeeping. Go to their websites to register or get more information.

Central Iowa Beekeepers Association will host a Winter Seminar on Saturday, January 18^th, 2020, from 8:30 to 4:30 at the Grimes Community Complex in Grimes, Iowa. Speakers will include Dr. Larry Connor, Dr. Judy Wu-Smart, and Mr. Sheldon Brummel. Cost is $40 and includes a catered luncheon. Registration is required. Contact Linn Wilbur, lwilbur50201@gmail.com 515-382-4882. Download registration at centraliowabeekeepersassoc.org.

Matt Stewart gave a summary of their attendance at the Iowa Honey Producers annual meeting.

The location of the meeting at the Airport Holiday Inn, which will be the site of next year's meeting as well, was a good location. One speaker was Mel Disselkoen, who raises bees with no mite controls and uses biological methods for controlling the mites. He talked about his method of On the Spot Queen Rearing. Kirsten Traynor spoke about the medicinal benefits of honey, particularly manuka honey for skin conditions but Buckwheat honey is also very effective as is soy bee honey. Becky Tipton spoke about beehive communication and the importance of using smoke in working bees. Africanized bees are sensitive to CO2, so breathing on them can set them off. Jeannie Saum spoke about the healing properties of propolis. Patty Stewart mentioned that James Miller's honey was voted #2 best tasting honey in the state. Way to go James! Ed St. John referred to a post on the Iowa Honey Producer's website about a young woman who will do pollen analysis for $30.

Winter Management Floyd reminded people to make sure bees have some source of food on as winter is upon us. Be sure to keep close eye on the hives in late February especially to make sure there is food available.

Speaker: Bob Wolffe Bob talked about his trip this summer to Benin for three weeks working in a collaborative project that is part of the Young African Leadership program. He worked with two members of the Mandela Washington Fellowship. Highlights of Bob's talk are:

--It is difficult to breed out the aggressive African traits because the queens that have the African traits emerge first and kill those who have the more moderate European traits.

--Western African countries are in the very beginning stages of having a beekeeping industry. Poverty and availability of materials are a tremendous hindrance to development.

--Bob has applied for a grant to go to Malawi in February.

--Rather than having large apiaries, Bob sees it more likely that cooperatives, many people keeping small numbers of hives, will more likely be the means of keeping bees.

--Beekeeping basically involves taking honey. Hive management, controlling pests and diseases, hive manipulation, is not part of their beekeeping practice. They repopulate hives simply by getting swarms.

–Revenue streams from the bees includes not only honey but pollen, propolis, wax, venom, royal jelly and bee bread. Honey is 5 times more costly than oil per pound,

--Modified top bar hives are made from scrap wood, such as pallets. A major problem is the lack of quality tools and consistency in constructing parts that are interchangeable in the hives.

--Together, the members built frames and boxes and even made an extractor using bicycle wheels. They made mead with various fruits added to honey, with sometimes explosive results. Bob also taught them about bee biology.

--In Iowa, Paul Gardner at his Precious Bees business in Homestead helped show how to make frames using a machete and talked about ways to make the extractor with bicycle parts. Andy and Becky Marshall from Marshall Apiary also gave Bob advice and assistance.

--They did discover hive beetles and some large wax moth larva. Bob brought samples of each back to be studied.

President Dave Irvin was given a card and gift certificate in recognition of the time he has served as president of ECIBA. Dave has done a lot for the community in swarm removal, education, managing our club's presence at the county fair and serving as president. Thanks Dave!

Floyd Otdoerfer will step in as president. James Miller nominated Joseph Klingelhutz to be vice-president. Joseph was voted in unanimously.

Jim Davis asked for a committee to be formed to draft a set of by-laws for the club, to be read at the March meeting. Additionally, members were asked to think about how we might consider raising dues and income so we might be able to support some members attending various state events.

A raffle was held to give out boxes of honey containers that were donated from the estate of Jim Clark, a former ECIBA member. Much thanks to the Stewarts and the Clark family for makng that possible.

The next meeting of the East Central Iowa Beekeepers Association will be March 9, 2020 at the Coralville Public Library.

Reminder: Dues will be collected at the March 9^th meeting.

Also, please notify Jim Davis either by phone 319-331-9542 or email (davisjk@southslope.net) if you no longer wish to be on our membership list. Thank you.

Minutes submitted 12/10/2019 by Jim Davis

http://eastcentraliowabeekeepers.blogspot.com

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Interested in learning about beekeeping?  Now is the time to enroll in one of the 

east central Iowa beginning beekeeping classes.  For more information, go to our 

Classes and Events page.