Author Archives: deblawson_1@charter.net

Michael Bush on Natural Beekeeping

Greetings, all Outer Banks beekeepers (and wanna-bees!):
The Outer Banks BeeKeepers’ Guild has an EXCITING event in the works…
TENTATIVE!
Speaker:  Natural Beekeeper & Author Michael Bush
When:  Saturday, March 18, 2017
Where:  Ramada Inn
TENTATIVE!
Michael Bush is known world-wide for his approach, “natural beekeeping without treatments for pests or diseases and only minimal interventions,” and is author of the book “The Practical Beekeeper – Beekeeping Naturally.”
If you are not familiar with Michael Bush, I encourage you to visit his website, bushfarms.com, so that you can explore his outlook and methods.
When we have a definite date and commitment, we plan to broadcast the info to other area groups (Eliz. City, Southeastern VA groups, New Bern, etc.), as the Ramada conference room will hold up to 200.  We are considering a $20 fee, but depending on attendance from other groups, if we get enough registered to cover costs then we may waive or reduce the fee for OBX Bee Guild members.
Wanted you to put the date on your calendars now in order to keep it available!
Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions in the meantime.  Thanks!
Denise Deacon
252.722.3118

Time to Talk Packages!

What do you do when the forecast calls for a chance of SNOW this Saturday?!?

Well…. You derail your winter blues by thinking about the 2017 bee season!!!

It’s time to talk PACKAGES.

In years past, we have done group orders from various suppliers, and some of those are listed below.  If you would be willing to drive and pickup a number of orders for other beekeepers, please “reply all” to let the group know, so that they can also order from that supplier.

When ordering as part of a group order, you would then tell the supplier that you are with the Outer Banks order, so that when it is being picked up your package will be included!  (Also, in the past, some have given a donation to the driver to help defer their cost of time and gas, so please consider that as well 🙂

General Info:  Most bee packages are approx. 3 pounds of bees inside a screened box, with a marked/unmarked queen inside her own cage contained within the box.  I have asked the suppliers, and the queens inside packages are NOT from their own local stock when purchased as part of the package; HOWEVER, you can purchase their queens at an additional cost at a later date when available.

Also, if you plan to order from another supplier and would like to share that info, please do!!

RICK COOR, SPRING BANK BEE FARM: (919) 738-7638 cell
Marked Queen = $115
Unmarked Queen = $110
Pickup Date:  Sunday, March 26
Location:  Goldsboro, NC
Need to order by:  “End of February”
Additional Queens from his own stock available mid-April for $25

DAVE BRADLEY, SAPONY CREEK: (252) 904-4737 cell
Marked Queen = $105
Unmarked Queen = $100
Pickup Dates:  Monday, March 27 and Tuesday, April 11
Location:  Nashville, NC
Need to order by:  “For March date, ASAP!! For April date, order by mid-February.”
Additional queens $30 marked/$25 unmarked

BACK FORTY BEES
Marked Queen = $137
Unmarked Queen = $130
Pickup Date:  mid-April/April 14?
Location:  Moyock, NC
See his website for further info…
http://www.backfortybees.com/package-honey-bees/

Please let the group know if you would volunteer to be a driver, and from which supplier on which date you will be picking up!

As always, please let me know if you have any questions.

Denise Deacon
252.722.3118

Apitherapy

Hi all,
Thanks for being such a great, attentive audience for our recent meeting and talk about apitherapy.  Denise, Fountain and I are enthusiastic proponents as you could probably tell.
Here are the books I mentioned in our meeting about apitherapy.
 
Health and the Honeybee by Charles Mraz (Amazon and eBay $16-22)
The Bible of Bee Venom Therapy by Bodog Beck (Amazon $30)
Bees Don’t Get Arthritis by Fred Malone (Amazon $10)
 
American Apitherapy Society has an informative website.  American Apitherapy Society
 
 

Here is their list of conditions treatable with BVT:

Immune system dysfunction or problems
        Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
        Rheumatoid arthritis
        Hay fever
Neurologic problems
        MS 
        ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)
        Shingles
        Scar pain
Musculoskeletal problems
        Arthritis
        Gout
        Tendonitis, bursitis
        Spinal pain
Infectious problems
        Bacterial, viral, and fungal illnesses 
Traumas
        Wounds, acute and chronic 
Burns
        Sprains
        Fractures
Tumors
        Benign and Malignant (cancer)

 
I will be happy to help anyone interested in learning to sting themselves.
 
Julie Moye
256-0065
The Bible of Bee Venom Therapy by [Beck, Bodog]    

Outer Banks Sentinel Article

Sweet as honey

The Outer Banks BeeKeepers’ Guild recently held its first Honey Contest. Guest judges were North Carolina Beekeepers’ Association President Rick Coor and Guild member and former North Carolina State Senator Fountain Odom.

Winner of the Judges’ Award, based on color, clarity and flavor, was second-year beekeeper Melissa Warner of Manteo, shown with her winning honey still in the frame before extraction. Winner of the People’s Choice Award, based on flavor alone and judged by all members present, was 50-plus-year beekeeper Don Babin of Rodanthe, shown with a jar of his honey.

The Outer Banks BeeKeepers’ Guild welcomes new members, whether interested in keeping honey bees themselves or just learning more about these amazing creatures. For more information, visit outerbanksbeekeepers.com online.

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Swarm Trap Plans

Colder days coming mean inside projects:

An old-time beekeeper gave sage advice… “Never too early to plan for next year’s bees,” so along that vein, here is a website that shows exactly how to build a very successful swarm trap/swarm box.  The Result?  Free Bees!  I caught one myself last spring with this one, built by Bobby Dupree and Bill Farrell, and Etienne Nadeau of Eliz. City, who suggested this one to our group at a past meeting, has caught MANY with this type of box.

http://www.horizontalhive.com/how-to-build/swarm-trap-free-plans.shtml

While you are on that website, you might explore what a “horizontal hive” is all about… Like a top bar, you don’t have to remove heavy boxes to get to the brood chamber, but you utilize deep frames within, so less chance of cross-combing and sidewall comb supports to deal with.  I hope to build and try one of these horizontal hives for next year!

Do you have a favorite swarm trap of your own?  Please do share with the group!

Denise Deacon
252.722.3118

Potluck and Honey Contest

What a fun evening last night!

First, thanks SO much to Deb Lawson for hostessing the potluck and honey contest in her beautiful home… The setting and decorations (along with her homemade chilis and barbeque) were perfection.

Thanks also to everyone who attended and contributed to the potluck meal, the drinks, and/or the camaraderie.  I heard the suggestion that November is a great time to do this event, as it is a primer to the holiday season, is after our busy summer and sometimes busy shoulder season, and at a time when everyone who harvested would have some honey on hand.  Let’s make November our timing for this event from here on out!

Honey Contest Winners:

Judge’s Choice:
Our esteemed judges, NCSBA President Rick Coor and the Always-Enthusiastic Guild member Fountain Odom, thoughtfully and expertly examined the 10 entries and chose a winner based on Clarity, Color, and Taste.  The winner is… Melissa Warner Anglin from Manteo!

People’s Choice:
Before the Judge’s Choice was announced, so as not to influence the second award, all attendees then tasted the samples and, based on taste alone, chose a winner… Don Babin from Rodanthe!

Congratulations to you both – and thank you to everyone who entered – it was really a treat to taste all the different entries and realize how unique each honey is, depending on it’s floral source.  We really have a fun group, and I am so happy to be a part of it!

Denise Deacon
252.722.3118

P.S. I will be sending info regarding our December meeting (Tuesday, 12/13) in a separate email, so please watch for that soon.

Nectar to Honey

Greetings everyone!

Ever heard that honey is “bee vomit” or “bee barf?”  Not so!
Sharing this very interesting article I came across explaining the bees’ process of turning nectar into honey…

http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21199

Please feel free to share with the group when you encounter something that piques your interest 🙂

Enjoy your day!

Denise Deacon
252.722.3118

Apple a Day Health Food Store

This information comes via our member Fountain Odom:
apple a dayDenise, This is a good health supplements store! I have done business with them for several years!
They would like to buy local honey so they can sell it along with their other products!
They are located in the Seagate North Shopping Center. 3105 N Croatan Hwy. MP 5.5 Kill Devil Hills
Melissa Monroe runs the family business.
Please let our local beekeeper members know we have a good place to sell if anyone is interested.
Fountain

Nucleus Hive Wanted

nuc hiveI received this email today…
“Hi Denise
I am a beekeeper in Florida traveling to Nags Head to visit a son and take him an observation hive. Rather than traveling with a hive from here to there I would like help contacting a local beekeeper that would sell me a “4 frame Nuke”.  If you know one or more who would be able to do that I would appreciate your sending their contact information in a reply or you can give them my phone number 352-949-0743 to call me. Please let me know you received this email. Thanks, Bruce Wilson”
I then spoke with Mr. Wilson on the phone to get more details, and he is wanting to purchase 4 DEEP frames containing everything that you would find in a nuc (nucleus) hive… A laying queen, open brood, capped brood, pollen and nectar.  He would need it in a couple of weeks.
He did not specify a price… HE said it would be worth it to him to not have to transport bees all the way from Florida to Nags Head in the back of a pickup truck.  He plans to install an observation hive in his son’s house in Nags Head, and these frames will go under glass.  I told him I know nuc prices started in the $175 range this year, and he said he would pretty much pay whatever someone reasonably wanted.
If you run deeps in your brood box and are needing or planning to make a split soon, please consider his offer to purchase it from you, and give him a call!
Denise Deacon
252.722.3118