By Mary Laura Fitzgerald
It has been a pleasure to serve as your President the last two years, and I am enthusiastic about the community members who serve on our Board now and in the future, ensuring. the. continued strength of The Maryland State Beekeepers Association.
We have a fantastic team including both elected officers and volunteers that has come together to work for our state beekeepers on so many levels. Many exciting things have happened here over the last two years.
So many things show that MSBA represents an energetic and growing Free State beekeeping community! Our association hosted, for the first time in 25 years, a very successful and well received Eastern Apicultural Society Conference in 2024 at Turf Valley.
On top of offering three MSBA meetings a year and our yearly offerings like the Nucs and Splits class, we have added new offerings for our beekeepers including an excellent workshop on rendering beeswax and using it in products from the apiary, and hands on Queen Rearing.
Maryland has continued to add multiple beekeepers to the EAS Master Beekeeper roster each year, supported by our excellent state study group: a group who has also participated actively on the board, as speakers, and as volunteers. We’ve kept our members up to date on available interventions and varroa treatments for our bees, as well the newest pests that could harm them in the future.
I have every faith that we are moving toward even greater successes and education in the future. And I wish you and your bees very happy and successful beekeeping.