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President's Letter
- President’s Message, November 2021
This is my last president’s letter for MSBA. It has been a pleasure working with and meeting more of the exceptional beekeepers of Maryland! I thank everyone for their support as we worked through a most interesting time. COVID, of course, affected our meetings and classes, and let to us all become very familiar with Zoom.
MSBA is proud to offer our first hybrid meeting on November 13th, at the Maryland Department of Agriculture and via UMD's Zoom service. "Hybrid" simply means that you can participate in person or on Zoom.The board is engaging a professional audio-visual support company, to supply our technology and make this first-time format for us a success. We want everyone to feel safe, and attend the meeting the way they are most comfortable.
I am proud that MSBA has worked so hard on excellent programs for the last four years. Our agreements to work with the Bee Squad and Mark Dykes have led to opportunities to host new classes and develop others. We started a new education committee almost a year ago and created a list of almost 30 classes we thought Maryland needed. We chose the first three, and began the legwork, and data collection for them. One group has worked out an excellent Harvesting Class which could not be filmed this year due to COVID. Another group has collected the data for a Maryland Comparison of Nucleus Versus Package Colony Growth for a season. For the latter, Mark, Eric Malcom, Mike Mehalick and I met every two weeks to photograph every frame of three hives with and without bees. It will take months to go through all the photos and create a good class together, but we have done the leg work (or back and sweat work)!
MSBA will be proud to offer our Nucs and Splits Full-day Class in person again in January 2022. It is seven solid hours of information from eight different teachers: look for the signup to open on December 1. Once again we will offer one free seat in the class to every bee club in Maryland. Those free entrances mean that the attendees agree to return to their local clubs and share some of what they learned. This is part of endeavoring to find more ways to offer education to you, our members.
In May, we will be offering our Honey Show Judging Class. Look for the announcement and sign up.
Deb Hewitt and I have compiled a list of questions for new beekeepers who are purchasing nucs to appear on the MSBA website. There is no one standard in Maryland for what comprises a nucleus colony! Remember MSBA’s charter is education of beekeepers, not regulation. So a list of appropriate questions for new beekeepers was decided as the way to help our newest least experienced beekeepers make educated purchases. There are dozens of ways to make up a good nuc, just stand behind your product. Also, effective in 2022 if you want to list Nucs/Queens for sale on the MSBA site you must have registered your hives with the Maryland State Department of Agriculture. Hive registration is the state law.
I thank our volunteers who do all the work of this club. Without people willing to give up their time, you would not have three wonderful information packed meetings. You would not be drinking coffee, talking bees, or having just one more donut to get through the morning. We are having our honey show because AABA has provided runners to accept entries. Honey Show Judges are listening to our November meeting while scoring those honey show entries. For our club to continue to grow we still need more people to step up and help. Speak to your board members to see how you too can get involved. Many hands make light work is a basic truth!
Thank you for letting me serve as your president. It has been a wonderful experience.
Notes from the Apiary Inspector
- Notes from the Apiary Inspector
Cybil Preston, State Apiary Inspector, MDA
Phone 410-841-5920, Fax 841-5835, Cell 410-562-3464Goldenrod could be seen all over this Fall, on roadsides, field edges, meadows. It was wonderful to see so much of it in bloom, and the blooms seemed to come in early in some places possibly due to drought in some parts of the state. The smell emanating from the colonies has lingered from Mid-August through now, depending on where you are located.
I am seeing some "Fall Crash" or "Fall Dwindle” in the field! There are a surprisingly high number of mites in the brood cells while mite treatments are on or just were treated. Beekeepers are also having to do a follow up treatment after their typical fall brood/winter cluster treatments. If you are treating your colonies for varroa mites, please do a mite count prior to and a mite check after use of your varroa control to ensure that your varroa control method was effective. Also, if you have a very strong colony, still rearing high numbers of brood, a second mite treatment may be needed if the first treatment only brought the mite numbers down to threshold.
If these are strong colonies that are robbing weaker colonies, they can reinfect themselves with varroa from the weak colony. Another thing to check for after the varroa treatment is the brood pattern, before and after. Some varroa treatments can cause brood death and you also want to be sure the queen is still effective after your varroa control has been removed. Check for eggs and young larvae to ensure that your colony is still queenright.
Calls and emails are still coming into the MDA for sightings of what people think is the "Murder Hornet." 353 email and voicemail responses from our office so far this year! We do not have the Asian Giant Hornet here in Maryland and we are continuing to monitor for it. European Hornets are still an issue for beekeepers, though. I have seen an increase in beekeeper issues with the latter. Their presence is seemingly worse in apiaries that have had to do supplemental feeding. Make sure to reduce your entrances and feed internally if feeding is necessary.
Field Watch/Bee Check: This Voluntary beehive mapping tool is going strong. There are more beekeepers registered than any other crop!
Thank you to all the beekeepers that participated in the USDA/APHIS National Honeybee Survey. We were able to complete all 24-sample sites. AGAIN, thank you to all who were willing to participate. Anyone willing to participate in 2022, please let me know. You must have 8 colonies located in the same apiary to qualify. I appreciate your willingness to participate!
We continued the Invasive Trap Survey as well this year. We had traps at the Port of Baltimore, BWI Airport and a residential/industrial area.
Mack & Tukka are back to work. We have been training and preparing to get back into the field, and are working on scenting and stamina now. Maryland's AFB dogs will be back into inspections as soon as the weather hits 50 degrees F and below. We will work on commercial beekeepers moving to California first.
The invasive pest Spotted Lanternfly has been found in Kent, Cecil, Harford, and Washington counties. If you are moving bees in and out of these counties, please acquire a permit through MDA and continue to monitor and look for egg masses on your hives and equipment.
Robyn Underwood, a researcher at Penn State, is applying for a SARE grant to provide queen rearing classes for the 12 northeast states. These classes and training materials will cover all aspects of queen rearing so more northern queens can be produced. She is looking to show that there is a lot of interest in folks looking to attend queen rearing classes. If this is something you would be interested in, please email Robyn directly: rmu1@psu.edu.
I would like to see the local beekeeping clubs come together and start a dialogue on a few topics.
- Are beekeepers interested in getting Maryland code changed or rewritten to say or not say bees are considered agriculture? Are they livestock? Is there an interest in changing legislation? I would like the beekeepers via the local clubs to discuss this and see what the consensus of this topic is.
- I would love to see some written standards on nuc production and nuc sales. Would the beekeeping clubs set out some guidelines for the newbie beekeeper? I see a lot of variables when performing nuc inspections and I feel like there should be some guidelines on some standards of the nuc production, nuc sales or nuc brokering here in Maryland.
Apiary Inspection job openings. We will be opening the positions for Western Maryland, Central Maryland, and the Eastern Shore. I hope to get them open in December for spring 2022.
Mailing of the 2022 apiary registration form will be in December. Please update, sign and return your registration forms as soon as possible.
Four New Free State Master Beekeepers
- Four New Master Beekeepers for Maryland!
From upper left; Crystal, Pam, Lisa. Bottom: Nathan
Four Maryland beekeepers, including MSBA Board Members Pam Hepp(Montgomery County 2nd VP), Crystal Lehmanking (Somerset County 2nd VP) and Lisa Marie Ghezzi (Talbot County 2nd VP), and new Free State resident Nathan Reid have been certified as Eastern Apicultural Society Master Beekeepers at the organization's just-concluded 2021 Conference in Shepherdsville, Kentucky!
Nathan will also be presenting on his journey to becoming an EAS Certified Master Beekeeper at our upcoming November 13 hybrid meeting!Maryland is fortunate to have 20 Master Beekeepers currently active in the state!The EAS Master Beekeepers Program has existed for many years as a level of beekeeping expertise certified through the rigorous testing established and maintained through the Eastern Apiculture Society. The Master Beekeepers work together to support the educational arm of EAS.
For more information on becoming an EAS Master Beekeeper, please visit the EAS Website!
Susquehanna Beekeepers Offer Intro Course
- Intro Beekeeping Class at Harford CC November 20
The Susquehanna Beekeepers Association, the county club for Harford and Cecil Counties, is sponsoring an intro beekeeping course at Harford Community College on Saturday, November 20th from 9 AM to 12 noon.Beekeeping is a fun and interesting hobby, however, don't get stung! Find out what's involved before investing your time and resources. This class, presented by the Susquehanna Beekeepers Association, will explain the equipment needed, how to start a hive, and even explain how to make your own equipment. If you decide it's a hobby you would like to pursue, you will be ready for the full Beekeeping class offered in the spring. Bring a claw hammer to class.Cost $15, Register through the Harford Community College website. Search for "beekeeping."
MSBA Honey Show '21 is on! Cash and Kudos!
- MSBA Honey Show ’21: Tips for Kudos and Cash!
We could not have a honey show in 2020, but now we're back!
MSBA offers an official, professionally judged honey show each November along with its Fall General Membership Meeting and Elections. This is possible with the generous support of the Maryland Ag Fair Board, whose grant supports the over $900 in prizes available that day!This is your chance to learn a lot, stretch your wings, and bring home some cash! Remember, honey shows are an opportunity to both hone your skills in the preparation and presentation of the marvelous products created by the bees, and to engage members of the non-beekeeping public in better understanding the wonder of bees and beekeeping.
Please fill out an entry form, and bring it to the November 13, 2021 meeting at the Maryland Department of Agriculture, 50 Harry S Truman Parkway, Annapolis. Entries will be accepted at the honey show table staffed by volunteers from the Anne Arundel Beekeepers from 8 AM to 9 AM.
You can learn more about the honey show and its rules here, but first, MSBA President Kim Mehalick wants to encourage your participation and offer some tips for success!
TIPS for preparing a Honey Show entry:
- Put your entry through a fine filter to reduce particulate.
- Pour your bottles a week early so the air bubbles can rise.
- Watch those fill lines! That ridge below the screw threads up top is the "Fair Fill Line."
- Bring an extra cap, and replace the one your entry traveled in before handing it over.
- Bring a microfiber cloth along, and carefully wipe away any fingerprints, dust or smears that might have come with travel.
- If your honey has started to crystallize now that the weather is cooling, you have time to gently warm it: consider a register through which your home's heat is rising, or placing your entry in a cardboard box in a low-temp oven (with the heat OFF) for a few hours.
- EAS has a full page of dos and don'ts, as well!
MSBA T-Shirts are In Stock! Long and Short Sleeves!
- MSBA Long- and Short-Sleeved T-Shirts Available Again
For the first time since 2019, MSBA has restocked its 100% cotton "I'm a A Maryland Beekeeper" t-shirts in both long- and short-sleeves, and in a range of 7 sizes from small to 4X-large! If you purchase up at an MSBA meeting or class, you do not have to pay shipping!
LONG sleeved shirts = $21 including tax + $4 shipping per shirt.
SHORT sleeved shirts = $16 including tax + $4 shipping per shirt.You have two delivery options: for normal shipping, there is an additional cost of $4 per shirt, with bulk shipping discounts available for those ordering 3 or more shirts.
Please visit the order page at http://www.mdbeekeepers.org/tshirts/ if you would like a new t-shirt. If you plan to pick your shirt up, keep an eye out for the sales table at each MSBA meeting or class. Exact change is welcome, as are checks. Credit card payments via PayPal are also accepted.
Coffee Volunteer Needed to Keep Up the Beekeeper Buzz
- Coffee Volunteer Needed, Can You Keep Us Buzzing?
Please contact msba@mdbeekeepers.org if you can help keep our meeting hospitable and energetic in the months ahead!
After several years supporting hundreds of caffeine dependencies, MSBA volunteers Susan Warner and Jim Fraser need to pass on support for the coffee service at MSBA face to face meetings starting in 2022. Between the two, they pickup refreshments and set up the equipment for the coffee, tea, donuts and more which we share as we talk bees and learn more about their care.
MSBA reimburses all refreshment costs, and provides all the equipment. The volunteer needs to arrive before doors open (usually 45 minutes early) to set up, and there are usually numerous hands available onsite to help with that (as well as packing up afterward). The coffee equipment is made up of two portable bins, two coolers, and one coffee urn.
About MSBA Elections
- About MSBA Elections 2021
MSBA Elections: What You Are Voting For
Each year MSBA asks members to vote for officers: do you know what you are voting for?
Your state beekeeping club collects your dues and oversees tens of thousands of dollars in resources in pursuit of this non-profit organization's mission: "to promote scientific and practical bee culture, promote the use of honey and other bee products, and to secure such legislation as is necessary to protect and further the beekeeping industry and to advance the interests of its members."
During every General Meeting of the Maryland State Beekeepers Association, Inc., since its founding in 1908, members have been asked to participate in a series of administrative rituals that usually receive little discussion, despite their importance. Our Treasurer presents a budget to the membership, awards are given to those who have given special service in the past year or years, and you get to select the people who will guide this 111 year old organization with 721 paid members and about $45,000 in the bank through its next 12 months.
Who are these people? What do they do?
What follows is not a lawyer’s description, but an attempt to make the Board familiar and accessible.
The MSBA Board was created by our bylaws, essentially the founding documents of the incorporated 501(c)3 organization that creates this newsletter and holds these meetings. It meets three times a year, usually for 2 hours, and a month in advance of the member meetings in February, June, and November.
Currently a majority of the folks who are on the Board participate on a regular basis! The Board meets when the number of participants meets quorum (a minimum of 8 voting members).
Who’s Who on the Board?
Most of the board is made up of Second Vice Presidents representing 23 Maryland counties and Baltimore City, as well as DC. They can attend board meetings by free conference call or in person, and are asked to meet two responsibilities: to keep MSBA apprised of local issues and to inform about and promote MSBA to local beekeepers. 2ndVPs can be nominated by local clubs, but all board members must join the association, and usually those who serve as 2nd VP continue from year to year. It is perfectly OK for there to be more than one candidate, on whom the membership can vote.
The next largest group on the Board is Directors, of which there are three, as well as an EAS Director. Directors can serve up to two 1-year terms in a row, and we try to make those term limits run out on no more than two at once to ensure continuity. Their job is to suggest meeting topics (especially scientific ones), write articles, help initiate legislative activities, and to keep the rest of the Board compliant with the rules.
The EAS Director is different: that job requires making sure that Eastern Apicultural Society knows what we care about, and that we understand EAS’ role and activities. The EAS Director attends their board, and usually the Annual Conference, and reports back to us
about the wider world of beekeeping.The two immediate Past Presidents (right now that's Jim Fraser and Allen Hayes) also get to vote, but have otherwise already done their share!
The Secretary’s job is pretty self-explanatory: this officer takes notes at all Board and membership meetings, distributes them, and keeps these records. The Secretary also gets copies of all correspondence and documents relevant to how the organization governs itself and works with others.
The next two roles are mainstays of this organization.
The Treasurer does just what it sounds like: manages the money, and all the records around it, while keeping the Board informed of all the above. The Treasurer takes care of the bank accounts, manages your membership, and gets us audited from time to time. Bob Crouse was a remarkable foundation stone for the MSBA in this role for several years, and left us in great shape. Stefanie Ottenstein has continued the work of making sure that we have met all the financial, regulatory and insurance criteria that apply to non-profits these days.
The First Vice President functions as the Program Chair for MSBA, and finds places and times for all Board and membership meetings, recruits speakers, manages all the vendors and tables, works with the volunteers who provide AV and refreshments. In November, the First VP also recruits judges and volunteers for the Honey Show, and always negotiates all the arrangements the speakers need to get to and from us. Other officers assist the 1st VP in many of these tasks.
The President is also limited to two one-year terms, and 2021 is the end of Kim Mehalick's time as president. That job is responsible for calling meetings, compiling reports, appointing committees, and representing the association in places like Annapolis and to outside organizations like the press or the Farm Bureau.How are officers selected? What if you would like to serve?
The Board term limits are a good idea, because it keeps new people flowing through our team. Before each election, a Nominations Committee is appointed to reach out to existing and potential officers about playing a role on the board. This year, the Nominating Committee is run by Toni Burnham assisted by Brittany Llewelyn, Debbie Hewitt, and Mary Laura Fitzgerald, and they may recruit helpers. If you are interested, it’s a good idea to get in contact.
For a more formal explanation of Board roles, you can
also see our Constitution and Bylaws at http://www.mdbeekeepers.org/downloads/MSBA_Constitution_Revised.pdf
Beekeeping News and Notes
- Beekeeping News and Notes: November 2021
Ellis and Jack on Varroa Management Options, IPM (and tools on the horizon)
Varroa mites have been eluding suppression in our colonies for decades now, and beekeepers hope for science to deliver greater hope with stretched patience. However, in "Integrated Pest Management Control of Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae), the Most Damaging Pest of (Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae)) Colonies," June 2021 MSBA keynote Jamie Ellis and February 2022 keynote Cameron Jack provide a helpful overview and decision framework, providing provide an in-depth review of the components of IPM in a Varroa control.
They share a complete review of all available treatments and look at IPM methods. But they have us in mind, "To encourage beekeeper adoption, a successful IPM approach to Varroa control in managed colonies must be an improvement over conventional control methods." Looking to the future, they give a helpful look at new treatment avenues such as RNA interference (RNAi) and chemical controls that interfere with Varroa mating or in-hive function. Excitingly, they provide an IPM Decision Chart to help us better integrate IPM into our management strategies!
Lost British Indigenous Honeybee is Found Again
Pending DNA confirmation, British bee conservationist Filipe Salbany has discovered the location of at least 50 colonies of wild honeybee, physically and behaviorally different from the imported European honeybee species that were thought to have replaced them...at the Royal Palace of Blenheim! The location is significant because the grounds have been more or less ecologically "frozen" for 300 years, potentially giving indigenous bees a survival advantage. “These bees are quite unique in that they live in nests in very small cavities, as bees have for millions of years, and they have the ability to live with disease. They have had no treatment for the varroa mite – yet they’re not dying off.” [More info]
DC Artist Creates Beeswax-based Immersive Installation
As beekeepers, we know that bees open our minds and hearts. A new local exhibition is an opportunity to revel in them with even more senses! Mary Early's newest installation includes over one thousand cast beeswax elements, suspended to create a space within the space. "Mary Early: Līnea XI" opened this weekend, with public gallery hours from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Masks required.
Local artist Mary Early has been working with beeswax as a central element in her minimalist, conceptual installations for several years now. In the last decade, she has pursued the creation of temporary installations composed of arrays of thousands of beeswax lines assembled on the floor or hanging in space. Her work has been exhibited at the United States Botanic Garden, Washington Project for the Arts, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Second Street Gallery (Charlottesville, VA), and around the world
Mary Early: Līnea XI at ArtEnables, 2204 Rhode Island Ave NE, Washington, DC 20018
November 6, 2021 - January 29, 2022
Taiwanese Researchers find compound that may suppress DWV
Bee scientists in Taiwan recently published a study that may point to a new nutritional tool in support of bee health. Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) is considered ubiquitous in beekeeping, as well as a major threat to honeybee and colony health. Usually Varroa-transmitted, it can cripple wing development but research also shows it impairs bee learning and memory. For one week, a team under Lead researcher Yueh-Lung Wu at National Taiwan University fed bees sugar water laced with sodium butyrate (NaB), an inexpensive chemical compound found in many plants and known to increase the expression of a variety of genes in animals, including those involved in immune responses and learning. More than 90% of the fed bees remained alive after five days, while 90% of the infected bees that didn't get NaB died over the same period.
Citizen Scientists Wanted to Create Nationwide Pollen Database
Almond pollen grain USDA has awarded a $500,000 grant to scientists at Mississippi State and Oregon State to profile over 100 bee-pollinated plants, with an eye toward matching plants that are attractive to bees with their nutritional value. Very little is known about comparative pollen nutrition, and the researchers seek volunteer help to expand this knowledgebase. Lead scientist Chakrabarti Basu was inspired to start the database to help solve the challenge of bees and salmon pollination: “The idea is to have other nutritious forages blooming before and after the almonds bloom. This helps the bees stay healthy and strong because they have access to nutritious pollen and nectar when they arrive and before they are prepped to move to the next crop,” Knowing which plants bees like and which are most important for their well being can be an important tool in a sideliner beekeeper's pocket, as well! An online training session will be held with volunteers this winter. Citizen scientists interested in volunteering to collect pollen for the project can contact Basu at pb1090@msstate.edu or by calling 662-325-6711.
Beekeeping Humor: Fall 2021
- Beekeeping Smiles for Fall 2021
Some bad bee jokes:
"Three bees fly into a pub and land on the bar.
The barkeep says “Wow bees, uh what can I get you?”
All three bees order a half drop of mead.
The barkeep finds an eye dropper and dispenses their order.
Full of curiosity the barkeep asks “So do bees drink a lot?”
The first bee replies,
“No… just enough to get a buzz on”"A man in a movie theater notices a honey bee sitting next to him.
“Are you a honey bee?” asked the man, surprised.
“Yes.”
“What are you doing here at the movies?”
The honey bee answers, “Well, I liked the book."And last:
"A young man showed up to work for an old beekeeper. First day on the job. The beekeeper says, “Paint all those bee hives.” The young man looks at all that work and says, “You don’t seem to realize – I have a college education!” The old beekeeper thinks for a minute and says, “I’m sorry. I’ll show you how to hold the paint brush.”
Fall Meeting 2021 Information
- 2021 November 13 MEETING
VIEW THE RECORDINGS:
When you are logged in, and a current MSBA member, you will see the video link right here.
Join the Maryland State Beekeepers Association for a fascinating day packed with insights on honey bees & useful tips to keep them.
- Elections!
- Expert Speakers!
- HONEY SHOW!
EVENT: MSBA will convene its 113th Annual Fall Meeting, Elections and 84th Honey Show!
LOCATION: Maryland Dept. of Agriculture AND remote via Zoom (Link will be added when available)
ADDRESS: If attending in person: 50 Harry S Truman Parkway, Annapolis MD
DAY: 11/13/2021 Saturday, November 13, 2021
TIME: 8:30AM - 3:45PM (Doors open at 8:15 AM)
WHAT: Speakers include Dennis VanEngelsdorp, PhD, University of Maryland *** Nathan Reid, EAS Masterbeekeeper *** Eric Malcolm BIP
ZOOM: Before the day of the meeting, please copy the zoom link ( below) to your calendar so you will have it handy when the meeting starts. If too many people try to retrieve the zoom link the morning of our meeting, our website will be overwhelmed and you will not be able to view this page.ZOOM INFO
To Join Zoom Meeting via smart phone or computer:
http://umd.zoom.us/j/92139872375
To Join Zoom Meeting - audio ONLY - via a phone line:
1-301-715-8592 Meeting ID: 921 3987 2375
HONEY SHOW
AGENDA
8:30AM WELCOME Kim Mehalick, MSBA President 8:45 State Apiary Report Cybil Preston, Chief MD Apiary Inspector 9:05 Financial Report of MSBA Stefanie Ottenstein, Treasurer MSBA 9:15 The surprisingly interesting history of honey bee disease in the US Dr. Dennis VanEngelsdorp, UMD 10:15 Coffee BREAK BREAK 10:30 It's the law: honey labels in Maryland Eric Malcolm, BIP 11:00 My journey to master beekeeper Nathan Reid, 2021 new EAS Master Beekeeper 12:00PM Lunch BREAK BREAK 1:00 Elections followed by non-honey show awards Toni Burnham, MSBA Secretary and election committee 1:25 Update from the UMD Bee Squad and vanEngelsdorp Lab. Mark Dykes, UMD Bee Squad 1:50 BREAK BREAK 2:00 Varroa management: all in this together. Dr. Dennis VanEngelsdorp, UMD 3:00 Honey show awards Jim Fraser, Honey Show Chairman 3:15 Question and Answers Everyone Present
SPEAKERS
Dennis VanEngelsdorp Biography as listed on UMD's website:
My research focuses on pollinator health, and honey bee health specifically. I am particularly intrigued with using an epidemiological approach to understanding and (importantly) improving honey bee health. This approach is multi-faceted, requiring understanding both the etiology of individual bee diseases and the large scale monitoring of colony health.
Some of the areas my lab are addressing include:
* Identifying determinates of disease in honey bee colonies.
* Identifying and promoting management systems which promote colony health.
* Broad scale monitoring of pollinator healthAWARDS
* 2010 Roger A. Morse Outstanding Teaching/Extension Service/Regulatory Award
* 2009 Fine Fellowship Scholoarship for Gigapixel Imagery for Science Outreach.
Nathan Reid will speak about his journey to becoming an EAS Master Beekeeper
Nathan Reid, Master Beekeeper I have to give credit to my Dad, Steve Reid, who first introduced me to beekeeping with our backyard hives in Catonsville, MD. I've always had a passion for optimizing a hive but it wasn't until I attended the University of Maryland that I saw it could become a career. Working summers in the Entomology department I was first mentored on how to conduct and operate hives for research. I set out from there to bridge the gap between research and practical management in the hive. What I didn't realize is where this journey would take me. From the Pacific North West, down to the Apalachicola National Forest, I've been able to see so much of the country while keeping bees. I've been fortunate to collaborate with numerous institutions along the way, which has allowed me to supplement my commercial experience with a scientific approach. I'm currently serving as Head Beekeeper for The Best Bees Company in Boston MA.
IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM MSBA PRESIDENT, KIM MEHALICK:
Your board has decided this will be a hybrid meeting, meaning it will be available in-person and through Zoom.
We want the in-person meeting to be a safe meeting, and need to safeguard each other.
Therefore, MSBA requests:
1 - Only fully vaccinated people should attend in person.
2 - All in-person attendees should wear a mask covering mouth and nose unless actively eating or drinking.
3 - People should not attend the meeting in person if they are sick, or are experiencing fever, cough or shortness of breath.
4 - Anyone exposed to COVID within the week before the meeting should not attend the meeting in person.
Thank you for your understanding. This is going to be a fantastic meeting, and I am looking forward to seeing everyone either via zoom or in person. -- KIM
