In The Paper: The Leatherstocking Beekeepers Association

Read all about the Leatherstocking Beekeepers Association in this weeks edition of The Freeman’s Journal (March 9, 2023)

Beekeepers’ Association Shares
Responsible, Healthy Practices

The Leatherstocking Beekeepers’ Association recently held its Introduction to Beekeeping class at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown. Thirty-five enthusiastic attendees were treated to… 
Read the rest of it here: https://www.allotsego.com/first-impressions-beekeepers-association-shares-responsible-healthy-practices/

The Introduction To Beekeeping Workshop Was Attended by 37 Potential Apiarists

The Clark Sports Center was the setting for this years Introduction to Beekeeping on February 25.

Dave E. explains a typical beekeeper’s year to 37 potential apiarists. Joined by many other volunteer LBA members, the club continues to share the message of the honeybees’ importance in Nature and how concerned citizens can contribute to their survival and well being.

To BEE or Not to BEE ?!!!

INTRODUCTION TO BEEKEEPING

SHORT COURSE

WHEN: Saturday February 25th, 2023 8:00am to 3:00pm

WHERE: Clark Sports Center, 124 County Highway 52, Cooperstown, NY 13326

This Introductory level course will cover: Honey Bee Biology, Starting a Colony of Bees, Bee Equipment, Managing the Beekeeping Year, Diseases and Pests, Products of the Hive

COST: $45.00 Includes a Beekeeping Book, Lunch and Snacks

PRESENTED BY: The Leatherstocking Beekeepers Association

PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Contact: Beekeepers2023@gmail.com

or call Mike at 518-390-0068

The Birds and the Bees

We had a late season discovery in the orchard. Our owl’s nesting box had a nice fan of honeycomb oozing out the front entrance hole. Concerned that a colony in the small exposed box would have a tough time surviving the winter we did some ladder and rope work to lower the box intact and place it into a Langstroth hive body.  It’s generally advised that you shouldn’t  move a hive “more than 3 feet or less than 3 miles”.  We had to move the hive about 30 yards to the apiary so on the advice of another LBA member we placed some limbs at the new hive entrance.  Now the foragers would have to slow down, take a look around and reorient to their new location before they took off.

Two months later,  on a warm Dec. day while adding some leftover honey frames I inadvertently yanked the top off the nesting box and found it was packed full of comb, honey and lots of bees.  The initial transfer seems to have worked well.  So far, so good.   We’ll see the results this spring.