With the Holidays just around the corner the Leatherstocking Beekeepers’ Association would like to invite everyone to our December meeting.
Being held December 3 at 7 p.m. at the Fenimore Farm and Country Village (formerly The Farmers’ Museum) the meeting will include a presentation with guest speaker Anne Mills, New York State Apiarist, discussion of month-to-month beekeeping activities, and a Q&A section to discuss your stories from the bee yard. The December meeting is held earlier in the month to accommodate for the holidays.
This month’s presentation by Anne Mills will be on New York State’s Apiary Inspection program. Members and the public is welcome to find out how New York State supports commercial and hobbyist beekeepers’ through the challenges of modern beekeeping.
Before the presentation we will hold our business meeting featuring updates on club activities such as the planning for the 2025 Introduction to Beekeeping short course. We are always looking for volunteers so if you would like to participate please contact the Chairman of the Education Committee Steve Davis at Paperclip5@hotmail.com
Another year of beekeeping is in the books. We hope you all got your hives winterized and are enjoying the fruits of your labor.
On this day of thanks giving we at the Leatherstocking Beekeepers’ Association would like to express how thankful we are for our members, our officers and the little insect who brings us all together.
The next meeting of the Leatherstocking Beekeepers’ Association will be held on December 3, 2024 at 7 p.m. and will feature a presentation by New York State Apiculturist, Anne Mills.
Join us to learn about the New York State Apiary program and get your beekeeping questions answered.
As the cold season sets in the mite levels from summer begin to take their toll. Learn about the Varroa Destructor and what you can do to stop it with the Leatherstocking Beekeepers’ Association at the monthly meeting. We will include time to discuss with fellow beekeepers what the fall tasks look like, how the season went and more.
Varroa Destructor feed on the fat bodies of developing and adult bees, weakening their host and spreading disease in the hive.
The educational presentation this month is all about Oxalic Acid treatments by our own Richard Burroughs. Oxalic Acid is one of the most popular and effective treatments against the Varroa Destructor in the autumn months when brood is low or absent and this monster of a mite has nowhere to hide.
The lecture will then be followed by a discussion on Winterizing Hives with Steve Davis, Richard Burroughs, and Richard Lercari. They will share the various and sometimes contradictory methods used to prepare the bees for winter. Every technique is right. Or wrong. You decide.
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the Classroom of the Main Barn at the Fenimore Farm and Country Village (formerly called The Farmers’ Museum), 5775 State Highway 80, Cooperstown.
A business meeting will precede the presentations where we will be discussing upcoming meetings and the planning for the February “Introduction to Beekeeping” course to be held at Clark Sports Center.
Anyone who would like to volunteer is welcome. Please contact Steve Davis, chairman of the Education Committee at paperclip5@hotmail.com
Please note that there will not be a meeting in November in lieu of the Thanksgiving holiday. The December meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, December 3 and will feature a visit and presentation from NY State Apiculturist Anne Mills. Everyone is welcome to attend and learn about how New York State supports beekeepers large and small.
Upcoming Events
The Buzz About Polinators Exhibit held at the Fenimore Farm and Country Village (formerly The Farmers’ Museum) continues through October 31. This interactive exhibit is all about bees and the many other insects and organisms like them that help make farming possible. It explores the topic of pollinators in New York State and their important role in the production of some of the state’s leading crops, including apples, honey, and maple syrup. The exhibit also examines climate change and other threats that pollinators face and how everyone can help them continue to thrive. Sponsored in part by Nellie and Robert Gipson, and NYCM Insurance.
Looking further ahead to 2025 will be the North American Honey Bee Expo, held January 2-4. The expo will be held in Louisville, Kentucky at the Kentucky Expo Center, and will include a tradeshow, “The North American Honey and Beeswax Championship,” and speakers including Randy Oliver. https://www.nahbexpo.com/
