The flowers are up, leaves are out and we’re all just about ready to get started with our bees.

The next meeting of the Leatherstocking Beekeepers’ will share the best way to do that. Whether you are starting out with a package of bees or a 5-frame nucleus, we will be sharing the best way to get them installed in their new home and what you need to do for them while they get settled in.

Arrive early for a chance to chat with fellow beekeepers’, pay your membership dues for the year, and enjoy snacks from member Cliff Herring.

Following the meeting we will be holding our business meeting where we will be electing our Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary for the year.

We will also be getting ready for tabling at the upcoming Earth Day Festival to be held by the Otsego County Conservation Association on May 9 at SUNY Oneonta. Put your name down to spend a couple of hours with fellow beekeepers, visit the festival, and help educate the public on the importance of honey bees.

The Leatherstocking Beekeepers’ Association will be meeting on April 23 at 6:30 p.m., with the monthly presentation starting at 7 p.m., at the Fenimore Farm and Country Village (formerly The Farmers’ Museum), at 5775 State Highway 80, Cooperstown.

It’s officially spring and we all know what that means.

Time to get ready for the outdoors activities, growing things, and sunshine. In the beekeeping season we’re at the point where the bees might be flying if it’s warm enough, and hopefully managing the moisture. This is a dangerous period for our ladies as the rapid changes in temperature can trap them out of cluster or away from the stored honey.

For us beekeepers it’s a time of looking ahead, and looking at our bees with anticipation of spring growth and getting our equipment ready for it.

At the next meeting of the Leatherstocking Beekeepers’ Association Mike Hoyt will be presenting “What You Actually Need To Start Beekeeping” covering the basics of equipment for the beginning beekeepers. That will be followed by a discussion of the monthly tasks in beekeeping which will include a look ahead at what we can expect in the month of April.

Then, stay tuned for the business meeting as we will be electing our president for the year, and then raffling off several items including a nucleus colony and other items to some lucky beekeepers.

Only members will be able to enter the raffle which is $10 for an individual or $15 for a family up to 4 people, and enables you to participate in votes on club business, get discounts at participating bee suppliers, and access to any group purchasing the club chooses to conduct.

We’ll Bee seeing you there!

The Leatherstocking Beekeepers’ Association will be meeting on March 26 at 6:30 p.m., with the monthly presentation starting at 7 p.m., at the Fenimore Farm and Country Village (formerly The Farmers’ Museum), at 5775 State Highway 80, Cooperstown.

The 2026 ‘To Bee or Not to Bee: Introduction to Beekeeping Short Course’ is in the books.

We’d like to thank everyone who came out to learn about beekeeping, the Clark Sports Center for allowing us to host this course in the wonderful facility, and to the members who presented.

And also, thank you to the companies who donated items for the raffle.

It was a fun class this year, and we are looking forward to next year.