Volunteer Coordinator Primary responsibility to recruit/manage other volunteers to sign up for bringing snacks, being the sign-in greeters, and other tasks as needed. Time commitment- 0-1 hour per month
In February, YCBA members were surveyed on important beekeeping books they would like to see in local libraries. The top rated books were purchased and YCBA President Beth Goodwin recently met with Cindy Appleby, Head Librarian at Wells Public Library and presented four titles on behalf of the club. The books are available at Wells Public Library and through Maine’s Interlibrary Loan service.
Links to both the April 6th webinar and the April/May issue of The Beeline will be posted on MSBA’s website, and on the MSBA Facebook page. On April 6th at 7pm, Karen Thurlow will walk us through two consecutive spring brood cycles as bees are gearing up for peak population in her zoom presentation titled “The next 42 days with your colonies”. For those interested in joining MSBA, membership dues are $15 for an Individual membership and $22.50 for a
About 20 beekeepers turned out on March 21st for our first in-person gathering in over two years. Highlights included ‘bee talk’, announcements, questions, snacks, and examining dead outs. Lynne Lincourt, Lynne Gobeil and Joe Barbari led the hive autopsies. On the left, Lynne and Lynne are looking for the queen and any evidence of deformed wing. On the right, Joe has a frame with some capped honey and a small cluster of bees. Based on our observations, both colonies likely
2022 t-shirts and hats will be yellow…the 2022 Queen color…with black lettering and the YCBA logo. T-Shirts $24 Click here for the Order Form
February 14, 2022 Shawn Jalbert joined the February YCBA zoom meeting and spoke on Using Native Plants to Make Pollinator Friendly Backyards. Shawn is a plant biologist specializing in native species and is the owner of Native Haunts in Alfred. He offers consultation services for landowners and his greenhouse specializes in native plants. Shawn talked about plants for all pollinators, especially honey bees, and the importance of preserving and using natives in our backyards. He shared sources for purchasing native
In 2021 YCBA participated in the Sentinel Apiary Program. This is a citizen scientist initiative. Seven YCBA members joined together once a month to sample for varroa and nosema in four colonies at Lynne Gobeil’s apiary. The program is part of the national, non-profit Bee Informed Partnership which uses science-based, data-driven approaches to improve the health and long-term sustainability of honey bees. The Bee Informed Partnership (BIP) is dedicated to working with beekeepers to improve colony health and increase colony
Master Beekeeper Karen Thurlow joined our December 2021 meeting and presented on ‘Products from the Hive’. Karen shared her knowledge on ways to generate income from your hobby bees by producing bees, queens, nucs, honey, and beeswax products for sale. She shared recipes for producing creamed honey, and beeswax products including lip balms and lotions. Download Karen’s Recipes (PDF)
YCBA’s participation at the Action Fair has included a display of vintage beekeeping equipment, an observation hive with ‘I found the Queen’ stickers, and informal walk-ups to ‘Ask a Beekeeper’. Recently there is growing interest in showing local honey and products from the hive and in 2021 YCBA members submitted a range of ‘light’, ‘medium’, and ‘dark’ honeys along with a variety of beeswax products for judging. Cash awards and ribbons were won by Joe Barberi, Lynne Gobeil, Beth Goodwin,
YCBA Swag! York County Beekeeper T-shirts and hat sales will return in 2022. Like the 2020 sale, this will probably be pre-order and pre-pay. Please stay tuned for updates including information on how to place an order.
