The annual meeting, which travels across counties in MA is going to be at Plymouth North High School on Saturday, November 2nd from 8 a.m. to 3:30. Featured speakers include Michael Bush, Amy Musante, MDAR's Paul Tessier, and our new UMass Pollinator Extension Educator Nicole Bell.

There will be great presentations, a honey show, raffles, vendors and more. The election of new Mass Bee officers will be held during the annual business meeting. The Honey Show entree classes are: honey, wax, mead, honey beer, photography, arts & crafts, and cooking. The Honey Show Rules can be found here.

Event registration is free to existing Single and Family memberships that are in good standing. Event registration for guest and non-members is $15 per person. During your event registration, a boxed Panera lunch can be added to your registration for $16.00 per lunch box. The option to pre-order a lunch box with your event registration will close on October 19 (this Saturday!). All the sandwiches and salads will include a cookie, pickle spear, and a small bag of chips. Your choices are: Bacon Turkey Bravo, Toasted Italiano or Mediterranean Greens with Grains Salad boxed lunches.

Please see the MA Bee Website for registration.

As the host of the meeting, PCBA is looking for a few volunteers to help with tasks during the meeting, such as registration, passing out lunch, and assisting with the honey show. Please email Lisa Maguire at lmaguirepcba@gmail.com if you are willing to help with the meeting.

This is a great opportunity for PCBA members to attend a MA Beekeepers Association meeting in a local venue. Look forward to seeing you all at the Meeting!

-Lisa

Michael Bush is one of the leading proponents of treatment free beekeeping. He has been keeping bees since the mid 70's, usually from two to seven hives up until the year 2000. Varroa forced more experimentation which required more hives and the number has grown steadily over the years from then. By 2008 it was about 200 hives. He is active on many of the beekeeping forums (http://beesource.com, http://beemaster.com) with last count at more than 50,000 posts between all of them. He has had an eclectic set of careers from printing and graphic arts, to construction to computer programming and a few more in between. Also he enjoys playing 12 string guitar.

His writing is informed by not only his beekeeping experience/research, but a history of replying to (literally) tens of thousands of questions on various beekeeping email lists and forums. His presentations are therefore targeted to the questions people tend to have on the subject, and his Powerpoints are available on his website.

Bush is an advocate of what he calls "Lazy Beekeeping". By Lazy Beekeeping he means finding ways to work with bees to keep them healthy and productive with a minimum of input on his part. As an example, Bush favors upper entrances for his hives. With upper entrances, Bush doesn’t need to mow his bee yards, worry that pests (like skunks) are taking advantage of a lower entrance, nor be concerned that his bees are snowed-in in wintertime.

Bush favors keeping bees on small-cell foundation and using 8-frame mediums for his brood chambers and honey supers. He avoids the use of agricultural chemicals for dealing with both mites and diseases, believing that bees not capable of surviving on their own are best removed from the gene pool.

Bush’s writing is straightforward — he writes based on his 35+ years of keeping and working bees as well as his research in beekeeping. Scattered throughout the book are quotations from well known beekeepers such as Richard Taylor, which makes Bush’s work seem more like an extension of their writings than anything else.

He keeps bees and raises queens (mostly from feral populations) in Nehawka, Nebraska.

Considerations in Treatment-Free Beekeeping

There are over 8,000 microbes that have been identified (source USDA and Martha Gilliam’s research) that live with bees. Of these only a handful are pathogens. The rest either fill a niche in the ecology of the hive (and therefore crowd out pathogens) or they have an actual beneficial effect. Recent studies have shown some of the mechanisms by which these microbes protect the bees from Nosema, AFB, EFB and chalkbrood and that the preventative treatments for these diseases kill off the very thing that is protecting the bees from those diseases.

Another thing I think people in the US and Canada don’t seem to take into account is that most of these "recommended" treatments are not only not recommended, but illegal in most of the world. Fumidil, because it causes birth defects. Antibiotics, because they only cover up the presence of AFB and they contaminate the honey. Acracides because they contaminate the wax and the honey. These are, not only, not recommended in other countries, they are illegal. It’s only because people are convinced that the bees can’t survive Varroa without treatment that organic acids are allowed in those countries.

This brings me to today. There was a time I considered that treatment for Varroa mites MIGHT be necessary. Now that I’ve had more than a decade of regressed bees, moved to locally adapted stock and learned the value of the microbes and the other fauna of the hive, I think the costs, in terms of possibly losing whole strains of microbes, disrupting the entire ecology of the colony, not to mention propping up genetics I need to weed out, is no longer worth considering.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Michael Bush will provide insight into problems frequently experienced by new and old beekeepers alike as they foray into beekeeping. Problems with brood, queen cells, laying workers, and strange smells are the kinds of topics he’ll cover in this concise and easy to understand presentation.

AMY MUSANTE holds a BA in Anthropology and a BS in Zoology from UMass-Amherst, and an MS in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology from the University of California-Santa Barbara. Her graduate research focused on host-parasite coevolution in avian brood parasites. Amy is a broadly trained biologist specializing in behavioral and community ecology. She has studied a diversity of animals – from small mammals and primates to birds, fish, and Lepidoptera, however over the past decade Amy has become enthralled with honey bees.

Amy is an evidence-based beekeeper and takes a very scientific approach to beekeeping. She collects and analyzes copious hive data, including sampling and monitoring honey bee pests and pathogens since they are, of course, an important part of honey bee community ecology. One way she is able to get some of these data is by participating in numerous studies and surveys annually. Amy believes that locally-bred and adapted bees are one of the best ways to enhance success. She prides herself on having never bought bees, not even a queen. 100% of her queen lines originate from her bee removal service. She has been propagating from the best colonies able to maintain low Varroa growth for eight years now. All of Amy's queen lines are highly hygienic, have VSH behavior, and many also show mite biting.

Amy is currently managing 95 colonies on her organic farm in Berkshire County, MA. She sells honey, nucleus colonies and queens, as well as organic pastured chicken eggs and hay. In addition to bee removal, she offers personal beekeeping consultations and internships.

Amy received a Cornell Master Beekeeper Certificate this year and has been a Vermont Certified Beekeeper since 2020. She also completed the Penn State EPIQ Program -- a 3-year training program on the education, production, and insemination of honey bee queens. She is also on the Board of the Northern Berkshire Beekeepers Association and an at large board member for the Norfolk County Beekeepers Association. In addition, she recently earned her certificate as a Master Beekeeper from Cornell.

Honey Bee Swarming — Spectacular Superorganism Success

For centuries, beekeepers have worked tirelessly trying to prevent swarming. Meanwhile, honey bees have worked tirelessly to successfully swarm! Swarming is the crucial and natural process of reproduction in Honey Bees. All sexually reproducing species want and need to reproduce. It is, after all, essential for the survival of the species. In this presentation, we will explore the concept of swarming — from both the beekeepers’ and the bees‘ perspectives. We will compare and contrast the strategies, successes, and benefits for each group, as well as the risks and failures as both honey bees and beekeepers attempt to achieve their sometimes diametrically opposed goals. In the process, we will embark on a pictorial and video journey of this mesmerizing and natural reproductive strategy of our beloved superorganism, the Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera).

American Foulbrood — Dreaded, Deadly, & Devastating

Since your first beekeeping class, you have likely heard of American Foulbrood(Paenibacillus larvae) — the odd spore-forming bacteria commonly known as AFB. For centuries prior to the onslaught of Varroa mite-vectored pathogens, AFB has been the most challenging and devastating honey bee disease. While the probability of a beekeeper experiencing an AFB outbreak may be low, the implications of even a single colony infection are devastating. AFB is not only highly infectious and typically leads to colony death, but more importantly the spores have been confirmed to remain infectious for almost a century in honey, pollen, wax, and equipment! A colony infected with AFB has the potential to infect any colonies within flight range and the equipment remains infective in perpetuity. Consequently, many states, including Massachusetts, have laws requiring beekeepers to burn both the bees and the equipment when this disease is detected. We all learn best from experience, but AFB is one disease where that would be a foolish strategy! It is therefore essential for beekeepers to have the skills to recognize this devastating disease on the very first encounter with it!

This presentation will cover the basic biology, symptom progression, and diagnostic tests to help Beekeepers recognize this devastating disease that has had a resurgence in our state in recent years.

Overwintering looms this time of year – what do my bees need and how can I set up the hive to give them the optimal chance to make it through the winter? I believe there are 4 main elements to success – mite management, understanding cluster size and colony population, nutrition and hive set-up and location. Mite management really starts in the summer. As summer progresses into fall, mites can get out of control if not treated. It’s important to have a well thought out integrated pest management plan (IPM) so that as winter approaches your colony can develop healthy “winter” bees. You may think you have a large population, but these are not the bees that will keep your colony strong throughout the winter. Starting in mid-August through November the entire population of your colony is changing and cohorts of winter bees are emerging. These winter bees have a lower level of juvenile hormone which allows them to age more slowly and they have larger fat bodies that contain an essential protein called Vitellogenin. Please read about winter bees at https://theapiarist.org/winter-bee-production.

Understanding the nutritional needs of your colony is essential to their survival. Beekeepers, as usual, have differing opinions and approaches and most work quite well. I have found a simple approach that has been successful for me. Starting in September/October I start evaluating the resources the colony has as well as what’s still available. Usually, I like to see at least 8 frames of bees in a 10-frame box and with ample stores of honey and pollen. However, while this is ideal, sometimes the weather isn’t cooperative and there may not be available foraging. So, I start feeding 2:1 syrup based on what I’m seeing. Sometimes this can start in late September, but mostly I’ve taken off all supers and started feeding in October until it’s too cold for the bees to cure the syrup – under 50 degrees. At that time, I take off the feeders and start setting up the hive for overwintering.

One of the most vexing issues for overwintering is moisture and extreme fluctuations in temperatures. The colonies generate a lot of heat and moisture. When this moisture rises and hits the cold outer cover it can turn into cold droplets and freeze the cluster. Therefore, it’s important to set up the hive to compensate for this by having something that can absorb the moisture and provide ventilation. I use a candy board shim which is a shim that has hardware cloth on the bottom and 10lbs of hardened sugar paste molded into the shim. I set this on top of the frames. It has an upper entrance and replaces the inner cover. Ventilation goes up from the entrance and comes out this upper entrance. The sugar absorbs the moisture but also makes the sugar accessible to the bees. In addition, the “candy” is available to the bees as it covers all the frames. (candy board recipe is 10 lbs.of white sugar mixed with 2 cups of water with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar).

Other set up suggestions include using a slatted rack on top of the screened bottom board which allows the brood chamber to be lifted away from the draft of the entrance. Make sure you also have a mouse guard on. I also use rigid insulation on top of the candy board, a bee cozy over the entire hive and have the outer cover secured with either a stone or bungee cords. So the entire setup looks like this:

A word about wrapping your hive. If you have hundreds of hives, you probably aren’t going to wrap your hive. A lot of beekeepers claim that it’s a waste of time. However, a recent study showed that a wrap can increase your colonies survival rate by as much as 22.5%.. When you consider that you have invested $150-$200 in a colony, it may be worth it to increase the colony’s chances.

Dan Clapp is a Massachusetts craftsman mead maker. Located in Ipswich, the 1634 Meadery produces small artisan style honey-wine. Dan’s passion has turned into a successful, local business. Be sure to check out the website or take a day trip to tour the production room, partake in the tasting room, and support a honey nano-winery. Home (1634meadery.com)

Dan answers a few questions for the PCBA club members.

1. Your website tells the story of your journey. Our club members would like to hear more from you on what is coming this year and what accomplishment you are most proud of, so far.

We can't believe we have been around for nine years and will be celebrating our anniversary this May with a new tart cherry mead. On average, we release 3 new meads a year - part of the fun, of course, is coming up with new meads, and new strategies on adding flavor and creativity. This year we released a "port-style" mead that is a black raspberry mead fortified with mead brandy to 21%. It was aged on oak to mellow it out and add some depth. Then we are proud of finally figuring out how to make chocolate mead - we have both a raspberry chocolate and a jalapeno chocolate. We had to pay attention to how chocolate is actually made and learned a lot in the process. What’s next? How about a "root beer" mead? We have been experimenting for a couple of years to get the profile we like, using old time root beer spices/roots.

We love it when we get repeat customers, sometimes years in between visits, and are glad we were able to in.

2. We know that making mead can be quite nuanced. In your experience, what are some of the key elements a brewer should pay attention to as well as avoiding common mistakes?

When I started making mead, there was not much literature on how to make it. I spent years on getting the techniques correct. The main elements of making a good mead would include: 1) Watch the ferment!! - keep the temperature constant (68 degrees is great). No big swings here. 2) Make sure there is enough nutrients, but not too much! Most people use a Staggered Nutrient Additions (SNA), over the course of the first week of ferment with good results. The goal is a steady ferment, not an aggressive one. And finally, 3) Be patient! Most wine style meads take months to age and reach their peak. I would say a good minimum is around 5 months, if you are filtering before bottling, but 6-8 months if you are just waiting for the mead to settle out. Don't forget to keep adding water to the airlock during aging. There is not a quicker way to ruin a good batch of mead then exposing it to oxygen for a long period of time!

3. Lastly, we would be interested in any other mead making resources you have come across that would be valuable for a club member wanting to explore mead making or wanting to increase their existing knowledge and skills.

My go to bible for mead making when I started out was Ken Schramm's book "Complete Meadmaker". I still use it to look up details on fermentation, honey types, and fruit additions. He was one of the first to make the "no heat" method for making mead popular, and takes a good look at the science behind making mead.

The other resource I used was the "GotMead" forum (gotmead.com). There are tons of people willing to share information and provide guidance and has a huge database of receipes and conversations on most any ingredient you can think of. Vicky Rowe, is a stalwart in the industry for years has provided guidance to mead makers, both new and old!

An incomparable illustrated look at the critical role bees play in the life of our planet.

• Provides an accessible, richly illustrated look at the human–bee relationship over time
• Features a section on beekeeping and handy guides to identifying, treating, and preventing honeybee diseases
• Covers bee evolution, ecology, genetics, and physiology
• Presents a holistic approach to bee health, including organic and integrated pest management techniques
• Shows how you can help bee populations (Amazon)

Expert beekeeper and swarm-catcher Hilary Kearney offers a unique window into the social lives and biology of these remarkable creatures, accompanied by the photos of world-renowned bee photographer Eric Tourneret. (Amazon)

I personally love this book because the author writes in such a lyrical and emotive way that makes you feel like you are with the bee.

2 lbs. fresh cranberries (I use organic)

1-2 cups of water

2-3 cups of honey - or to taste (I use crystalized honey)

2 oranges – zest and juice

2 lemons – zest and juice

2 apples – peeled, cored, and chopped – note you can use any kind of apple!

Cook the cranberries, honey, and the water in a saucepan over low heat for about 5 minutes, or until the skins pop open. Add the apple, zests, and juices and cook for 15 more minutes. Remove from the heat, let cool, and serve chilled. (adapted from Ina Garten’s recipe). I like to put into cute jelly ball jars and can. I make a nice label and give as housewarming gifts during the holidays.

Adapted by Helen Schoonover to use honey.

Use the sauces as a topping for fruit, cake, cookies and other deserts.

Honey Sauce:

2 Tablespoons melted butter

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 cup honey

In a small saucepan

Add the melted butter to the cornstarch

stir until smooth

add the honey

Cook 5 minutes

Honey Cream Sauce (so good on fruit!)

1/2 Cup heavy or whipping cream

1/3 Cup honey

1 t lemon juice

Whip cream until thick.

Whip in honey and lemon juice

Honey Dressing (easy)

1/2 C olive oil

1 t salt

1/4 C vinegar or lemon juice or half lemon juice and half vinegar - red or white.

1/4 C honey

Mix well, then beat until frothy.

Good for salads with romaine or more bitter greens.

Submitted by Victoria McDonough from the Boston Cooking School 1936 textbook by Fannie Farmer.

The Plymouth County Beekeepers Association (the “PCBA”), is a non-profit organization established in 1977. We are dedicated to the support of local agriculture and to educating the public about beekeeping through our school and participation in local fairs and festivals.

PCBA focuses on education, agriculture, and stewardship through many of the public outreach programs the club participates in and provides throughout the year. We have members who speak at schools, community centers, and professional meetings.

Website: plymouthcountybeekeepers.org
Location: 228 High Street, Hanson, MA, USA