The PCBA Board of Directors is comprised of 13 positions: 4 elected officers President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, 5 Appointed Standing Committee Directors (Publications, Properties, Program, Bee School, and Exhibit and Show), the past president, and 3 elected At-Large Directors. Currently, 2 of these 13 positions are open: the Publications Director and the Bee School Director. If you are interested in learning more about one of these volunteer appointed positions, please reach out to me directly at lmaguirepcba@gmail.com. The Executive Board currently meets on the first Thursday of each month at the Hanson Clubhouse at 7 p.m., which is a requirement of the roles. We are hoping to appoint members to serve in these roles by early Fall!

PCBA Bee School Director

The PCBA Bee School Director oversees the club’s annual signature education outreach and membership program. Bee School, hosted and instructed by PCBA members and guest speakers, consists of an 8-session course that meets every other Thursday from 7-9 PM, starting in January and ending in April. Enrollment includes a textbook, course materials, and a year’s club membership. Tuition covers all family members in the same household, allowing them to attend Bee School and become active club members. Before each class, an the “Ask the Beekeeper” section provides assistance for attendees’ specific questions, as related to the readings or prior class information. The goal of Bee School is to equip attendees with basic, but essential skills for successful beekeeping. Topics covered include woodenware purchase and assembly, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques, bee products (honey, wax, pollen), hive organization, and mentor program socialization.

The Director manages Bee School through various mediums, including in-person presentations, workshops, and digital platforms such as the website, social media accounts, email, handouts, and pamphlets. This position oversees the Bee School Committee work and reports to the Executive Board and coordinates space, refreshments, raffle, associated workshops and demos, and volunteers associated with all aspects of the school. Although it may be the case, the Bee School Director does not have to be the primary instructor or speaker at the school, rather, must be able to coordinate all moving parts, including finalizing the calendar, instructors, and syllabus with the Committee.

PCBA Publications Director

The PCBA Publications Director has an important role regarding communicating clear and accurate messages to our membership on a timely basis. The Publications Director manages the use of the PCBA’s digital platforms, including the website, social media accounts, email and newsletter. This person will publish and promote key activities of the club including the Bee School, Marshfield Fair, PCBA summer picnic, PCBA Christmas party, member outreach programs, notices of meetings and agendas, marketing, and The Hive newsletter and any content/campaigns across social media.

The ideal candidate will have strong aesthetic instincts for digital layouts and publishing and an exceptional eye for detail and a passion for digital strategy, results, and analytics. This person must be well-organized, flexible and fully supportive of the mission of the PCBA and willing to learn applicable platforms to carry out functions of the role and responsibilities.

Look forward to seeing you all at the Fair!

-Lisa

There are a number of guidelines for making your honey and wax products selling at the Fair a positive and easy experience. Please review the following:

• To sell products, you must obtain a seller's number from Kenny Pearl. You can see Kenny at the Barn Cleanup on Saturday 8/10 and the Potluck on 8/13. If you cannot make either event, you can reach out to Kenny to make individual arrangements, 339-832-9239. This is the number you will put on the bottom of your jars with a glass marker.
• The club keeps 5% of each sale. Here is a copy of the Sales Document with more information for your review. Here is a copy of the glassware inventory form. Here is a copy of the wax inventory form. Here is the second wax form. Ken will give you this packet and inventory forms with your Seller's Number.
• In addition to a seller's number, you will also need to purchase PCBA tags and affix them to your products (24 for $2). There are no personal labels allowed.
• In order to sell, you must compete with at least one item at the Fair. Please see the Apiary section of the agricultural competition of the Marshfield Fair for more particular information. The Handbook is available here. See the Agriculture Entry Form here.
• In order to sell, you must volunteer at least one shift at the Fair.
• Selling intake and competition intake occur at different days and times, so please look at the dates and times carefully.
• Selling intake: Wednesday, August 14 4:30-7:00 p.m.
• Competition intake: Thursday, August 15 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

August 10 — This is an all hands-on deck to help get the Bee Barn at the Marshfield Fairgrounds cleaned up for the fair. Come at 8:00 a.m. to the Barn at Gate A – usually takes a few hours. Bring your favorite cleaning supply!

August 13 — Our August Club meeting is a Potluck Supper at the Bee Barn at the Fair at 6:00 p.m.. Bring your favorite dish! This is a family-friendly event.

August 14— Honey & products intake at the Bee Barn for sale at the fair, 4:30-7:00 p.m.

August 15 — For those entering the Apiary contest at the Fair you need to bring your jars of honey, wax, educational display, etc. to the Bee Barn and then go to the intake area with your paperwork to get a contestant number, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

August 16 — Honey judging in morning and ribbons awarded.

August 16-24 — Shifts begin for volunteers at the Marshfield Fair. Volunteers for honey sales and candle rolling (both 12-5 and 5-10) as well as screened bee house (12-5). Connect with Lee Burton to schedule a shift at lees_bees@comcast.net. You need to get your parking and admission pass from Bonnie Benford before the Fair opens. She will be at the Barn during the cleaning, Potluck, and throughout the week, so please connect then. We do not not her leaving the Barn during the Fair to give out passes! Thanks!

Bonnie Benford has been working hard to create educational displays for the club, maintain the candle rolling inventory, and overseeing volunteers, passes, and the day-to-day running of the Bee Barn during the Fair. She shared with us:

I've been volunteering for about 20 years at the Fair and it's about educating people about honeybees and the importance of the honeybees in our environment. I love doing it, it's fun.

One time, I was volunteered for the Fair! We want to volunteer you- you're it! You'll have a blast!

Kenny Pearl oversees the Fair Sales and Bee Screen House. He shared with us:

I've been working at the Fair my whole life, in one facet or another. Since I was 12, I used to work with the horseracing, and even now the older members of the Fair staff went to school with my Father. My uncle used to be the Fair electrician, so it's been all family for me.

I volunteer in the Bee Barn now because I want people to gain a basic knowledge of our pollinators and they impact that they make. It's also important to educate our youngsters! They are our future!

I hope club members get involved and volunteer with the Fair because it's your club! Your help is the only way it's going to succeed and it takes all of us to make it work!

MDAR is announcing that the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service(USDA APHIS) has established a quarantine for the invasive pest known as box tree moth for the entire state of Massachusetts, and has set conditions for the export of boxwood shrubs from the Commonwealth.

Through a Federal Order, USDA APHIS has added the entire state of Massachusetts to areas in the United States quarantined for box tree moth. Several counties in Ohio have also been added, and established quarantine zones in Michigan and New York have been expanded.

Effective immediately, to prevent the spread of box tree moth to uninfested areas, boxwood plants may only be moved outside of Massachusetts by a business operating under a compliance agreement issued by MDAR. The compliance agreement requires boxwoods to be inspected and treated regularly by trained nursery staff, and notification must be made to MDAR if box tree moth is found. Additionally, all exports must be accompanied by an authorized agricultural certificate.

This quarantine covers all boxwood plants (Buxus species), plant parts, pieces, cuttings, clippings, debris, or any other portion of the plant, alive or dead, except for boxwood roping, wreaths, and other decorative items. The quarantine does not impact existing plantings of boxwoods, or boxwoods that are purchased to be planted in Massachusetts.

Nurseries and other growers and sellers wishing to export boxwoods out of Massachusetts must enter into a compliance agreement with MDAR, and can start the process by visiting here.

Box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis) is an invasive pest that feeds on the leaves of boxwood shrubs, popular plants commonly used in landscaping. The caterpillars can cause complete defoliation, eventually killing the plant. Box tree moth was first found in Massachusetts in the summer of 2023, in Barnstable County. Eggs are typically laid in gelatinous masses on the underside of boxwood leaves, but may also be laid singly. Caterpillars can grow up to 1.5 inches long, and are yellowish green with a black head, and long black stripes and spots that reach from the head to the end of the body. The caterpillars create pockets of webbing within the boxwood shrubs to wall themselves off from predators. When they are ready to morph into adult moths, they form small green pupae. Adults typically have white wings with a dark brown border but can sometimes be all brown with just a small white streak on each wing.

Anyone outside of Barnstable County who spots signs of box tree moth should report it to MDAR at mass.gov/box-tree-moth.

It's about that time when members may be harvesting honey. Please see the lending policy and procedures below if you are interested in borrowing one of the club's extractors. We have several available for one-week blocks of use.

Equipment can be signed out through the properties director, Gary Maguire, at gmaguire14@gmail.com or 781.635.0838.

1. Member must be in good standing and have spent time volunteering for the club.

2. Every member in good standing requesting to borrow club equipment must have received equipment training.

3. Member must sign in the “Check Out – Check In” Book, before removing the equipment, and upon returning within one week. Max borrowing time is 7 days.

4. By signing out equipment, member agrees to follow the policies of the Properties Committee.

5. Member must return the equipment in same clean condition as it was received (IF NOT- member will be subject to a cleaning fee).

6. Member agrees to return equipment per agreement with personnel or will be subject to a late fee.

American Foulbrood Addendum:

• Equipment loaning is discouraged by the state and is a “use at your own risk” with regard to spread of disease.

• When borrowing club equipment you agree to:

• Wash/Disinfect extractor prior to use

• Wash/Disinfect extractor after use, prior to returning to the club

Frank Mortimer’s Bee People and the Bugs They Love provides valuable insights into the world

of bees. While other beekeeping books focus on practical information, this read delves into the

lives of the people behind the hives. Mortimer shares anecdotes about successes, failures, and

the eccentric characters he’s encountered during his beekeeping journey. Be warned,

though—his humor can be a bit snarky at times, and there are moments that might make you

cringe.

This book explores the power of bees as an amazing collective. “In The Mind of a Bee, Lars Chittka draws from decades of research, including his own pioneering work, to argue that bees have remarkable cognitive abilities. He shows that they are profoundly smart, have distinct personalities, can recognize flowers and human faces, exhibit basic emotions, count, use simple tools, solve problems, and learn by observing others. They may even possess consciousness.” This is a good read for any beekeeper who wants to know more about our amazing bees.

“Honey Bee Pests and Diseases provides up-to-date information on the management of honey bee diseases found globally, not just in the U.S., Europe, or Australia. Of particular interest are the explanations of how pathogens affect honeybees. This facet of diseases is usually left out of honeybee disease books. Written in an easy-to-understand way, and richly illustrated with photographs and diagrams, chapters cover integrated pest management (IPM), epidemiology, viruses, brood diseases, mites, parasites, as well as other problems a colony might face.” This is an essential reference book for your beekeeping library.

This "Add a Pinch" Recipe is a favorite at the Maguire house! Enjoy!

• Peaches – Use fresh, really ripe peaches for the best grilled peaches. Cut them in half and remove the peach pits.
• Honey – Use enough honey to drizzle as many peaches as you grill for your dessert. Definitely don’t skip the honey – it brings out a flavor in the grilled peaches that is incredibly delicious!
• Vanilla Ice Cream – The ice cream is optional and should be ready before you grill the peaches.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat your grill. Make sure to preheat the grill or grill pan to 350 degrees. Don’t put peaches on a cold grill grate or pan as they may stick.
2. Grill peaches. Place each peach half with the flesh side (juicy inside) down onto the preheated grill grates first for about 4-5 minutes. Watch grill for flare ups, but by putting flesh side down first, it helps to avoid those. The grill brings out the full flavor of the peaches, making them even juicier and more tender.
3. Turn and continue to grill. Flip each peach half to the skin side down. Grill for about 4-5 minutes on this side as well. The juices will begin to pool inside the middle of each peach half where the pit was removed. Absolute deliciousness!
4. Remove from grill. Pull the peaches off of the grill and then add them to serving bowls.
5. Add the ice cream. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream beside peaches in each bowl, if you like.
6. Drizzle and serve. Do not skip the honey. Drizzle the peaches and ice cream (if used) with honey. Serve and enjoy!

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