President:
Arrie
Goodwin
(870)
966-3666
Vice-President:
Ronda
Lee
(870)
613-7092
Secretary/Treasurer
Jacque English
(870)
856-4987
Meeting was called to order
6:30
p.m. by Arrie
Goodwin at Artisan Restaurant in Highland, AR.
We had 12 members in attendance and 3 guests.
Guest Speaker
-
Rebecca L. Long – USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services from Ash
Flat, AR. She spoke about
individual grants for small farms beginning at 5 acres.
She provided a lot of good information and handouts.
Contact information:
Monica – Izard – 870.368.4321 x3, Kelly
– Fulton – 870.895.3201 x3, Rebecca – Sharp – 870.994.7335 x3
Some of the things
they help with: Ponds, Wells,
Pollinators/Tree Planting, Erosion Prevention, Fencing (not perimeter), Hoop
Houses
Equip Program – need
Farm Deed – you can sign up for deed with them
DISCOUNTS: Veteran
Assistance, 60% Fund , 90% New farmers
You must register as
farm. Sign contract – environmental
quality practice.
Long Term 3 years+:
1 yr behind on contracts so add one year.
USDA Plants
http://plants.usda.gov
Good Site and Flyer handed out
WEBSITE: to learn
more info:
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/ar/home/
Treasurer Report
Petty Cash - $85.00
FNBC Checking June
Balance: $545.07
(Mann Lake for Fair
candy)
- $204.95
July Balance:
$340.12
Memberships
– 45
paid members.
All dues are annually
from Jan to Jan.
Meeting Minutes
Minutes from June
14, 2016 were edited for corrections and accepted. Jessica Beaudoin made the motion and Vernon Lamb 2nd – Passed unanimously.
Activity Director Report:
1)
We will be at Sharp
County (Ash Flat) County Fair from July 26-30. Please
contact Arrie to see what he needs help with.
We are in need of the following:
·
6ft tables (Jacque
and Marty English x1)
·
Extractors (Jessica
Beaudoin – needs to be picked up – she’ll be out of town for fair)
·
Bee Suits (Jacque
and Marty English, Ronda Lee)
·
Hive Display (Ronda
Lee)
·
Smokers
·
Open Frame for
Viewing (Bob Vandergriff will try and make one before the fair to have as
exhibit)
·
Chairs (bring your
own)
·
Flyers / Handouts
·
Anything else you
can think of to have at our table to display for the public to learn about bees.
Old Business:
-
1)
With the increase in
heat, if you see your bees on the OUTSIDE of the hive, they are fanning it to
cool the inside for the queen.
Solution to help reduce the interior heat, place Popsicle sticks in between the
boxes. This will allow more
air flow yet not wide enough to allow the queen to escape.
No more than ¼ inch.
Paint Stir sticks from B&B lumber – works well
2)
Jacque English
ordered a 2x4ft banner for display at events.
It will be here Friday July 22nd – Cost $35.23.
3)
We are not doing
Fulton County this year, they wanted $90.00/table for outside and if you wanted
A/C table, it was $100.00.
4)
Cathy Austin – does
embroidering and will give us a fair price to have our logo made on T-shirts,
Bee suits.
More discussion to follow.
5)
Our Website – it can
be accessed at
http://5rbc.net.
Jacque and Marty English bought
and donated two (2) Domain Names for our use: 5rbc.net and
fivereiversbeeclub.net. Please
visit and add your events you know about to the Calendar.
All Fair dates have been added.
Link to our Facebook page is off the site as well.
6)
Seek another
location to hold meetings. Artisan
Restaurant is nice but noisy. The
old Kings/David Catfish house where we used to hold meeting will be re-opening
under new owners. The folks that
own Granny’s in Ravenden bought it.
GOOD FOOD !! They have nice private rooms and we hope they will be open by our
next meeting on August 9, 2016. We
will keep you posted.
New Business:
1)
Jon Zawislak –
added us to the ABA website.
http://arbeekeepers.org/clubs/5river.html
2)
Basic Bee Classes
Oct 10/17/24 – FREE - flyer posted on website.
3)
SUIT SAFETY –
Wear your suits and safety equipment when dealing with your bees.
We know many go out in normal clothing with no issues, but it only takes that ONE time.
4)
FEEDING TIME
STARTING – Tis the season. Pollination is ending and time to start feeding your
bees. Suggestions were to place a
brown paper bag and spread sugar on top – they love it.
5)
BEE VACUUM – Home
Depot – 5-gal Wet/Dry Vacuum ($27.00) plus a 5-gal bucket.
Best to cut a hole in the side of the bucket to use as an air flow gauge.
For more information on how to make one contact Arrie.
6)
TRI-COUNTY – wants
to start carrying bee supplies. Stop by and chat with John to give him your
input.
7)
ORSCHELN FARM and
HOME - Mt. Home – Carries bee supplies.
8)
TRACTOR SUPPLY –
will order bee supplies – Just pick up at store.
9)
Bob Vandergriff
passed out Bee Hive Inspection sheets to the members.
Jacque English will scan a copy and add to website, so folks can print
more when needed.
Questions and
Answers:
Q. 2-3 eggs in one
cell – you have a laying worker.
Eggs from queen are at the bottom.
Destroy your hive and start over.
You cannot introduce a queen if you have a worker laying, they will kill the
queen.
Q. Sugar Water for
Feeding? It does
not make good eating honey.
Q. Winter – bottom
up frame consumption
When they eat honey, they move up and down.
They DO NOT move side to side to eat honey.
When they move to the upper box, remove the center frames of the bottom
box and move the honey frame toward the center, where they move up and down
between the boxes.
Q. Sugar Prices?
Sam’s Club -
Daily Chef Granulated Sugar (25 lbs.)
$11.38 and Walmart Pure Sugar (25 lbs.) $11.98
Q. Alternatives to
smoker? Folks say
rubbing Hickory Liquid Smoke (from
grocery store) on your hands and arms works well.
A good cigar does the trick as well.
Meeting was adjourned
at 8:30
p.m
Next Meeting:
09 August 2016 Place: TBD
Minutes submitted by Jacque English