Looking Ahead

It's been a while since I wrote about bees. Yes, I still have bees and I love them very much. This is a busy time of year for beekeepers. Even now wild mustard is growing on the sides of the road and it won't be long before we see dandelions pop up in our yards. These are all fresh food sources for the little honeybees who have been cooped up inside all winter long.

Right now I've got about 250 honey supers in my yard waiting for me to clean them. They're not mine, but belong to a beekeeper friend of mine and I get the propolis in exchange for going through them. It's a trade I'm happy to make.

Justin, my 16 year old sidekick, went to Auburn University with me today for the annual Beekeeping Symposium there. With around 400 in attendance, it's the most that have ever gathered for a bee event in this state. With about two thirds of them being new beekeepers, it said a lot of GOOD about the state of beekeeping in Alabama. We split up for a lot of the sessions, him taking more beginner courses and me learning everything else I could. What follows are highlights and a string around my own finger to help remember everything!

First up this morning was a request to do the children's program at the State Beekeeper meeting next October - twice. This will be a pleasure. I've done lot's of children's programs, love kids and have a fun presentation. (Dancing anyone?) It looks like I may be sharing some research on the business end of things I'm currently doing too.

The Master Beekeepers Program excites me. Alabama is actually working on a program for this and once it's finalized and implemented I should be able to be grandfathered in for at least 80% of the qualifications. Dreams do come true!!! Since Justin is getting bees this year he'll be able to go through the program in about 3 years as well starting as an Apprentice. I'm excited for him.

Soap - with as many soap classes as I've sat in on you'd think I'd have made my own by now, but that's soon a thing of the past. I've got a hot process batch in the works and invested in a mold, so we're on the way. No more melt and pour.

AHB . . . Africanized Honey Bees. We were SO UPSET in our part of the state to learn of the death of our GA neighbor last fall from these devils. Well, it turns out he had collected swarms from Central Florida and taken them home to start his own bee business . . . . . if you know anything about Florida's feral bee population and even a hint of the magnitude of this poor soul's mistake . . . The good news is that ALL of his colonies were eliminated so we should still be a few years out on that problem.

And while we're on that topic our local association should be having an important guest speaker the next few months to address that issue since our corner of the state could very well be first to have to deal with them.

Next week I'll start working the hives in preparation for spring honey flow. Between feeding, swapping brood chamber and splits I've got my work cut out for me. My commercial friend will be teaching me to graft as well. While the jury is still out on which queen rearing method I'll finally settle on, I'm just thankful to be back at this threshold for this year. Life is good. Bring on the dandelions, bring on the bees!