NEW JERSEY BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION NEWS VOL.28 ISSUE 1 DEC./ JAN PRESIDENT S REPORT

Transcription

1 NEW JERSEY BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION NEWS VOL.28 ISSUE 1 DEC./ JAN PRESIDENT S REPORT Thanks to a committee led by Third Vice President Chris Yates, this issue contains our revised constitution and by-laws (C&BL), which you will be asked to vote on at our winter meeting on February 8, Volunteers Jeff Burd, Ned Morgan, Bill Eisele, Charles Ilsley, Dave Kunz, John Gaut and Cynthia Werts expended quite a bit of effort on the revisions over the past several months. Please take the time to review the new C&BL, which modernize our organization. Our Annual Honey Show is just around the corner. We re planning on having the entries on display at the State House in Trenton so that all our legislators will see how widespread beekeeping is in our state and how varied the hive products are. Landi Simone is in charge of the honey show this year. If you have any questions, contact her at landi.s@verizon.net or at I m hoping that many of you will submit entries for the show for a chance to earn a ribbon or rosette and some prize money. Details about when and where to submit your entries will be available shortly. A Year in New Jersey Beekeeping calendars for 2014 shipped to the branches, photo contest winners, and those who ordered online last month. If you haven t reserved or ordered a copy, contact your branch president. I have some extra copies which are available to branches. Thanks to Chris Thompson of Northwest for preparing and mailing them! Although the details haven t been finalized, the February 8, 2014 winter meeting will include a talk by Lincoln Sennett of Swan s Honey in Maine. You might remember some of us helped out when a load of his bees shifted in Bernardsville. A commercial beekeeper, active in the Maine Beekeepers Association, Sennett s presentation is his thank you. If you re interested in running for a position in the Association, please contact Nominating Committee Chair, Ed Kosenski at or ekosenski@mac.com. Janet A. Katz, President Honey Shows Rules and Entry Form on Pages Proposed Bylaws Changes On Pages and Winter Meeting Agenda Page 26

2 HARVEY S HONEY 912 ROUTE 40 MONROEVILLE, NJ MANUFACTURER EASTERN PINE WOODENWARE NEW DEALER MANN LAKE BEE SUPPLIES DISTRIBUTOR GAMBER HONEY CONTAINERS PRODUCER NEW JERSEY AND FLORIDA HONEY AND BEESWAX Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 9am-4pm Closed for Lunch Open Saturday by appt FAX US HIGHWAY 40 MILE POST 15 SALEM COUNTY, NJ 2

3 S&F Honey Farm Visa/Mastercard/Discovercard QUEENS / 3 Lb. Packages Quality Beekeeping supplies Glassware Honey Stix Distributors Crop Pollination We buy beeswax/propolis MITE-AWAY II Dealer Call or Visit us at: 57 Amwell Road Flemington, NJ Phone/Fax (908) Important Bee Dates: FEB. 8, 2014 N.J.B.A. Winter Meeting Hamilton, N.J. FEB. 3 or 4, 2014 Honey Show Judging Exact date to be announced Directions Nottingham Fire Company 200 Mercer Street Hamilton, New Jersey (609) From US Route 1 Take Quakerbridge Road south through four (4) traffic lights. At the fifth light turn left onto Youngs Road (there is a bank at this corner). Take Youngs Road to stop sign at Hughes Drive. Turn right onto Hughes Drive. Take Hughes Drive until it ends, turning right onto Mercer Street. The Firehouse is immediately on your left. From I-295 Take Exit 65 for Sloan Avenue East. Go through two (2) traffic lights; at this point, Sloan Avenue becomes Flock Road. Take Flock Road to the 1 st traffic light; at this light, make a left onto Edinburg Road. At the first traffic light, make a right onto Hughes Drive. Take Hughes Drive until it ends. At the end of Hughes Drive, turn right onto Mercer Street, firehouse is immediately on your left. From NJ Turnpike/I-195 Take Exit 7A for I-195 West. Take I-195 West to Exit 3B (Hamilton Square). You are now on Yardville- Hamilton Square Road. Go to the fourth (4 th ) traffic light (Route 33). Turn left onto Route 33, go to the first traffic light and turn right onto Whitehorse-Hamilton Square Road (Hamilton Chrysler-Plymouth will be on your right). Proceed to the stop sign and turn right on Nottingham Way. As soon as you turn onto Nottingham Way, you ll see a traffic light. This is Mercer Street. Make a left onto Mercer Street; the firehouse is two blocks down on the right. Northbound on Route 130 (south of Trenton) Take Route 130 North to the second traffic light past the I- 195 interchange. Make a left turn at this intersection onto Route 526, westbound. At the traffic light, go straight through, picking up Route 33 West. Remain on Route 33; after the first traffic light, bear to the right for Hamilton Square via Nottingham Way. Go to the next traffic light; turn right onto Mercer Street; the firehouse is two blocks down on the right. 3

4 Carniolan Queens and Nucs New Jersey Bred Selected for Hygienic behavior and Mite resistance; Naturally winter-hardy, gentle Nucs available Spring through Summer RESERVE EARLY for Fall Requeening to Reduce Spring Swarming Karoly (Charlie) Toth Beekeeper since 1953 (732) member of CJBA 38 Van Cleef Road - Somerset, NJ

5 Bee Flower & Sun Honey Company NJ - PA Local Honey Bottled or 60 lb. Pails Creamed & Cut Comb Honey Larry & Pam Saums Bee Flower & Sun Honey Company 378 Rick Road 3 lb. Pkg. Bees w/queen Available April 5, 2014 Milford, NJ Queen Bees Business: Full Line of Beekeeping Supplies Larry Cell: Glass & Plastic Jars w/lids Pam Cell: Yellow Beeswax beeflowerandsunhoney@yahoo.com Web: Wilson s Honey Est New Jersey & New York Honey in 60lb. Buckets Distributor of Packages 3lb. Packages/Queens, Spring of 2014 Order early Central Jersey Beekeepers Association Member Life Member of EAS Walt Wilson Jr. (518) Or (732) wilsonshoney26@yahoo.com 5

6 Happy Holidays from the NJBA Executive Board HONEY FILLED CANDY DROPS USA made, USA honey 82 individually wrapped pieces per pound For Fairs, Farm markets, Craft shows Call: Cindy How Lane Farm and Garden Center North Brunswick, NJ POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY, FALL NECTAR-BEARING PLANTS GROWN AND SOLD HERE 6

7 7

8 Report from the Apiarist Dec Jan 2014 As I am writing this article, I am preparing to travel back to Malawi Africa to work with the same beekeepers I worked with last March. I hope to determine how they have progressed over the course of the season and teach them a few new things to further their beekeeping skills. Colony Condition: I have gotten some calls from beekeepers whose colonies have failed the end of October and beginning of November. In some cases the failed colonies were drone layers. The queen could only lay unfertilized eggs. If this was recognized by the beekeeper earlier, it possibly could have been corrected. All beekeepers need to be able to recognize this condition. The other main reason colonies fail in fall is because of very high Varroa levels. Some of these beekeepers did not treat for Varroa and they effectively killed their colonies. Varroa mites decrease the life span of honey bee workers and prevent the parasitized bees from becoming long lived winter bees. As the worker bee s life span comes to an end, the numbers in the colony dwindle down to nothing and the colony dies. I usually see dead pupa around the periphery of a frame often fully developed, still in their cell with their tongue sticking out. The single most important thing a beekeeper can do for their bees is control Varroa in July and August then check the mite level the beginning of September to see how effective the treatment was. If there are more than 2 mites per 100 bees you may want to treat again. I had to do that in my own bees this year. Screened bottom boards are not conducive to Mite Away Quick Strips treatment. The screened bottom must be closed for it to be effective. USDA Honey Bee Survey: All 24 apiaries have been sampled for the 2013 national honey bee surveys. 10 of those apiaries were sampled for pesticide in the fresh pollen in the colony. It will be interesting to see what is found this year compared to last year as well as the levels. Following are the comparison of results from the 2011 and 2012 survey. For the second consecutive year, none of the following survey pathogens were found in New Jersey Apiaries; Tropilaelpas mite, Apis cerana, Tracheal mite, Nosema Apis, A m capensis, or SBPV (Slow Bee Paralysis Virus. The following pathogens were found in New Jersey apiaries, some in many apiaries. 1) IAPV (Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus) in 4% of apiaries. Down from 8% in ) CBPV (Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus) in 4% of apiaries. Same as ) DWV (Deformed Wing Virus) was found in 100% of the tested apiaries. Up from 88% in This virus is commonly associated with Varroa mite. 4) ABPV (Acute Bee Paralysis Virus) was found in 4% of apiaries. Up from 0% in ) BQCV (Black Queen Cell Virus) was found in 79% of the apiaries. Up from 76% in This virus may be associated with Nosema Disease. 6) Nosema cerana was found in 58% of apiaries. Down from 76% in ) 75% of the surveyed apiaries had Varroa levels over the recommended treatment level of 2 mites per 100 bees. This has increased from 44% in The average number of mites per 100 bees is 6.5/100. Up from 4.8/100 in This would seem to indicate that the varroa level continues to creep up. Most of these beekeepers only treat once per year and this may be an indication to treat more than once per year. 8) 8% of the surveyed apiaries had Nosema cerana levels over the treatment level of 1 million spores. This has remained the same as in I hope your colonies are heavy with food, low in Varroa loads, in a good location and winter strong. Have a thankful holiday season. Tim Schuler 8

9 Can You Help? The Morris-Somerset Chapter is assisting the Morris Museum in preparing and conducting a Honeybee display that will begin early next year and run through September It will include interactive activities and lectures. We also hope to place a live hive on site. There will be an extensive display of all kinds of bee stuff and that is where we are asking for your help. Please survey your membership to see if they have any interesting artifacts or other material which they would be willing to loan the Museum either for the duration of the display, or temporarily so that replicas could be made. This could include media material as well. Just the information on what you have available and I will discuss it with the Museum during our upcoming meetings. If it looks like it fits into their program, I ll contact you to work out the details. Please respond to me by phone or as soon as you can and before we all get caught up in the holidays! Richard Olsen, rolsenpe@att.net Do you have a skill that would help the NJBA and the Honey Bee? Is Public Relations something you do in your other, non-beekeeping, life? Do you have writing, editing or HTML skills? Would you like to head up a Honey Queen program for the NJBA? Do you want to work on our USDA Specialty Crop Grant? Are you a videographer? A blogger? If you think you might have skills that could help the NJBA and would like to volunteer a little time, please contact Janet A. Katz, NJBA President president@njbeekeepers.org. 9

10 School or Group Presentation Live Bees Honey Taste Jean s Honey, Inc. Sting Therapy Tom Fuscaldo (973) NJ - NY - PA - Honey in 60 lb. Pails Cut Comb Honey NJ Nucs Available in Spring George Schaefer (908) Sugar for feeding Bees Best Prices Around! Honey Containers: Glass & Plastic NUCS Nucs available early April All nucs are 5 frames with new laying queens! Order early to ensure availability! Stiles Apiaries Grant Stiles (Fords, NJ) (732)

11 BEEKEEPER Bees give us sting therapy, orange juice, apple pie and even honey. School Lectures Swarm Removal Free Advice Sting Therapy Call for details Tom Fuscaldo 429 Preakness Ave Paterson, NJ (973)

12 Association Constitution is Updated On November 8, 2013, the Constitution and By-Laws Revision Committee presented the proposed changes to the NJBA constitution and by-laws to the Executive Board for approval. After much discussion, the Board unanimously approved the changes for presentation to the membership and recommends that the members approve the changes. The revised constitution and by-laws are presented in this newsletter. Some of the changes were made to clean up and clarify the language in the current documents. Some of the changes were made to reorganize the documents and move elements of the constitution into the by-laws. Others represented significant changes. Those changes are summarized here. Please read the entire document to see the full extent of the changes. (For comparison purposes, the current constitution can be found on the NJBA website on the Local Branches page, in the state contacts section.) 1. The current position of secretary-treasurer is divided into treasurer, recording secretary and corresponding secretary. The responsibilities for each position are defined. 2. The size of the Executive Board is reduced. It will consist of the state officers, the immediate NJBA past president, the branch presidents, the state apiarists and, at the prerogative of the president, the chairs of the NJBA standing committees. 3. Officer terms are extended from one year to two years and a term limit of two consecutive terms is imposed for all officers other than the treasurer who may serve five consecutive terms. 4. Amendments to the constitution require approval of a supermajority of 60% of the membership instead of two-thirds. By-laws changes require a simple majority. 5. Membership categories are reduced from four to three: Junior, Full and Honorary. 6. Dues for the Association will be determined every two years based on the Association s budget. The local branches will set their own dues each year. Three standing committees are established: Membership, Public Relations and Financial and Operational Review (replaces Audit). In order to adopt and implement the new constitution and by-laws, you will be asked to approve a resolution, which is also included in this newsletter. This resolution makes the amendments effective immediately with one exception. The section related to the new dues structure will be effective on January 1, The resolution also reconciles the new two year terms of office and term limits by declaring that the officers elected at the annual meeting on February 8, 2014 will, for purposes of term limits, be serving their first terms. Christopher Yates Third Vice President 12

13 Resolution of Adoption of the Amendments to the New Jersey Beekeeping Association Constitution and By-Laws WHEREAS, the Members of the New Jersey Beekeepers Association have reviewed the proposed changes to the organization s constitution and by-laws; and WHEREAS, the proposed changes have been approved by Executive Board of the New Jersey Beekeepers Association; therefore be it RESOLVED, that the changes as proposed are adopted in their entirety and shall take effect immediately except as identified herein, and be it further RESOLVED, those sections of the amended constitution and by-laws relating to dues and dues collection shall take effect on January 1, 2015, and be it further RESOLVED, the terms for all officers elected on this date shall be considered, for purposes of term limits, the first term for each officer. Unanimously resolved at November 8, 2013 Executive Board Meeting Constitution and By-Laws New Jersey Beekeepers Association (Last revised October 19, 2013) Revisions Proposed for Approval at the February 8, 2014 Annual Meeting Article I. Preamble Section 1.The name of this Association is the New Jersey Beekeepers Association. Section 2.The mission of the Association is to Promote and support all aspects of beekeeping in New Jersey Educate the general public about the benefits and importance of beekeeping, pollination services, honey, beeswax and other products from the hive to the economy and environment of New Jersey. Dispel myths and misinformation concerning the honey bee Inform and educate the general public concerning the honey bee and the beekeeping industry. Article II. Membership Section 1. The membership shall consist of beekeepers and others interested in bee keeping or allied activities without discrimination as to sex, race, color or creed. 13

14 Article III. Section 1. Section 2. Section 3. Section 4. Section 5. Section 6. Officers The officers of the Association shall be a president, three vice presidents, a treasurer, a recording secretary, and a corresponding secretary. The president shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Association and shall preside at all meetings of the Association and Executive Board. The president shall appoint such standing committees as are specified by the by-laws and shall be an ex-officio member of these committees. The president shall serve as an ex-officio member of all special committees established by the president or the Executive Board. The vice presidents, in the absence or disability of the president shall perform the functions of the office of the president and will succeed the president and each other in the numerically ascending order. Each vice president shall have supervision of those committees as may be assigned by the president. The recording secretary shall prepare and distribute agendas for the Executive Board meetings and the business meeting portion of Association meetings, keep a full and correct record of all meetings of the Executive Board and business meetings of the Association, distribute minutes of all meetings to the Executive Board and Membership as required, and manage state elections pursuant to election rules identified herein. The recording secretary shall give notice of all meetings and shall submit, at the annual meeting, reports of the activities of the Association. The corresponding secretary shall, under the direction of the president, prepare all communications, printed and electronic, with external parties, the branches, and the Membership and in consultation with the treasurer shall maintain the membership role and member information. The treasurer shall manage the financial affairs of the Association. The treasurer shall receive all monies and deposit same to the credit of the Association in such depository institutions as may be approved by the Executive Board, prepare quarterly financial statements for presentation to the Executive Board, and prepare and cause to be distributed to the members of the Association annual financial statements. The treasurer is empowered to collect dues. The treasurer shall prepare an annual budget for presentation to and approval by the Executive Board no later than the December meeting. Article IV. Section 1. Executive Board The Executive Board shall consist of the president, the three vice presidents, the recording secretary, the corresponding secretary, the treasurer, the immediate past president of the Association, all current branch presidents and, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture apiary inspectors and, at the prerogative of the president, the chairs of standing committees. 14

15 Section 2. Article V. Section 1. Section 2. Section 3. The Executive Board shall meet no less than four times per year on dates and at times set by the president. Board members may attend meetings in person or by electronic means. A board member must be present at a meeting to cast a vote at the meeting. No board member may convey a proxy to another board member. In the event a branch president cannot be present at a meeting of the board he or she may appoint a representative to appear in his or her place at such meeting and the representative shall possess all rights and privileges of the branch president at the meeting, including the right to vote. Election of Officers The president, three vice presidents, recording secretary, the corresponding secretary and the treasurer shall be elected at the annual meeting, assume office at the end of the annual meeting and hold their offices until their successors have been elected. The term of office shall be two years. No member shall hold the same office for more than two consecutive terms, other than the treasurer who may serve five consecutive terms. However, if at the time of election there are no nominees for a position due to become vacant, the membership may decide, by majority vote, to extend the tenure of the incumbent officer. Three months prior to an annual meeting at which elections shall be conducted, the president shall appoint a nominating committee of three or more members from different branch associations who shall present their nominations for officers to the membership at least 45 days prior to the date of the annual meeting. Those, together with any nominations made from the floor, will be voted upon. The candidate receiving the greatest number of votes for each office shall be declared duly elected and shall assume office at the close of the annual meeting. The election shall be managed by the recording secretary and shall be conducted by secret ballot. No less than thirty days and no more than forty-five days before the annual meeting the secretary shall mail, or cause to be mailed, ballots for the election. Such ballots returned by mail shall be due by midnight on the Thursday before the annual meeting. Voting may also be conducted by secure means under procedures that conform with the voting rules herein governing voting by mail. Any member of the Association who has not paid his or her dues by the date of the annual meeting shall not be eligible to vote and any mailed ballot or electronic vote shall be voided. Section 4. The president shall appoint an Elections Committee, consisting of no more than six members, no more than one of whom shall be from the same branch. The Elections Committee shall develop the rules, procedures and methods for conducting elections and present such to the Executive Board which shall approve the rules, procedures and methods governing voting by mail or by secure electronic means no less than ninety days prior to the date of the election. Such rules, procedures and methods shall be published in the New Jersey Beekeepers Association newsletter, by secure electronic means, or in a letter mailed to all members at least 21 days prior to the 15

16 mailing of ballots. The president shall appoint three members to act as election tellers at the annual meeting or at any meeting where votes for officers or amendments to the Constitution or By-Laws shall be conducted who shall count the ballots, and announce the results. Section 5. Article VI. Section 1. Section 2. Section 3. Article VII. Section 1. Article VIII. Section 1. Vacancies for officer positions that occur between elections shall be filled by appointment by the president, subject to approval of the Executive Board. Amendments Any amendment of this constitution must first be presented by a member in writing at a regular meeting of the Executive Board for consideration. Upon approval of the proposed amendment by a 2/3 majority of the Executive Board, the proposed amendment shall be submitted to the membership for ratification at a subsequent Association meeting held not less than sixty days after publication of the proposed amendment in the New Jersey Beekeepers Association newsletter. The amendment shall become effective upon approval by 60% of the votes cast. Any amendment of the by-laws must first be presented by a member in writing at a regular meeting of the Executive Board for consideration. Upon approval of the proposed amendment by simple majority of the Executive Board, the proposed change shall be submitted to the membership for ratification at a subsequent Association meeting held not less than sixty days after publication of the proposed amendment in the New Jersey Beekeepers Association newsletter. The amendment shall become effective upon approval by a majority of the votes cast. The election procedures defined in Article V, Section 3 for the election of officers shall also be utilized for amendments to the constitution and bylaws. Dissolution Upon the dissolution, all books and records of the New Jersey Beekeepers Association shall automatically become the property of Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, Department of Entomology. All monies, if any, of the New Jersey Beekeepers Association included under the provisions of Title 15 of the New Jersey State Law, shall be distributed, on a pro rata basis by number of members, to each branch. Branches and their assets will become autonomous, with no inter-branch affiliations. Branches Whenever ten or more persons shall request in writing recognition of an affiliated branch of the New Jersey Beekeeping Association for the purpose of more effectively carrying out the objectives of the Association the Association, upon its agreement that such recognition supports the objectives of the Association may grant a revocable Charter of Affiliation contingent on Continued on page 21 16

17 New Jersey Beekeepers Association Annual Honey Show Exhibitors must be current New Jersey Beekeepers Association (NJBA) members, with current dues paid. All entries must be the product of the entrant s apiary and must have been produced since the previous year s honey show. In the case of Mead, the honey must be the product of the entrant s apiary, but the mead need only be bottled since the previous year s honey show, due to the aging requirements of mead. Entries in Classes 1 through 7 in the Honey division and entries in the Cosmetics division should have labels on all three entries in each class. Entries may be delivered to a member of the NJBA Executive Board (these are state officers, branch presidents and secretaries) or any person attending the last Executive Board meeting prior to the State Honey Show, or delivered directly to the show prior to the judging. If the entries are not delivered directly to the show by the exhibitor, the exhibitor should provide a list of their entries, which will be consolidated at the Executive Board meeting where entries are collected, to ensure that all entries are accounted for prior to judging. Judging will occur Feb. 3 or 4, 2014 at a location yet to be determined. This year s Judge will be Barry Thompson, a Master Beekeeper from Maryland. Barry manages 100 to 150 hives and is a past Director both for the state of Maryland and for the Master Beekeepers. Honey: 1. Classes 1 through 4 (Extracted Honey): Entries must be in glass Queenline type jars or Gamber Classic honey jars with plain metal or plastic lids. Honey color will be graded by the show chairman and judged on density, absence of crystals, cleanliness, flavor, fill and container appearance. 2. Class 5 (Sections and Cut Comb): Sections must be in window cartons, and Ross Rounds must have transparent plastic lid. Cut comb should be in clear plastic containers. 3. Classes 6 (Creamed Honey) and Class 7 (Chunk Honey): Must be in clear, one-pound glass jars. Creamed honey will be graded on fineness of crystals, uniformity and firmness, cleanliness and freedom from foam, flavor and fill. Chunk honey is graded on cut, cleanliness, uniformity, density and flavor of liquid. Class 8 (Frame of honey): Must be displayed in bee proof cases, which have both sides made of transparent glass or plastic. The frame is judged on uniformity, absence of uncapped cells and watery cappings, cleanliness, freedom from granulation and pollen. Mead: 17

18 Annual Honey Show Entry Form Name of Entrant(s): Entrant Number: Branch Affiliation (Check one): (Note: your dues must be paid thru the current year!) Central Essex Jersey Cape Mid State Morris-Somerset Northeast Northwest Raritan Valley South Jersey Sussex Name of Apiary (if applicable) or name on label: Address: Address: Tel. # Classes entered (Check all that apply): (If unsure of class for extracted, guess and judge will reassign. Judge is final arbiter of class assignment.) Remember, one entry per class per entrant. (Members in a family cannot have entries in the same class unless each member has an individual membership.) Class 1: Extracted Honey Light Class 2: Extracted Honey Light Amber Class 3: Extracted Honey Amber Class 4: Extracted Honey Dark Class 5: Section Honey & Cut Comb Class 6: Creamed Honey Class 7: Chunk Honey Class 8: Frame of Honey Class 9: Mead: Dry Class 10: Mead: Sweet Class 11: Mead: Made with Fruit Juices Class 12: Mead: Sparkling, with or without Fruit Juices Class 13: Beeswax Block 18

19 Class 14: Novelty Beeswax Class 15: Beeswax Tapers Class 16: Novelty Beeswax Candles Class 17: Hand Cream Class 18: Soap Class 19: Lip Balm Class 20: Photography To be filled in by Show Chair Name of Entrant(s): Entrant Number: Central Essex Jersey Cape Morris-Somerset o Mid State Northeast Northwest Raritan Valley South Jersey o Sussex Class 1: Extracted Honey Light Class 2: Extracted Honey Light Amber Class 3: Extracted Honey Amber Class 4: Extracted Honey Dark Class 5: Section Honey & Cut Comb Class 6: Creamed Honey Class 7: Chunk Honey Class 8: Frame of Honey Class 9: Mead: Dry Class 10: Mead: Sweet Class 11: Mead: Made with Fruit Juices Class 12: Mead: Sparkling Class 13: Beeswax Block Class 14: Novelty Beeswax Class 15: Beeswax Tapers Class 16: Novelty Beeswax Candles Class 17: Hand Cream Class 18: Soap Class 19: Lip Balm Class 20: Photography 19

20 All mead entries should have been produced by the exhibitor by the process of fermentation. 1. All entries in Classes 9, 10 and 11, should be exhibited in clear, non-frosted wine bottles, standard 750 ML or 25.4 FL OZ. Natural cork, plastic stoppers or screw-tops may be used. Entries in Class 12, sparkling, should be in champagne-type bottles. Beeswax: 1. It is suggested that entries be covered with clear plastic. 2. The optimum color for pure beeswax is light yellow. Cosmetics: 1. Class 17 (Hand cream/lotion): All jars must be a minimum of 1.5 ounces. Entries will be judged on jar appearance, consistency and texture of product, and fragrance added. 2. Class 18 (Soap): Bars must be a minimum of 3 ounces. Soap will be judged on packaging, overall appearance and fragrance. 3. Class 19 (lip balm): Tins, plastic pots or tubes must be a minimum of.15 ounce. Lip balm will be judged with the same considerations as in Class 17. Photography: 1. Class 20 (Prints) should be 5 x 7 or larger, mounted on a mounting board that extends at least one inch beyond the print on each side. No frames are permitted. Photos must relate to beekeeping and can be close-ups, scenics (e.g. apiaries, hives) or a portrait (person who is obviously a beekeeper or performing a beekeeping procedure in an appropriate setting. Exhibitors should refer to copies of individual class score cards for details on judging criteria. Drop off points: You may deliver your entries to any officer of the NJBA before the last Executive Board meeting prior to the State Honey Show, or possibly your branch president or secretary. Check with an officer from your branch for details on getting your entries to the show. Check the internet web site for a judging sheet to see how your entry will be judged. More details about the honey show and some winning tips from our Honey Show Chairperson, Landi Simone, on pages 28 and

21 By-Laws continued from page 16 the affiliated group adopting and maintaining a constitution and by-laws compatible with and related to the objectives of the Association. Section 2. Section 3. Section 4. Section 5. Section 6. Section 7. Section 8. Section 9. Section 10. Article IX. Section 1. Any person may become a member of any branch in accordance with Article II, but shall be entitled to hold office in only one branch. The officers of each branch shall consist of a president, secretary, treasurer (or secretary/treasurer) and such other officers as each branch may find desirable. The officers shall be elected by direct votes of the branch in the manner specified by the branch s constitution. The election of any member as a branch officer shall not bar him or her from election or appointment to any other office in the Association. The branch Executive Board shall consist of elected officers and other members specified in the branch s constitution. The branch officers shall function at the branch level in the same capacity as the president for the officers of the Association as specified in this constitution. The branch secretary (or secretary/treasurer) shall report the activities of the branch to the Association corresponding secretary. The branch treasurer (or secretary/treasurer) is empowered to collect regular dues. Money collected shall be deposited to the credit of the branch in a depository approved by the branch executive board. The branch treasurer (or secretary/treasurer) shall provide information to and assist the Association treasurer in the preparation of any tax or other forms required by local, state and federal governments and agencies. The branches shall hold three or more meetings annually at such times and places as may be determined by their officers for the purpose of carrying on their work. The branch shall, as a requisite to maintaining its charter, keep on file with the Association corresponding secretary, a current copy of the branch constitution and by-laws to ensure compatibility with the Association s constitution and by-laws. If a branch of the Association secedes from the Association by a 2/3 vote of the branch s members or becomes defunct all records, correspondence, list of members and their addresses, and other such material shall become the property of the Association on demand from the Executive Board. All monies in the treasury of the branch shall be paid to the Association. Upon notification of amendment to the Association constitution and bylaws in accordance with Article VI, each branch s constitution and by-laws must be reviewed and properly amended if in conflict with the change. Discipline The Executive Board of the Association may warn, suspend or terminate a membership for serious reasons such as a violation of the constitution or by -laws, unlawful conduct adversely affecting the Association or any conduct 21

22 determined by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board to be detrimental to the Association or the practice of apiculture. Section 2. Section 3. Any individual member or branch which is the subject of charges shall be informed in writing by certified mail of the charges and shall be given the opportunity to defend against such charges at a meeting of the Executive Board, to be held no sooner than thirty days from such notification, before final action is taken by the Executive Board. The Executive Board action on charges requires a 2/3 majority of that board sitting in quorum and may consist of actions up to and including termination of membership or revocation of the branch charter. By-Laws Article I. Section 1. Section 2. Section 3. Section 4. Section 5. Section 6. Article II. Section 1. Membership There shall be three categories of membership: Junior, Full, and Honorary. All categories of members shall receive the New Jersey Beekeepers Association newsletter and shall enjoy all other privileges of a member, except the right to vote unless explicitly granted in the definition of each membership category. Any person under the age of 18 or who is enrolled in an institution of higher education who is interested in apiculture may become a Junior member. Junior members shall not be entitled to vote in Association elections but are entitled to all of the other rights and privileges of membership. Multiple family members residing at the same address shall collectively be a Full member. Full members shall receive one subscription to the newsletter and shall be entitled to one vote in Association elections. All family members who comprise the Full membership shall be entitled to all of the other rights and privileges of membership. Any branch or the Association may propose an individual who has rendered outstanding service to the Association or to the field of apiculture for Honorary Membership. The Executive Board shall approve, at its discretion, the proposed Honorary member for a period of either one year or life. An Honorary member shall not be entitled to vote in Association elections. No new members will be accepted as Life members. Current Life members will continue to receive all membership benefits without payment of annual dues. Dues Upon the approval of the annual budget by the Executive Board at or before its December meeting the Executive Board shall determine the Association annual dues by membership category for the next two years. The dues amount shall be communicated to the branches which shall then set their local dues at an amount to be determined at their discretion. The 22

23 dues levied by the branch shall include the Association dues and the branch dues. Dues may be collected by the Association treasurer or the branch treasurer. Dues shall be apportioned and remitted to the Association or the branch promptly upon collection. Section 2. Section 3. Section 4. Section 5. Article III. Section 1. Section 2. Section 3. Section 4. Article IV. Section 1. Section 2. Memberships are for twelve months, beginning January 1 st and ending December 31 st. New members who pay after July 31 st will have their memberships run from the date paid to the end of the next year. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Executive Board may, at its sole discretion, determine that memberships are for rolling twelve month periods based upon the month in which dues are paid. Any member who has paid his or her dues to one branch may become a member of any or all of the other branches by paying that portion of the dues which each branch normally retains as its share of the annual dues. Honorary members shall not be assessed dues. For a one year Honorary membership the honoring group shall pay to the Association treasurer the Association s portion of the annual dues for an individual member. For a lifetime Honorary membership, a funding fee to be determined annually by the Executive Board will be paid to the Association treasurer. The dues shall be payable beginning January 1. Members who have not paid their dues by February 1 shall be considered delinquent and their names dropped from the Secretary s roll. Meetings The annual meeting of the Association will be held before March 1, the date and place to be determined by the Executive Board. Field meetings shall be held throughout the state, the dates and places to be determined by the Executive Board. A quorum at any Association regular meeting shall consist of no less than fifty members present in person or by absentee ballot. A quorum of the Executive Board shall be no less than seven members. The recording secretary shall determine quorum at all meetings. Any action by the presiding officer in adopting rules for, and in conducting, a meeting of the membership shall be fair to all members. The conduct of the meeting shall generally follow simplified Robert s Rules of Order. Committees The president shall appoint the following standing committees: Membership, Public Relations, Financial and Operational Review, and Scholarships. The president shall designate one member of each committee as chair. The Membership Committee shall consist of one member from each branch. This committee shall monitor the current membership status and make recommendations to the Executive Board regarding the retention of members. The committee shall also bring the advantages of membership to 23

24 the attention of desirable candidates and shall take such other measures as it may consider advisable to interest prospective members. The committee shall prepare an annual report, no later than March 1, reporting on membership statistics for the year ended on December 31. Section 3. Section 4. The Public Relations Committee shall consist of seven members and shall consider and report to the Executive Board upon such matters as the board may refer to it, and shall call the attention of the executive board to such matters as, in its opinion, may affect the interest of the association. The senior state apiarist shall serve on this committee. The Financial and Operational Review Committee of five members shall review the books of the Association annually and review operational issues and procedures and report to the membership at the annual meeting. Additionally, the Financial and Operational Review Committee shall request copies of bank statements, tax returns (if the branch operates using its own tax identification number), financial reports, constitution and bylaws and election results from three branches each year. Any branches may be selected but no branch shall be reviewed a second time until all branches have been reviewed in a cycle. The Financial and Operational Review Committee shall review the requested branch information to ensure conformity with the Association s constitution and by-laws, good financial recordkeeping, and the accuracy of tax information provided to the treasurer and, as necessary, filed with tax authorities. The report on the branches shall be delivered to the officers of the branches examined and the Executive Board. No member of the Financial and Operational Review Committee shall have served on the Executive Board during any part of the two years preceding service on the Financial and Operational Review Committee and shall not be eligible for service on the Executive Board for one year following the completion of service on the Financial and Operational Review Committee and no member of the Financial and Operational Review Committee shall serve for more than two years. Section 7. Section 8. Article V. Section 1. The Scholarships Committee shall consist of three members. This committee shall solicit applications for scholarships that may be offered by the Association, interview applicants for and select beneficiaries of such scholarships. Special committees may be established by the president or the Executive Board and the committee members shall be appointed by the president. No special committee shall exist for more than two years without approval of the Executive Committee. Special Appointments The president shall appoint delegates, representatives, and directors to represent the Association on the boards and committees of other organizations. Such appointments are for one year or for the duration of the office to which the member has been appointed and may be nullified by a twothirds vote of the Executive Board. 24

25 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia By-law A by-law (sometimes also spelled bylaw, by law or byelaw) is a rule or law established by an organization or community to regulate itself, as allowed or provided for by some higher authority. The higher authority, generally a legislature or some other governmental body, establishes the degree of control that the by-laws may exercise. By-laws may be established by entities such as a business corporation, a neighborhood association, or depending on the jurisdiction, a municipality. In the United Kingdom, Canada, and some Commonwealth countries, the local laws established by municipalities are referred to as by-laws because their scope is regulated by the central governments of those nations. Accordingly, a bylaw enforcement officer is the Canadian equivalent of the American Code Enforcement Officer or Municipal Regulations Enforcement Officer. In the United States, the central government (and usually the state governments) has no direct ability to regulate the scope of the laws passed by the municipalities. As such terms such as code, ordinance, or regulation, if not simply law are more common. Your Association Needs You! An organization is only as good as the people who volunteer their time. The NJBA annual elections will be held at our winter meeting on February 8, We are looking for people to run for office to the Executive Board. The officers that will be elected are the president, three vice presidents, secretary and treasurer. If you are interested in running for any of the se positions, please contact the Nominating Committee Chair Ed Kosenski, ekosenski@mac.com, as soon as possible. If you have questions about any of the positions and want to know more about what is involved., contact any of the current officers (see page 34). We know that everyone leads busy lives. If you feel that being an officer would be too much of a commitment, there are plenty of other ways to help the Association. We need people with public relations skills, bloggers, meeting planners, website skills and any number of areas of expertise. Even if it s as simple as stuffing and mailing envelopes or as involved as running a honey queen program, we can find a spot for you to help if you re willing! Contact Janet A. Katz, president@njbeekeepers.org,

26 2014 Annual Winter Meeting and Annual Honey Show Auction Nottingham Ballroom, 200 Mercer St., Hamilton, NJ Tentative Agenda 8:30-9:30 a.m. Registration, coffee & donuts, networking with fellow beekeepers 9:30-10:45 a.m. Call to order - Janet A. Katz, President Presentation by Lincoln Sennett of Swan s Honey, Maine 10:45-11:00 a.m. Presentation of Constitution and By-Laws Revisions - Chris Yates, Third Vice President Presentation of Slate of Officers - Ed Kosenski, Nominating Committee Chair. Vote on C&BL and Election of NJBA Officers 12:00-1:00 p.m. Buffet Lunch 1:00-2:00 p.m. Auction of Honey Show first place entries with auctioneer par excellence Rod Donovan 2:00-2:30 p.m. Report of State Apiarist Tim Schuler 2:30-3:30 p.m. Tentative speaker is Sergio Moutela, founder of New Jersey s first commercial meadery, Melovino Meadery. Registration is $25 per person, 12 years and older; $12 per child 11 years old and younger, if paid by January 31. Online registration and payment will be available by January 1, 2014 at You can also register online and mail a check if you prefer not to pay online. You can also register via phone and RSVP to Curtis Crowell at or treasurer@njbeekeepers.org. Send check payable to NJBA to Curtis Crowell, 152 Broad St., Hightstown, NJ no later than January 31,

27 Alternative Honey Bee Nutrition Beyond Sugar Syrup Petrusia Kotlar DC, Nancy Ostiguy PhD Abstract Feeding honeybees syrup of cane-sugar or HFCS during a nectar dearth fails to provide honeybees with the nutrients found in nectar. This study tests feeding honeybees using syrup enriched with infusion of flowers from Tilia sp. The Linden flower was chosen for its attributes as a natural miticide and its medicinal benefits to honeybee immune health. Twelve colonies were randomly divided in three groups: controls, cane-sugar-syrup, Linden flower infusion of cane-sugar-syrup. Honeybee health variables were measured including varroa infestations, carbohydrate consumption, and winter survival rates. From April-October 2012, fed colonies were offered 104lbs (47.2 kg) syrup or Lindeninfused-syrup /colony. The consumed amount/colony ranged between lbs ( kg). GC-MS analysis of honey revealed sucrose levels between The highest survival rate from April-December was found to be the colonies fed the Linden -infused syrup (100% survived) while only one control colony survived (25%) during the same time period. Seventy-five percent of the sugar-syrup fed colonies were alive prior to winter but none were alive by March. Currently the only colony continuing to survive was treated with Linden infused-syrup. There was a non-significant trend towards fewer mites in the colonies treated with lindeninfused sucrose: controls , sucrose syrup , and linden-infused sucrose syrup Weak colonies, those with the smallest number of bees, had fewer mites (p=0.03). The effect of colony strength on the total mite count was not the same across treatment. More mites were observed in weak untreated (control) colonies than the treated (linden-infused or plain sucrose syrup feed) colonies (p=0.047). While linden-infused sucrose syrup may have a positive impact on colony health and survivorship, a larger sample size would be required to determine if the impact is statistically significant. As expected, the number of mites in a colony is influenced by how many bees are in the colony. It is interesting that small colonies had more mites if they were untreated than if the were treated. These observations indicate the importance of supplementing colonies with sucrose syrup or otherwise ensuring sufficient forage. We expect supplementation with Linden infusion may provide beekeepers with a method to improve colony survivorship as the honey stores going into winter was less in the non-infused groups compared to the infused group. The 43 rd Apimondia Congress held in Kyiv, Ukraine on September 29 - October 4, 2013 was Beyond the Hive: Beekeeping and Global Challenges. The conference had over 8000 participants and was represented by over 100 countries. I traveled with Dr. Nancy Ostiguy, Associate Professor of Entomology at Penn State University. Dr. Ostiguy and I presented the results of our NESARE research project in a talk including a Power Point presentation titled, Alternative Honey Bee Nutrition- Beyond Sugar Syrup on Wednesday Oct. 2 during the Bee Health plenary. You are welcome to contact me with any specific questions. Thank you. Petrusia Kotlar Paslawsky Petrusia Kotlar DC petrusia@thehealthyhive.com Linden Hill Farm and Apiary 27

28 By Landi Simone From the Honey Show Chair I m hoping this year s Honey Show will be an exciting one with many entries. Many of you are new to the craft of keeping bees and some of you harvested your first crop of surplus honey this year. Why not enter a few jars into the state Honey Show? You have nothing to lose, and who knows? Maybe you ll go home with a blue ribbon! This year the Honey Show will take place the first week in February at the State House in Trenton. Because of the venue, we will be returning to the old rules (found on pages 17-20) published elsewhere in this newsletter, which include labeling your entries. The reason for this is that having labels on our honey jars enables the legislators to see firsthand that beekeepers and bees are making honey state-wide, not just in the cranberry bogs and blueberry fields. There are several important pieces of legislation being considered right now by our representatives in Trenton that have the potential to dramatically affect beekeepers in a positive way. The more of a visual impact we can make with our Honey Show display, the more notice will be taken of us as a group. So get ready, guys and gals! Your bees did all the hard work. You just have to put the finishing touches on and get those entries ready! Because so many of our members are new, I m going to write a series of articles that outline the basics of getting honey ready in the main categories. That way, no one will have any excuses for not putting in a few jars! Prepping Extracted Honey For a Honey Show The extracted honey division takes up the largest portion of the show and has classes of dark, amber, light amber and light. Preparing honey for show is a good bit different than preparing your honey for your own table or that of friends, family, or farmers markets. Most of us would prefer our honey as minimally processed as possible and our own personal judging would probably be based on flavor. But show standards are different. The honey is judged on cleanliness, absence of crystals, absence of foam, uniformity of filling, lack of defects in the jar and lid, and moisture content. To get a high score, you need to warm your honey to remove all crystals and you need to filter the honey so there is no trace of lint, pollen, or other matter. The honey will be viewed through a polarized light box, so any floating foreign matter or crystals are readily visible to the judge. Its water content will be measured with a refractometer. Interestingly, although judges do taste each jar of honey, they are only checking to be sure there is no off flavor that might indicate fermentation, overheating, or contamination. You don t get extra points for wonderful flavor! So what are some of the tricks to getting a high score? A copy of the standard NJBA scoring sheet is printed in this issue so you can see how many points various factors are worth. First, pick three jars as nearly perfect as you can find. If you hold an empty honey jar up to the light, you ll notice the glass has many defects: wavy lines, little bubbles, nicks and dimples. You may have to go through half a dozen cases of jars to find three that are free of such defects. Only one pound classic or queenline glass jars are acceptable. It s just as hard to find three perfect lids, especially if you use metal lids, which are especially vulnerable to dents and chipped paint. But find them you must. Points will be deducted for defects 28

29 in the jars and lids. Next, prepare your honey. This is a several day process. Be sure to extract honey within three days of pulling it and only take honey that is at least 75% capped. That is generally enough to put the moisture content within the acceptable range of 15.5% to 18.6%. If you have a refractometer, you can check the reading but if not, don t lose sleep over it. Let s assume you have your honey in a pail such as a clean five gallon plastic bucket. You need to warm that honey to melt any crystals and make it easier to filter and pour. I have made myself a bucket warmer using a thermostat I got from Walter T. Kelley Co., an insulated Igloo cooler on wheels, a couple of inexpensive light sockets and some wiring. There are various plans on-line for such warmers. Here s one I found: There are also inexpensive belt-type bucket warmers you can get through the bee supply houses. However you do it, it is important to gently warm your honey to remove crystals. Some beekeepers will bring the honey to around 120º or even higher, but I have found a temperature of 100 to 105º held for a couple of days works just as well and holds less risk of burning the honey. Once the honey has been warmed to remove existing crystals, filter it to get rid of lint and dirt. Brushy Mountain has a nice filtering set up with a double 5 gallon bucket, the top one of which has the bottom cut out of it and a rigid metal screen in place of its bottom. A cloth filter can then be placed over the metal screen and the honey poured through it. Running the honey through a fine cloth filter several times while it is still warm will remove undesirable solid particles. In this set up, the bottom bucket also has a honey gate so you can pour the filtered honey directly into your jars. It goes without saying that all the equipment must be scrupulously clean. There are tricks to filling the jars, too. Hold the jar below the gate at a slight angle so the honey falls in the middle of one side rather than on the bottom. This creates less turbulence and fewer bubbles. Fill to the bottom thread of the jar neck the point at which the lid just hides the surface of the honey when it is screwed on. Each of the three jars must be filled to exactly the same point. There must be no foam on the surface of the honey. I generally give it a little time for any bubbles generated in pouring to rise to the top and then very carefully, with a toothpick or lightly moistened Q-tip, remove any foam. Some judges will deduct points for an entry that has honey on the inside of the cap so most people put a bit of plastic wrap on the jar before screwing the lid on. This keeps the lid clean during transport. And I know I ll see a lot of entries arriving in socks to keep the outside of the jars clean. Holding your jars of honey up against the sun or a bright light will let you see how well you did. Next time, we ll talk about how to prepare your wax for show. Good luck with that honey! 29

30 One of our youngest N. J. B. A. Members Hard at work Left: Luke all suited up and working his hive. Top right: Luke filling up Bears with his good tasting honey My name is Luke Eisele. I am a 13 year old beekeeper and a junior member of the Jersey Cape Beekeepers Association. I became interested in bees through my grandfather Bill Eisele. When I was nine I took the Beeginers Beekeeping Classes hosted by the JCBA. My bees died the first couple of years. This year I bought an eight frame starter hive from Dadant. With the help of Pop-pop, we put it together. My 3 year old sister Anna Belle "helped" paint it. In the spring, I bought a five frame nuc and we installed it. Because I swell up if I get stung, I gear up. The picture shows me working in my bright blue hive. The bees must have liked the location. I was able to extract some frames using JCBA extraction equipment. Poppop gave me some honey bear jars and I filled 15 with honey from my bees. That's me in the picture filling the bears. My bees made the best tasting honey!!!!! WANTED Have a young and up-coming beekeeper in the family? Send in some pictures and a short paragraph! 30

31 Bee Education at the 2013 League of Municipalities Atlantic City Convention Center Taking a break! NJBA members recently provided honey bee education for N.J. League of Municipalities attendees at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Those who stopped by our table learned that the honey bee is not a nuisance and that they play a vital role in agriculture and the environment. Seated: Seth Belson Standing: Mike McGurk (L) and Bill Eisele (R) NJBA News Annual Ad Rates Ad size Location of ad Price Full page 1st 25% of newsletter $150 1/2 page 1st 25% of newsletter $100 1/4 page 1st 25% of newsletter $75 1/8 page 1st 25% of newsletter $50 Full page rest of newsletter $100 1/2 page rest of newsletter $75 1/4 page rest of newsletter $50 Note: Please contact Curtis Crowell, or curtis.crowell@att.net, about placing, designing, formatting, cost, and all correspondence about ads. Happy Holidays from the NJBA Executive Board! Appearance of a vendor s ad in the newsletter does not imply endorsement of or assurance of quality by the NJBA. 31

32 RECIPES Cranberry Pecan Pie If you are looking for a last minute pie idea for your holiday feast, look no further. Our Cranberry Pecan Pie combines two of the best flavors of the holidays, cranberries and pecans! We hope you and your loved ones enjoy our Cranberry Pecan Pie recipe this holiday season. YIELD: 8 SERVINGS PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES Nutritional Information Calories: 291 Fat Total: 10.9 g Carbohydrates: 51.5 g Protein: 1.8 g Sodium: 207 mg Dietary Fiber: 1.48 mg Calories from Fat: 30% Ingredients 2 cups - fresh or frozen cranberries 1 cup - orange juice 1/2 cup - honey 2 Tablespoons - cornstarch 2 Tablespoons - cold water 1/2 teaspoon - orange extract 1-9-inch baked pie shell 1/2 cup - honey 3 Tablespoons - butter or margarine 1-3/4 cups - pecan halves Directions In medium saucepan, combine cranberries, juice and honey. Cook, uncovered, over low heat for 15 minutes if using fresh cranberries or 20 minutes if using frozen berries. Cool. Puree cranberry mixture in blender; return to saucepan. Combine cornstarch and water. Stir into cranberry mixture. Bring to boil and cook until thickened. Stir in orange extract. Cool; then pour into pie shell. Spoon topping evenly over cranberry mixture. Bake at 350 F 20 minutes or until top is bubbly. Cool on wire rack. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Topping: In medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup honey and 3 Tablespoons butter or margarine; cook and stir 2 minutes or until mixture is smooth. Stir in 1-3/4 cups pecan halves until well coated. Recipe from the National Honey Board cranberry-pecan-pie Chunky Butternut Squash and Apple with Honey This unusual combination of squash cooked with chunks of apple and roughly mashed with honey and butter is amazing and addictive. Add a pinch of a favorite spice if you are so inclined, but I love it best plain and simple. Because I find prepping butternut squash cumbersome, I ve come up with the method described in the recipe. YIELD: MAKES 4 SERVINGS Ingredients 1 (1½ to 2 pounds) - butternut squash, halved, seeded, and cut into 2- or 3-inch chunks 2 - crisp apples, peeled, quartered, cored, and cut into ½-inch chunks 2 tablespoons - unsalted butter 2 tablespoons - honey ½ teaspoon - coarse salt 1 teaspoon - minced fresh herb leaves, to match the honey (optional) Directions Place the squash in a steamer set over an inch or more of boiling water. Cover and steam for 15 minutes, until almost tender. Add the apples to the squash, cover, and steam for about 15 minutes longer, or until the squash and apples are fork tender. Let cool slightly. Select the chunks of squash from the steamer. Scoop the squash flesh from the skins, or if preferred cut the skin from the flesh with a paring knife. Transfer the peeled squash and the apples to a large saucepan. Add the butter and honey, and with a potato masher or a big wooden spoon, roughly mash the squash and apples, leaving some chunks of each. Add the salt. Sprinkle with the fresh herb of choice. This is a great place to show off your most fragrant, interesting honey varieties. I love it with sage, rosemary, or oregano honey, but star thistle, wildflower, and many others will come through loud and clear as well. Recipe from the National Honey Board recipes/detail/11/chunky-butternut-squash-and-applewith-honey. Courtesy of Taste of Honey by Marie Simmons/Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC 32

33 Letter from the Editor It seems like we were just putting on our entrance reducers, but here we are putting them on again for the upcoming winter. Getting ready for winter should have started in late summer, because starting at this time of year may cause your hive to die. The management of wintering your colony is as simply three things: First, making sure your colony has plenty of honey and pollen; Second, use bees that have been adapted to the area; and third, make a way for excess moisture to escape the hive. Sounds simple but getting there could become difficult. Most bees and wasps hibernate but honey bees remain active all winter long even in the coldest temperatures and with nothing to forage on. The biggest factor in survival is the amount of the food stores; keeping warm takes energy in the form of stored food supplies. So if the colony runs short of supplies, it will freeze to death in the cold winter. The drones should have been forced out by workers seeing that they are no longer necessary for the colony to survive. As winter approaches the forage disappears, days get shorter and temperatures drop all signals for the colony to prepare for winter. The queen stops laying eggs because raising brood takes a lot of honey. The more brood to raise means more stored honey is consumed. That s why late winter and early spring are critical times for your bees. As the days get longer and day time temperature increase, the queen will lay more eggs which equals more honey consumption. So late winter becomes a more critical time. Once the temperature falls below 57F. The bees begin to cluster and as it gets colder, the cluster gets tighter. The core of the cluster will warm to about 93F. During winter, each bee acts like a little furnace generating heat to warm the hive, making it warm enough for the queen to lay a few eggs and have some brood to start to replace some dying bees. The cluster acts as an insulating shield for the queen and brood. The outer layer of bees pointing inward causes the inner temperature of the cluster to rise. As they feed on honey for energy, they shiver. They vibrate their wing muscles but keep their wings still. With thousands of bees moving in and out the core temperature will rise and as the outside temperature rises the bees will loosen the cluster to let air flow into the center which is just the opposite when the air becomes colder. During real warm spells, the cluster will loosen and the bees will start to move about in the hive. They usually move sideways and up, never down. Then, when it gets colder, they tighten the cluster and you hope that they clustered around the honey or the bees will starve and die. When bees generate heat, they start to produce moisture. This moisture is both a benefit and a detriment. Some moisture is needed to dilute the honey that they feed on but any excess must be removed from the hive. A problem occurs as the temperature drops and cold air condenses moisture in the hive. If this moisture begins to drip on the cluster, it will kill them. This is why a top entrance is important in winter. In cold areas, it could be a benefit if the hive was covered for some protection. Solar wraps are black and wind proof. The black can help to warm the hive on nice sunny days causing the bees to break their cluster at a lower outside temperature. These wraps are normally hand made of tar-paper or roofing felt. A second method is wrapping the hive with water proof insulation. These wraps keep the hive warm when the temperature is cold but it also keeps the hive from warming on sunny days. This type of solar wraps is good in mild winters. There are many places out West where bees are wintered in temperature controlled buildings. Bees winter very well at 41F. Keeping them at 41F becomes very tricky. Because the colonies generate their own heat and the outside temperature fluctuates, you can end up both heating or cooling these buildings to maintain the temperature throughout the winter. Angelo Trapani 33

34 WHO S WHO in NJBA President Janet Katz, , president@njbeekeepers.org 1nd Vice President Angelo Trapani, , atrap69530@aol.com 2rd Vice President Jeff Burd, jeff.burd@comcast.net 3rd Vice President Christopher Yates, , cmyates@cmyates.com Treasurer - Curtis Crowell, , treasurer@njbeekeepers.org Recording Secretary - Joe Alvarez, secretary@njbeekeepers.org 1st Past President - Bill Coniglo 2st Past President - Seth Belson, , snakesrb@comcast.net EAS Director Jeff Burd, jeff.burd@comcast.net Ag. Week Delegate Ann Trapani, MAAREC Representative - Joe Lelinho, , Klutch.cargo@verizon.net Speakers Bureau & Film Librarian - Pat Ricci, , Mrpatr@comcast.net Honey Queen Program - Grant Stiles, BigBuzz11@yahoo.com Budget Committee - Ray Markley, , rambeeman@aol.com Honeybee Advisory Committee - Grant Stiles, Grant.I.Stiles@aphis.usda.gov NJBA Newsletter Editor - Angelo Trapani, , atrap69530@aol.com USDA Grant Committee - Joe Alvarez, phytaman@verizon.net - Lorette Cheswick, lepac1@gmail.com Membership Committee: Rich Schluger, rick42_98@yahoo.com NJ APIARY INSPECTOR: - Tim Schuler, , Fax , Tim.Schuler@ag.state.nj.us Branch Presidents: Central Jersey - Peter Cheney, principalcheney@aol.com Essex County - Michael J. Frey, michaelfrey@optonline.net, Jersey Cape - Bill Eisele, beeeisele@comcast.net Morris and Somerset County - Rich Lepik, rlepik@verizon.net, Northeast Jersey - Frank Mortimor, frankmort@gmail.com Northwest Jersey - Robert T. Kloss, KlossFamily00@comcast.net Raritan Valley - Donald Pidcock, cooiep1@yahoo.com South Jersey - Ned Morgan, ned.morgan@comcast.net Sussex County - Debbie Cowell, drc@warwick.net Branch Club Meeting Dates/ & Activities: Central: See for details. Essex: Monthly meetings on second Tuesday, 7:00 p.m., Garibaldi Center, Roseland. See for details. Jersey Cape: Thir d Thur sday of the month, 7:00 p.m., Rutgers Cooperative Extension Office, Cape May Court House. Morris-Somerset: December 7, 2013: Holiday party. North East : Third Friday of the month, 7:30 p.m. Room 135S (the Amphitheater), Anisfield School of Business, Ramapo College, 505 Ramapo Valley Rd., Mahwah, North West: December 7th, :15 PM - Echo Hill Lodge 43 Lilac Drive, Clinton NJ NWNJBA Holiday Meeting. The event will be a Potluck Supper and the election of the 2014 officers. 1:15-4pm. Raritan: Third Thurs. of month, 7:00 p.m., Somerset 4H Bldg., 310 Milltown Rd., Somerset South Jersey: Dec. 10, :00 to 9:00 PM: Officer Elections and Treatment -Free Beekeeping. Speaker Rick Hoglen, Gloucester County Offices of Government Services, 1200 N. Delsea Dr., Clayton. Sussex: December 7, 2013 Holiday Dinner 6:00 to 10:00 Lafayette House, Lafayette, NJ January 25, 2014 Introduction to Beekeeping Course, Fair Admin Bldg, Plains Rd, Augusta, NJ. See brodheckerfarms.com/scba for details. 34

35 NEW JERSEY BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION Membership Form Check one: New Renewal Name Address City State Zip Phone Check here if you agree to have your name, city, phone and address published and made available to other NJBA members only (your full mailing address will not be published). Check here if you would like the NJBA newsletter sent to you by , as a PDF attachment instead of a hardcopy via the US Postal Service. Make certain to provide a valid address above. Make checks payable to your local branch (e.g. Essex Beekeepers ) and mail the dues with a copy of this form to the appropriate branch treasurer listed below. Membership is for a full calendar year, ending December 31 st. Dues are payable by January 1 st of the current year and are considered delinquent as of March 1 st. New memberships paid for after July 31 st are good through December 31 st of the following year. Dues must be current to receive the state newsletter, informational s from the state, be listed on the product or swarm collector web pages and to enter the annual honey show. If you d like to join additional branches once you have joined the NJBA through a primary branch, you can do so by paying the branch-only portion of the dues ($8) to the additional branch or branches. Junior Membership (under the age of 18) $ 8 Membership (State Association & One Primary Branch-Required) $20 Select your primary branch below whose meetings are most convenient for you: Central Jersey Branch: Curtis Crowell, 152 Broad St., Hightstown, NJ Essex County Beekeepers: Joe Lelinho, 15 Hill St., N. Caldwell, NJ Jersey Cape Branch: Fred Steinman, 6 Devonshire Dr., Egg Harbor Twp., NJ Morris-Somerset Branch: Mary Hart, 54 Crest Dr., Basking Ridge, NJ North East Branch: Karl Schoenknecht, 683 Summit Ave., Franklin Lakes, NJ North West Jersey Branch: Karin Weinberg, 337 Tunnel Rd., Asbury, NJ Raritan Valley Beekeepers: Denise DeCristofano, 978 Evergreen Dr., Somerville, NJ South Jersey Branch: Doris Morgan, 838 Tuska Ave., Millville, NJ Sussex County Branch: Roman Osadca, 10 Old Stage Road, Newton, NJ Secondary Branch-Only Membership (Optional) $ 8 Secondary Branch: Most branches will allow members of any NJBA branch to attend their meetings. Already a member of one branch, but want to get newsletters from another? Check the box next to Secondary Branch, write in the name of the branch you d like to be an associate member of and send the $8 branch portion of the dues and membership application separately to that branch s treasurer. Remember, you must have a Primary Branch membership at one branch before requesting a secondary or associate membership at an additional branch or branches. 35

36 36 New Jersey Beekeepers Association JERSEY FRESH Angelo Trapani, Editor Olde Noah Hunt Rd. FROM THE GARDEN STATE Clarksburg,N.J