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The Sourwood blooms and lazy days of summer are gone already, but what wonderful memories remain for us to think about this winter.
Place your order now for a repeat of this years Sourwood flow in 2007!
Photo by Calvin Robinson
Scholarship hive winner, Connie Brown sent in these photos of her night blooming flowers and night flying bees
Connie must have a "golden thumb"! How did she manage to get her girls to work overtime and forage after dark? Notice the full pollen baskets on this lady.
Connie says she was able to get this night photo an hour after dark using a flash. NOW CONNIE! Do you think she could find her way back to the hive after having the flash go off in her eyes? Great photo and documentation that bees do fly after dark.
I just LOVE honeybees!
Teijo Munnich, of Alexander NC, sent in a series of photos of 5-yr old nephew William who is very interested in bees and went into the hive this summer when he visited from Minnesota.
He sure looks pleased with the experience. What a great way to get a new beekeeper hooked!
WILD BEES MAKE BETTER POLLINATORS
A wild bee (bombus vosneskensii) and a honeybee forage together on a sunflower. Honeybees that interact with wild native bees are up to five times more efficient in pollinating sunflowers according to a recent study by researchers at UC Berkeley and UC Davis. The study will appear as the cover story in the September 12 issues of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Thanks to Diane Almond for sharing this find
Sarah Greenleaf photos UC Berkeley News Aug 26 2006
Thanks for the tip neighbor!
Anytime friend!
BCBC, as well as Kenneth Reeves, is so very glad to have our new extension agent. Amanda Stone is doing a great job and has really just fit right in. Her husband,Phillip Sanders, has jumped into the frying pan also, by volunteering to assist in putting together the newsletter. Do let them know how glad we are to have such a great team on board with us!
Nectar Collector Day at the WNC Nature Center
Joan Chesick had a nice display of her honey while assisting at the BCBC booth.
Calvin Robinson's honey was displayed like...well like a guy would do it. The BCBC also had members Mark Poff and Bob Sigmon there selling honey while assisting with the BCBC booth.
Everyone must have thought it was a real hoot that the beekeepers were next to the BEAR habitat!
Robert Anders is faithful again and doing double duty in the NC Beekeepers Association honeybee costume. Robert is good at it too! He did refuse to wear the tights, mentioning that bees are supposed to have hairy legs. I guess it is all the better to pollinate with.
(choking on food) Did she say BCBC is getting a bee costume?
July BCBC picnic/meeting
Standing L-R Robert Anders, Bob Sigmon, Joan Chesick and the headless beeman of Sugar Hollow look on as Janet Shisler, seated talks business at the July picnic/meeting. The meeting was held at Janet's farm.
The July meeting had a good turnout, good food and lots of friends enjoying each other in a comfortable setting.
Some took time out to swing a badminton racket
Some enjoyed the pond...
Some picked those nice blue berries...
...EVERYONE had a great time! Thanks Janet for another 2006 summer memory.
WE ARE NUMBER ONE in the NCSBA that is as Chapter of the Year! This is the result of all your efforts and participation over the 2005 year that was documented with those blue cards, photographs, extra activities and sign in sheets! Bob Sigmon and I put this portfolio together back in January. We were neck and neck with Gaston, Stanley, Forsythe and Guilford County groups who have very active groups, too. But we had the most points documented and were awarded in front of about 300 beekeepers at the banquet Friday night. Bill and Mary Metts and Brett Butler were there to share in this recognition.
What it means as Chapter of the Year is a 5% discount at Brushy Mountain Bee Supplies for a year (just tell them starting now on any orders) and a personal visit to the bee yard from Dr. David Tarpy, Assistant Professor/Extension Apiculturist and Don Hopkins, state inspector, plus I pass on to you all the kudos we received.
I would like to see our chapter represented well with entries to the Mountain State Fair and the NC State Fair not only with honey and wax but cooking with honey. We also need to have members keep progressing in the Master Beekeeping Program. In fact I was handed the envelope of all the initial certification formal letters of passing the test which I will get to you at the next meeting.
In awe of all we are and do in our busy lives,
Janet Shisler
The photo says it all! Everyone pat yourself on the back for a great effort. NOW, lets do it again!
Photo from Asheville Citizen
Best in show Thomas Dierolf
Photo by Donna Sebren
Honey exhibit entries were displayed with a back light to show off the honey. All you beekeepers need to prepare for next year and give Larry some competition. The Wax competition is also wide open for participants.
All the money I made at the fair is going to supplement my retirement well.
Photo by Donna Sebren
Photos by Donna Sebren
Larry Sebren hit it BIG on the ribbons in several catagories of honey
Dark Extracted Honey Blue Ribbon Calvin Robinson
Photo by Calvin Robinson
A young fair visitor's attention is captured by the wonderful video "Tales from the hive".
Photo by Calvin Robinson
Mark Poff helps a visitor find the queen while selling his honey and quilt raffle tickets
Photo by Calvin Robinson
Mackenzie Robinson volunteers at the booth. Wonder where she gets her gift for gab?
Photo by Calvn Robinson
Shoe box float Parade ages 9-13 1st place Kayla B McCarson, Daughter of Mark McCarson. Notice the HONEY theme. Wonder where she came up with that idea! Way to go KAYLA!!
Photo by Calvn Robinson
Kayla's entry quickly caught Calvin Robinson's attention as he viewed other fair exhibits in the Davis Arena. A phone call with Mark confirmed the excellent entry to be his daughter's. Maybe the honey contest needs something like this in it. Don't you just love the tiny jar of real cut comb honey.
Photo by Calvin Robinson
Donna Sebren brings home blue ribbon for beeswax candles
Calvin Robinson's wax in common forms for sale
Photos by Calvin Robinson
Thanks to EVERYONE who spent some time at the Davis arena with the bee booth. That made someone's fair experience special.
Photos by Calvin Robinson
Another young person finds the queen!
Photo by Calvin Robinson
Photos by Calvin Robinson
Yo dude, I found the QUEEN in there!
One of the fair's best kept secrets. The Davis arena has more than you can view in one visit.
Photo by Calvin Robinson
I am getting kind of attached to this thing!
Bill Waddell from Reidsville NC sits in the John Deere Gator he has been raffling off to help the NC Zoo project
Hurry with the photos Robinson, I have tickets to sell!
Photo by Calvin Robinson
Bill sold tickets for the drawing for 10 days mostly by himself. Thanks to everyone who gave him a needed break once in a while. He was very thankful for all help he received.
Photo by Calvin Robinson
2006 was a great year for honey in Buncombe county!
OK Girls--if that guy puts on one more super we're going on STRIKE!
Hive on the left made TEN supers of honey for Calvin Robinson. Photo was made AFTER 4 Supers were removed. "I had to extract because I ran out of supers!"
Buncombe County Beekeepers Chapter loves
Tamra Dawsey shared these photos of her first year of beekeeping.
Hives all painted and ready
That first package arrives
...I think I can. I think I can...
Lets hope that stuff they told us at BCBC bee school works!
Remember that first package you installed?
We knew you could!
Anyone who has seen the TV show "Pimp My Ride" ,where they customize cars, might think they need to contact Tamra to "Pimp My Hive". I think the bees will be able to find the correct hive when returning from foraging for sure. Cool color scheme! I like it. The poison ivy behind it should keep out any unwanted human intrusion also.
Hot weather while using Menthol treatment in your hives can make the girls hang out on the deck all day.
Bees clean up "wet" equipment after extracting
Lt. Governor Purdue has proclaimed September to be honey appreciation month in North Carolina
Newbee Bill Whipple was a good sport and sent these photos of his lip after an encounter with one of his bees. Not sure if he intended to lay blame or not, but he did mention that "professor Cowart is my mentor".
Tip of the day. Use of the veil is not just for sissies.
When asked to be truthful about whether or not he tried at least one Fat Albert impression while his lip was the size of a bagel, Bill admitted "First thing I did was get my tobogan hat and pulled it over my eyes and
started the fat albert impersonations."
Ouch! This is hard to look at. Sorry to all you squeamish people out there.
Most of us have had it happen but were not brave enough to show the "poloroid proof". This was one of those Kodak moments for sure! Thanks Bill for being a good sport and letting us have a little fun at your expense.
YOUR photos here! This is YOUR bonus page. It is always great to see what our fellow beekeepers are up to. Send me your interesting and favorite beekeeping photos and They will go into the bonus page. I do protect them from right click copying without your permission. Make this a better page by providing your material.
The 2006 WNC Bee School would like to express gratitude to the following sponsors - and hope you remember when you have need of their services:
Primary Sponsors
Cloud 9 Relaxation
Earth Fare
$300+ Sponsors
A Celebration of Being, Massage and Hypnotherapy
Greenlife Grocery 70 Merrimon Ave. 828-254-5440
$200+ Sponsors
WNC Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeons
Farm Bureau Insurance - Asheville - Keith Cable
Creston Development, LLC - Black Mountain
Green Goddess Farm
Dr. Christopher Kennerly, DDS
Buncombe County Farm Bureau, Inc.
DC Enterprises Quality Wood Signs
Animal Hospital East
Hart Funeral Service
State Farm Insurance - Auggie Tammariello
Warren Wilson College
Anonymous
The Spicewood Farm
Saracena Design Orchids (828-776-9010)
Blue Moon Studios - Photography
Allergy Partners, P.A.
$50+ Sponsors
Ancient Journeys
Bearwallow Mountain Cottages
Goodwill Contributions
American Speedy Print
Karl Straus
Jeanne Price
Jack Saye
Diana Sammataro
Norton's Nut and Honey Farm
Please send your contributions to:
BCBC Bee School
c/o Doug Pippin, Treasurer
154 Mountain Laurel Lane
Fletcher, NC 28732
