WORCESTER COUNTY BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION, WCBA

EST. 1900

The oldest county beekeeping organization in the United States

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Welcome to the Worcester County Beekeepers Association in Worcester, Ma., USA. We are an active club with over 300 members. Our mission statement is, "WCBA shall create and further develop interest in honey bees and beekeeping in Worcester County, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and elsewhere."

NEWS AND EVENTS

Friday January 9, 2009

Two topics for the January 9th Potluck meeting......."Health & The Hive: A Beekeepers Journey" and "About Honey Gardens"
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Friday February 13, 2009

Soap Making Workshop Dave, who has mastered the process of making lip balm and hand cream, has now ventured into and mastered the process of making honey and beeswax soap. He will demonstrate from start to finish the process that he goes through. You will be able to see the master at work.

Saturday, March 4, 2009 Half Day Special Conference

Breeding for Varroa Sensitive Hygiene in Honey Bees and The Baton Rouge Component of the Area wide Experiments
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BEE SCHOOL
67th Annual Worcester County Beekeepers Association Bee School

The Worcester County Beekeepers Association (WCBA), the oldest county beekeeping association in the country, will be holding its 67th annual Beekeeping School beginning March 5, 2009. The school will run for seven consecutive Thursdays from 7-9:30pm at:

U. Mass. Medical School
55 lake Ave. N. Worcester, MA
Amphitheater 2

This school is appropriate for both the beginner and experienced beekeeper, the individual or family. Whether an individual or family, the fee for the school is $30. Early Registration Special! $25 if received by February 1, 2009. This includes a course manual, pro-rated WCBA membership through August 31, 2009 and the WCBA newsletter.

Registration is on the first night of class (March 5, 2009) starting at 6pm, or by mail.

The seven week curriculum includes a variety of interesting lectures, hands-on experiences and outdoor workshops. Learn from the experiences of commercial as well as hobbyist beekeepers.
Topics include:
Getting Started
Hive Management
Safety Equipment
.....and many others that are important to local beekeeping

Honeybees are renowned for their economic value as pollinators of fruits, vegetables and other agricultural crops. As well as being important pollinators, honeybees collect pollen, produce royal jelly and propolis - all of which are used as dietary supplements. Bees also product beeswax that can be used for everything from candles to cosmetics.

WCBA is a non-profit organization aimed at educating the public on the art of apiculture.

Classes start promptly at 7:00pm.

Click here for registration form

WCBA member Tom Dalton has sugar to sell for .25 cents per pound. If interested, contact him at 401-658-1000.
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ATTENTION

2009 Flower and Patio Show
February 27-March 1, 2009
At the Worcester DCU Center

Needed Volunteers to work the WCBA Booth. And also donations of honey and wax. No donation is too small --- really! Every jar helps!
Contact Mary Duane at 508-756-9282

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Bee Sugar Candy For Spring feeding of your bees
by Armand Provost

Makes about 14 8 3/4" pie plates

Ingredients:
15lbs sugar                                  Heat to 240 degrees (soft ball stage)
3 bottles Karo syrup                     Cool to 180 degrees
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar         Stir vigorously
4 cups water                                Pour into containers
                                                    It should be hardened and ready for use in 2-3 hours

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What age is your queen?

Years ending in 1 or 6 white
Years ending in 2 or 7 yellow
Years ending in 3 or 8 red
Years ending in 4 or 9 green
Years ending in 5 or 0 blue

This year, 2009, queens should be marked in green
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Honey Laundering: A Sticky Trail of Intrigue and Crime

Read this interesting article in the Seattle Times website part one, and part two.

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"Imagine a World Without Honey Bees"

"Now imagine that world without tasty pears, luscious raspberries and juicy strawberries. Honey bees are responsible for pollinating one-third of all the foods we eat" Visit a fun and informative web site created by Haagan-Dazs. http://www.helpthehoneybees.com

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The Winter 2008 edition of the Apiary News is now available. Click here to read it now

We're on the World Wide Web at http://honeybeeclub.org