News Bulletin

Volume 15 Number 3 April 22, 2011

Make plans to attend 13th Annual Field Day & PicnicWHEN: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 30, 2011 (RAIN OR SHINE!).

WHERE: At Dos F Ranch in Bandera County, 1199 Lower Mason Creek Road, 3 miles north of Bandera, Texas.

Directions to Dos F Ranch:From San Antonio, go west on State Highway 16 to Bandera. In Bandera, turn

north on State Highway 173, toward Kerrville. Go 2.9 miles and take a right on Mason Creek Loop. Drive the length of two football fields and take a right on Lower Mason Creek Road. It's 0.8 miles to the ranch gate on the left. Watch for signs to the AABA picnic!

MORE: Admission is free. RSVP to Tom Bower at tbower@gvec.net or 210-289-4701; or to Bruce Rodie at brucerodie@aol.com or 210-621-3949 or 210-257-6384.

Invitation from the PresidentDear AABA Members and Friends, Once more, I join with all of your AABA Executive Committee to extend my hope that you can attend this year's Field Day, which is next Saturday, April 30th. All of the details, plus an attached map to the Dos F Ranch in Bandera, were contained in Membership Secretary Tom Bower's April 13th email. Final planning actions are in high gear, with many of us devoting significant hours to make it all happen smoothly. Now, we just need you! You've seen our request for an RSVP, so please let us (Tom Bower or me) know if you plan to attend. Guests are also welcome. We've built a solid program that centers on a beginner beekeeping presentation by former

AABA president Ed Priest (including inspections of established beehives) and features keynote speaker Larry Stein, Ph.D., who's from Texas A&M University and teaches at the Uvalde campus. He will speak on the importance of beekeeping to our food supply. We'll also have a raffle for a beehive with live bees, door prizes, activities for youngsters, AABA-provided barbecue beef brisket, announcement of the 2011 AABA youth scholarship winner, more hive inspections, sales of nucs and queens (limited supply), a "Swap & Trade" area (bee and garden-themed items only, please), and other fun activities. We have shade, but bring a hat and a patio chair. Since this will be a fun community picnic, please bring along a potluck dish H we've always had so many delightful creations in the past.

Larry Stein, Ph.D.

Mentors: We have no formal program, but think about the idea of possibly lending some moral support and coaching to our newest beekeepers that are coming into the AABA. Some of these "newbies" are youngsters and others are adults H and their homes are spread across several cities. All of the club officers have done this and it continues to be a great way to meet new friends and further interest in beekeeping. You might indicate your willingness to Tom Bower as you sign in at Field Day.

Get Positive! Buy some raffle tickets for the bees and beehive and (to a separate winner) the nuc of bees we'll have on hand! I just bet YOU will win! For this reason, put an empty hive together this week, because you might just be bringing some bees home after the picnic! Sincerely, Bruce Rodie AABA President

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THE BUZZBy Tom Bower, Editor

Support your Alamo Area Beekeepers Association. Make plans to attend the 13th annual Field Day at Dos F Ranch north of Bandera. This will be our second year for this beautiful ranch to host the field day. News travels fast. Last year, we had good publicity for the May 22 picnic and 67 people sent in RSVPs ahead of the event. At the field day, I counted 115 people in line for the wonderful potluck lunch that was efficiently organized by Sylvia and Don Schulmeier with important assistance and contributions from Sylvia Priest, Ron and Marcia Schmidt, host Rick Fink, and numerous other volunteers, as well as the members and guests who brought tasty side dishes and desserts.

As in recent years, we will have demonstrations on beekeeping basics, such as how to "hive" a package of bees, as well as some new demonstrations, such as how to install a pollen trap and the trick of Padgening.

That is a technique where a beekeeper rescues a swarm of bees in the process of leaving the bee yard.

At the end of the Field Day, the package of bees in their newly painted hive will be raffled off to a lucky participant. Raffle tickets will cost $5 each.

Door prizes will be given out from start to finish. Please consider donating an item for a door prize. Special thanks go to our sponsors Richard and Marion Fink, BeeWeaver Apiaries, David Borntrager, Bob Allen, and Mann Lake Ltd.

The next meeting of the club will be at 7 p.m. on May 17. Look for more details in the May edition of the AABA News Bulletin.

Finally and most importantly, all beekeepers are asked to bring extra bee veils, gloves and other protective gear for use by visitors who attend and want to observe the hands-on beekeeping demonstrations.

FROM THE EDITOR

AABA meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesdays of the odd months. The deadline for newsletter submissions is the first Tuesday of odd months. Items will be accepted by email at tbower@gvec.net; or by mail at 465 Curry Road, Seguin, TX 78155-0559; or by phone at 830-303-4904 (S.A. metro). The deadline for submissions to the next issue is May 3.

ALAMO AREA BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION465 CURRY ROADSEGUIN, TX 78155-0559

FIELD DAY: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. April 30, 2011