Subject: July 1994 'Buzz' - Iowa Beekeepers newsletter

From: [email-masked] (Terry Dahms)
Date: Tue, 2 Aug 1994 22:22:59 GMT

Submitted by: Terry Dahms, Pres.
       East Central Iowa Beekeepers Assoc.
       internet: [email-masked]
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                    THE BUZZ                     JULY, 1994
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       A newsletter published monthly as a cooperative effort by The Iowa
       Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and The Iowa  Honey 
       Producers  Association  (IHPA),  an affiliate member of  the  Iowa
       Horticultural Society.   Copy deadline is the 20th of each  month. 
       Your  ideas,  comments  and letters are welcomed  and  encouraged. 
       EDITOR:   Bob  Cox,  State Apiarist,  Iowa Dept.  of  Agriculture,
       Wallace Building,  Des Monies, IA.   50319 Phone:  (515) 281-5736. 
       IHPA  MEMBERSHIP:   Membership dues in the  Iowa  Honey  Producers
       Assn. are $5.00/year.  Send to Gordon Powell, IHPA Treasurer.
       ------------------------------------------------------------------
                              PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
       Dear Fellow Beekeepers,
          I think it is 1988,  but my age tells me it is 1994.   The bees
       up  until now look just like they did in 1988.   In April and  May
       the bees built up like they are suppose to do.   I think they look
       great.   Our queens were accepted just like they should be in  our
       new splits and even as we were requeening.   The bees were able to
       work  the dandelions this year,  as they haven't been able to  the
       past three to four years.   There was plenty of pollen and  nectar
       for them and the queens started laying real well.
          I  talked  to several other people that ordered two  and  three
       pound  packages  the middle of April, and the first of  June  were
       putting  on  honey supers.   The bees I have looked  at  the  post
       couple  of days were putting honey into the cells as fast  as  the
       brood  was hatching.   We have to be careful not let them plug  up
       their  brood chambers and crowd the queen out of laying space.   I
       feel that this can cause swarming.
          We  had a nice rain a few days ago,  maybe about two inches  or
       so.   This  should keep the flowers blooming for  the  bees.   The
       weather has been great this spring.  It's a refreshing change.
          Don't forget the Central Iowa/Iowa Honey Producers Field Day on
       July  23rd at the Riverside Bible Camp north of Story City.   This
       should be a fun day for the family.
          State Fair is just around the corner,  too.   It is not as  far
       off  as  it may seem.   Start planning to enter into  the  Apiary,
       Foods  made with Honey or Honey-Walnut Classic competition at  the
       fair this year.   There is great fun in doing this and prize money
       also.  An entry form for Apiary has been included on page 7.

       SCOTT COUNTY BEEKEEPERS ANNUAL PICNIC
          Sunday,  July  10th at 1:00 p.m.  the Scott  County  Beekeepers
       Association  will hold their annual picnic at the Duck Creek  Park
       Shelters on East Locust Street in Davenport,  Iowa.   A collection
       will  be  taken up to pay for fried chicken  catered  from  Riefes
       Restaurant.   You should bring a side dish,  salad or  dessert  to
       share and your own drink and table service.
          Come,  bring  a friend and compare notes on this  year's  honey
       crop.   Bring a small sample of liquid, creamed, or comb honey for
       others to taste.  Maybe this could be a time to make plans to take
       some of the best honey to the state fair in Des Moines in August.
       REMINDER TO ALL BEEKEEPING FAMILIES
          Help promote our favorite product--HONEY!   Bring your favorite
       honey-sweetened snack to the July 23rd Beekeeping Field Day at the 
       Riverside Bible Camp, Story City, Iowa.  Share a tasty honey treat
       with us.  See the program for the meeting on page 3.

                                         (insert Leo's signature)

       LAPLANDERS HONEY CONFERENCE
          Friday,  September  9th,  the Laplanders  Honey  Conference  of
       Southern Iowa and Northern Missouri will be held in Allerton, Iowa
       at the "Inn of the Six Toed Cat."   Dinner will be held at 6  p.m.
       and the program at 7 p.m.
          The  following day,  Saturday,  September 10th at 10  a.m.  the
       Honey-Walnut Classic will also be held at the "Inn"  in  Allerton. 
       Look for more details in next month's newsletter.

                               CALENDAR OF EVENTS
       JULY
       13-15        Eastern Apicultural Society Annual Conference in
                    Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Contact Maryann Frazier
                    telephone: (814) 865-4621.

       23           IHPA/CIBA Summer Field Day at Riverside Bible Camp,
                    Story City,  Iowa.   Contact Gordon Powell or Bob Cox
                    for further details.
       AUGUST
       11-21        Iowa State Fair Apiary Exhibit, 2nd Floor of
                    Agriculture Building.  Come see the best!

       SEPTEMBER - NATIONAL HONEY MONTH
       10-11        Laplanders Honey Conference 6:00 p.m. the 10th and
                    Honey Walnut Classic 10 a.m. the 11th both at the
                    Inn in Allerton, Iowa.

       NOVEMBER     
       11-12        Iowa Honey Producers Annual Meeting in Marshalltown.

       WANTED:   Contact  with  beekeepers who  collect  and  market  Bee
       Pollen.  We are examining the nutritional qualities of pollen from
       various crops,  as well as seeking suitable quantities for use  in
       our Raw Food products. Contact Raja Tamaran, Vital Health Network,
       P.O. Box 570, Kealakekua, Hawaii 96750 phone: (808) 328-8052 
       FAX (808) 329-7651.
       FOR  SALE:   Dadant 4-frame stainless extractor with  motor  (will
       handle  8 shallow frames) - $250;  40 gal.  galvanized  tank  with
       2-inch gate - $50; 12 shallow supers with comb - $5.00 ea.; 7 deep
       supers with frames, 2 smokers, 2 bee veils, electric uncapper.  My
       beeyard was destroyed by fire.  Contact Don Kraus, Box 275, Britt,
       IA 50423 phone: 515-843-3133.
       FOR  SALE:   Dadant 4-frame s/s extractor.  Hand  crank  or  power
       drive.  $125 w/out the motor.  Call Phil Ebert in Lynnville,  Iowa
       515-527-2639.
       STATE APIARISTS REPORT
          Please sign up to help in the State Fair Honey Booth this year. 
       It's a great way to spend a part of a day.  (see sign-up on p. 6)
          The number of swarms this year must be at least double that  of
       last year.  I am running that far ahead on bee swarm calls here in
       my office.   I think this year has caught a lot of beekeepers  off
       guard  after  last year's slow and poor build  up.   You  couldn't
       hardly split your bees enough this spring.
          Stan Weiser told me of the following incident that  illustrates
       how  frustrated  he  became  with trying to  stop  a  colony  from
       swarming.  Stan had been reversing the hive bodies, making splits,
       and cutting unsealed swarms cells to prevent swarming of his dozen
       or  so colonies in his back yard near Adel.   Despite all this  he
       watched  one of his colonies swarm one morning a couple  of  weeks
       ago.  It landed in the top of an evergreen tree in his yard, about
       30 feet off the ground.   It made him so angry that he got out his
       20 gauge shot gun and shot the swarm out of the tree.   As soon as
       the swarm was hit,  it dropped to the ground like lead.   Then the
       bees  dusted themselves off and all went back into the  hive  from
       which they issued.  Believe it or not!  (Explanation? Stan figures
       that he killed the queen and the demoralized swarm simply returned
       home.)
          Field inspectors will be starting in July and August.   We  are
       delaying inspections in the early summer so that we can save hours
       to  inspect  more  next  spring.  I  have  been  inspecting  those
       requesting it,  mainly in central and eastern Iowa.   We will have
       the  same  inspectors as last year working in the  same  counties,
       with  the exception of Bob Wells, who retired last July  1st.   If
       you  would  like your bees inspected,  contact my  office  in  Des
       Moines.  (State Apiarist, Iowa Dept. of Agriculture, Wallace State
       Office Building, Des Moines, Iowa 50319  phone: 515-281-5736)
          Beekeepers who have treated their colonies with Apistan  strips
       have  been getting a clean bill of health with respect  to  Varroa
       mites.   So far this year the highest levels of Varroa mites  have
       been  found in bees where the beekeeper was not aware that he  had
       Varroa yet.  Plan on treating with Apistan as soon as the honey is
       harvested from your colonies to avoid losses due to Varroa  mites. 
       Check  any weak colonies for signs of American  foulbrood  disease
       (i.e.  sunken,  perforated,  greasy, darkened cappings over  brood
       with a "melted-down",  gooey, chocolate-brown mass underneath  the
       capping).   These must be dealt with promptly to avoid  spread  to
       neighboring healthy colonies.
          The beekeeping class taught at the Des Moines Botanical  Center
       will conclude this month with the final field trip to the  beeyard
       to harvest honey (hopefully) and extract some honey to take  home. 
       We will meet at the beeyard Saturday,  July 16th at 10:00 a.m.  so
       that we can get done before its too hot.
          Don't  forget the IHPA/CIBA Beekeeping Field Day July  23rd  at
       the Riverside Bible Camp near Story City.   It should be a fun day
       for all the family.   The meeting place is air-conditioned.   Save
       time and a dollar by preregistering now on the form on page 9.  We
       are really looking forward to Dr. Spivak's presentation as well as
       the rest of the program.
       A LAND OF MILK AND HONEY
             While driving through the Wisconsin countryside I saw a sign
       on  the  side of a barn with the slogan "Bee Udderly  Cool,  Drink
       Milk  and Eat Honey."   Many consumers today have an  even  better
       idea--eat honey-sweetened ice cream.  Ranking 8th in the nation in
       milk production and around 15th in honey production,  Iowa is also
       "A  Land  Flowing  with  Milk and Honey"  (Bible  -  Exodus  3:8). 
       Several  years  ago the Iowa Honey Producers Association  got  the
       idea  to sell a small serving of honey-sweetened ice cream at  the
       State Fair Salesbooth as a way of promoting this use of honey,  as
       well as the use of honey in general.  
             Several  other state beekeeping organizations in  the  upper
       Midwest were selling honey ice cream and thought it was a  winner. 
       For  example,  Nebraska Honey Producers were contracting with  the
       University of Nebraska for producing several flavors of honey  ice
       cream, both soft and hard.
             Nebraska  State Apiarist,  Marion Ellis,  offered to let  us
       purchase  some  of their mix, but transportation  during  the  hot
       summer  seemed a problem.   We then contacted several  large  Iowa
       Dairies about making us a small batch for our needs at State Fair.
       Anderson-Erickson (A-E) Dairy of Des Moines seemed to be the  most
       interested  and the most convenient because the State Fair is also
       located  in Des Moines.   In order to taste the honey  flavor,  we
       felt  it  was important to keep the flavors simple,  so  we  tried
       Honey-Vanilla  and Honey-Almond premium ice cream.   We  contacted
       the   National   Honey  Board  who  provided   technical   support
       (commercial recipes,  etc.).  The Iowa Honey Producers Association
       provided a nice light-colored,  mild-flavored clover honey for the
       manufacture of the ice cream.
             The  first  two years we sold out the 7000 servings  of  ice
       cream before the end of the Fair.  Many people said they loved the
       ice  cream  and asked where they could purchase more  of  it.   In
       fact, the second year we collected signatures on a petition asking
       A-E Dairy to offer this for sale in the local grocery stores.
             In  1992,  A-E  Dairy decided to  produce  honey  ice  cream
       commercially using Iowa Honey Producers Honey.  In spite of delays
       due  to  the new nutrition labelling  requirements,  Honey  Almond
       premium  all-natural ice cream will be available to super  markets
       in  their  marketing  area by July 1st according  to  David  Bush,
       general manager, A-E Farms, Inc.
             Additionally,  A-E  Dairy  is teaming up  with  Sioux  Honey
       Association of Sioux City,  Iowa in a joint venture to develop and
       market honey-sweetened light ice cream.  Test marketing will begin
       this summer according a June 1st Des Moines Register article.
             Honey-sweetened yogurt,  dairy spreads and juice blends  are
       also on the drawing board.  Initial ice cream flavors will include
       honey-vanilla,    chocolate,    oatmeal-raisin    cookie    dough,
       mint-chocolate truffle,  honey-almond and peanut-butter cup.   The
       product will be in pints in the "super premium" category.
             We hope that the proposed products will be a big success and
       that the promotional efforts will pay off in a greater consumption
       of  honey  in  our area, increased business  opportunities  and  a
       better image of honey by the public.
                        1994 SUMMER BEEKEEPING FIELD DAY

              Iowa Honey Producers & Central Iowa Beekeepers Assn.
                                        
                              Saturday, July 23rd

                    Riverside Bible Camp, 3001 Riverside Rd.
                              Story City, IA 50248
                              Phone (515) 733-5271

        8:30 a.m. Registration - $5.00 for individuals or family (at the
                   door)  Sign up for door prizes.
                  Preregistration (before July 16)  $4.00.

        9:00 a.m. Bee Pasture Walking Tour                   Jim Cherry

        9:45 a.m. COFFEE BREAK with honey-made snacks that you bring.
                   (door prizes)
       10:00 a.m. IHPA President's Welcome                 Leroy Kellogg

       10:05 a.m. CIBA President's Welcome                   Arvin Foell

       10:10 a.m. Queen management Lecture -            Dr. Marla Spivak

       11:00 a.m. Demonstration of Queen management in the beeyard

       12:00 M    LUNCH
                   (door prizes)
        1:00 p.m. Concurrent Sessions
                  A.  Beginning Beekeeping (beeyard)             Bob Cox
                  B.  Pollen trapping                         Jim Cherry

        1:45 p.m. Concurrent Sessions
                  A.  Beginning Bee Diseases & Pests             Bob Cox
                  B.  Comb Honey Production (beeyard)       John Johnson

        2:30 p.m. BREAK
                   (door prizes)
        2:45 p.m. Minnesota Research Update             Dr. Marla Spivak

        3:15 p.m. Hot Topics in Beekeeping             Panel of Speakers

        4:00 p.m. ADJOURN

       FARM AUCTION:   July 16th at 9:00 a.m.  at the Bob & Phyllis  Gott
       residence, RR 1, Box 72, west of Ollie, Iowa.  FOR SALE: s/s honey
       extractor,  s/s bottling tank, 2 large s/s tanks,  honey strainer,
       uncapping knife,  5 gal. plastic buckets, bee blower,  foundation,
       new frames in box and other misc. beekeeping and farm equipment.
       DIRECTIONS:   From Iowa Hwy.  78 turn north 2 miles west of  Ollie
       Jct.  at the Golden Furrow Fertilizer Plant.   Go 1 mile north and
       1/8  mile  west  to home on the south side of  the  road.   Follow
       "Auction" signs.  For more info. call Phyllis at 515-667-3611.
       FOR  SALE:   7  2-story bee hives plus misc.  equipment.   Contact
       Raymond and Jo Whitwood in Muscatine, Iowa at 319-263-0992.
       FOR  SALE:   Dadant Gasoline-powered bee  blower.   Contact  Edwin
       Richardson,  2103  E.  156th St.  South,  Grinnell  50112.   (515)
       236-6034.
       FOR SALE:  Moving--must liquidate bee operation. 175 2-story hives
       - $50 @; 350 Illinois supers - $6.50 @; 40 shallow supers - $40 @;
       honey crop from 175 colonies - $40 @;  60-70 deep boxes (some w  &
       some w/o frames) - $2 @; 40-50 shallow supers (some w & some w/out
       frames) - $1.50 @; 1 box deep foundation - $135;  2 boxes Illinois
       foundation  - $140 @;  1 box cut-comb foundation $140;  Dadant  20
       frame stainless extractor - $1600; stainless capping tank -  $200;
       50 gal. stainless holding tank; other misc. beekeeping equipment -
       $400 = $21,000 for Complete Bee Operation.   Contact Keith &  Gail
       Rhodes in Fairfield, Iowa (515) 469-6628.

                    PECAN HONEYBALLS (A.B.F. contest recipe)
          1 cup butter or margarine      1/2 teaspoon salt
          1/4 cup honey                  2 teaspoons vanilla
          2 cups sifted flour            2 cups finely chopped pecans

       Cream butter; add honey gradually; add flour, salt & vanilla. Mix
       well.  Add chopped nuts & mix well.  Form into very  small  balls.
       Place on greased cookie sheet and bake in 300  oven 40-45 minutes.
       Roll hot honeyballs in powdered sugar and repeat when cool.

       OBSERVATION HIVES--A REAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE 
          During  my eight years experience as a beekeeper,  much of  the
       factual   knowledge   I've  gained  has   come   from   magazines,
       newsletters,  bee  meetings  and talking  with  other  beekeepers. 
       Recently I've added my observation hive to that list of sources of
       bee  information.   It has been a good learning experience for  me
       and can be for you if you decide to purchase or build one.
          In  my  small operation,  the observation hive gets  used  more
       every year.  It's been used for a demonstration in kindergarten, a
       children's  sermon at church,  at the Iowa State Fair,  two  craft
       shows,  and at Cattle Congress in Waterloo.   When at home,  it is
       found  by the window in the guest bedroom.   My wife and son  look
       forward  to it's appearance every year.   The glass-sided hive  is
       really valuable when retailing honey at a craft show, because it's
       a good attention getter.
          Observation  hives give the opportunity to watch bee  behavior. 
       Bees can be seen filling the cells with nectar,  depositing pollen
       and propolis,  feeding each other and taking care of the queen and
       brood.   The queen provides most of the excitement  by  depositing
       eggs in the brood nest.
          The Iowa State Fair is a place to "show-case" observation hives
       in  the apiary division.   This year's fair is August 11-21.   The
       rules  for this class state that the observation hive must have  a
       standard size frame on the bottom for brood and a shallow frame or
       comb  honey  section frame above,  with bees and a  marked  queen. 
       Observation  hives must be built with adequate ventilation or  the
       bees  will  overheat  and  die in the  Ag  building  with  no  air
       conditioning.   They must also have a closeable opening  to  allow
       the bees to exit the hive.
          Extra prize money is available for the first 15 places in  this
       class at state fair.   If you need assistance or plans to build an
       observation hive, I would be happy to assist you.
       (from  Summer  1994  Central  Iowa Beelines  and  written  by  Tim
       Laughlin)

       HONEY BEES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION
          Several  recent  discussions across Internet  computer  network
       about bee-collected propolis and pollen have concluded that  honey
       bees are excellent samplers of their environment.   This has  both
       good  and  bad aspects according to one of the  pioneers  in  this
       field,  Dr.  Jerry Bromenshenk, University of Montana.  Here are a
       couple  of  his "take home" messages concerning these  insects  as
       environmental monitors as they appeared in May Apis newsletter:
       1. Honey  bees  serve  as multi-media samplers  that  average  the
       concentrations of pollutants over time and throughout large areas. 
       Bees   sample  contaminants  in  all  forms  -  gaseous,   liquid,
       particulate  - and can detect chemicals in their  surroundings  at
       levels often difficult,  if not impossible,  to detect using  more
       conventional approaches - i.e. instrumentation.
       2. Most  of  the  contamination  (at least  as  indicated  by  the
       concentrations measured) ends up in the bees themselves and in the
       pollen.   Some  chemicals concentrate in  wax.   Generally,  honey
       seems to be less contaminated than pollen, bees, or wax.
                       1994 IOWA STATE FAIR WORK SCHEDULE

        Please  indicate the day(s) and time(s) that you are  willing  to
        work by writing your name(s).  Also,  fill in your name,  address
        and phone number at the bottom of the page.

        THURSDAY, AUGUST 11              TUESDAY, AUGUST 16
        9:00-1:30____________________    9:00-1:30____________________
        1:30-6:00____________________    1:30-6:00____________________
        6:00-9:00____________________    6:00-9:00____________________
        10:00-2pm____________________    10:00-2pm____________________
                 (Handing out samples)            (Handing out samples)

        FRIDAY, AUGUST 12                WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17
        9:00-1:30____________________    9:00-1:30____________________
        1:30-6:00____________________    1:30-6:00____________________
        6:00-9:00____________________    6:00-9:00____________________
        10:00-2pm____________________    10:00-2pm____________________
                 (Handing out samples)            (Handing out samples)

        SATURDAY, AUGUST 13              THURSDAY, AUGUST 18
        9:00-1:30____________________    9:00-1:30____________________
        1:30-6:00____________________    1:30-6:00____________________
        6:00-9:00____________________    6:00-9:00____________________
        10:00-2pm____________________    10:00-2pm____________________
                 (Handing out samples)            (Handing out samples)

        SUNDAY, AUGUST 14                FRIDAY, AUGUST 19
        9:00-1:30____________________    9:00-1:30____________________
        1:30-6:00____________________    1:30-6:00____________________
        6:00-9:00____________________    6:00-9:00____________________
        10:00-2pm____________________    10:00-2pm____________________
                 (Handing out samples)            (Handing out samples)

        MONDAY, AUGUST 15                SATURDAY, AUGUST 20
        9:00-1:30____________________    9:00-1:30____________________
        1:30-6:00____________________    1:30-6:00____________________
        6:00-9:00____________________    6:00-9:00____________________
        10:00-2pm____________________    10:00-2pm____________________
                 (Handing out samples)            (Handing out samples)

        NAME:________________________    SUNDAY, AUGUST 21
                                         9:00-1:30____________________
        ADDRESS______________________    1:30-7:00____________________
                                         10:00-2pm____________________
        _____________________________             (Handing out samples)

        PHONE(_____)_________________

                                         RETURN TO:
                                         W. John Johnson
                                         RR 4, Squaw Valley
                                         Ames, IA 50010