The Beekeeper Plan; Lessons from the Commercial Beekeeping Industry

Presenter: Anne Marie Fauvel, HABA past president

Once November rolls around, you have harvested honey, checked your Varroa loads, treated, and checked again, made a plan for winterizing, and have little left to do to button up the hive for the winter. November is when the next beekeeping season truly starts. We will look ahead at what you can do in November to get ahead for the next season and plan your best year yet!

Anne Marie started beekeeping right here in West Michigan back in 2010. She liked it so much, that she quit her job at GVSU and went to work for the Bee Informed Partnership where she learned about the commercial beekeeping industry, monitoring bee health, and performing real-world applied trials throughout the U.S. Today, Anne Marie is the program director for the American Honey Producers Association and continue to conduct scientific studies through her own Honey Bee Vitality, LLC and collaborations with other academic institutions in the U.S.

Anne Marie has served on HABA’s board of directors as well as our past president.

-No December meeting-

Secret Life of Native Michigan Bees

Presenter: Brian Walters

He will explain native bee diversity and where they live. The impact of native bees on your landscape and how you can support native bees alongside your honeybees.

Brain has been a beekeeper for 5 years. He is a caretaker of Mason, Leafcutter, Bumblebee, Carpenter, and Polyester Bees. Brian is currently managing 6 hives. President of the Kalamazoo Bee Club and is a Kalamazoo Valley Community College Beekeeping Extension Program Co-Instructor.

Fall Prep: Getting ready for Winterizing & Winter Bees

Presenter: Chuck Bauer

Chuck Bauer is an engaging presenter who loves to share his beekeeping experience! Chuck prides himself on successfully overwintering his colonies year after year. Using props, he’ll demonstrate his successes and failures so you can stay on track for success this fall and throughout the winter. He will explain the numerous tips and tricks he has developed. His presentation covers everything you need to keep your bees alive and healthy for next year’s bee season.

Chuck is in his 16th year of beekeeping. He intended to have two ‘hobby’ beehives, he now has 25. He professes “It’s still a hobby, something to keep me out of trouble.”

Chuck is a past board member of the Holland Area Beekeepers Association (HABA) and our 2017 ‘Beekeeper of the Year.’ He is past president of the Grand Rapids Area Bee Club and a member of five (yes, 5!) different bee clubs. He does bee presentations at all five clubs plus many others. He is a past board member of the Michigan Beekeepers Association (MBA) and their 2020 ‘Beekeeper of the Year.’ Chuck was awarded ‘Beekeeper of the Year 2020’ by the Michiana Beekeepers Association located in Indiana.

Honey Extraction / August 24

10 AM - 12 PM (the goal is to be done around noon)

Bring your capped honey frame(s) to extract, experience extracting other beekeepers’ honey frames, or simply watch the process. There will be 4-5 extractors on site. Don’t forget to bring enough containers with lids to take your honey home. Bees will be flying around so you may want to bring protective gear.

Free - No registration needed. Just show up to spin or watch all the sticky fun!!
Location: Don Lam Bees, address and map link at left (or above on mobile devices).

Topic: Honey Bee Queen Events

Presenter: Ana Heck - Apiculture Extension Educator, MSU Extension

Ana began working with honeybees after college while working with a nonprofit organization in Nicaragua. When she returned home to Minnesota, she worked with the University of Minnesota Bee Squad while and after pursuing a graduate degree in public policy. Ana moved to Michigan in 2019 to work with Michigan

State University's Department of Entomology, and she began her position with Michigan State University Extension in 2020. Her role engages beekeepers, growers, pesticide applicators, and home gardeners to improve pollinator health. Ana holds a master’s degree in public policy and a graduate minor in entomology from the University of Minnesota.

Varroa Mite Control for Healthy Bees

The Field Day will start with a presentation created by MSU Extension office followed by hands-on options to test for mites and simulate treatment options.

If you have already attended a HABA conducted varroa mite check field day, please do not register. Space is limited and we need to reach as many new beekeepers and future beekeepers as possible.

Registration Required - $10 fee payable on day of event. Includes Varroa mite testing kit.
Location: Don Lam Bees, address and map at left.

DETAILS & REGISTER HERE

Topic: Integrated Pest Management

Presenter: Don Lam

Don and Jean Lam have been keeping bees for 25+ years. They provide pollination services, produce honey, and frequently host field trips to their apiaries. Don teaches local and state beekeeping classes and gives presentations to community groups. Don is a founding member of HABA. donlambees.com - Holland, MI

Queen Rearing and Colony Increase Workshop - 2nd of 2 parts
Shaana Way, Instructor

— LINK to Registration —

June 15 part 2 - See June 8 Part 1 for details and sign-up.
This is a 2-part series on June 8 & 15. Attendance at both is expected.
- 12-12:30- Recap June 8
- 12:30- ?? Inspect hives for queen cells and make splits
- Demo on marking queens
- BYO Lunch
- Q&A / possible option to purchase the new colonies and/or mated queens
- WEARING PROTECTIVE GEAR IS REQUIRED!

“Peak Season Prep”
Increasing using nucs, honey, and mite management heading into our summer flow.
Presenter: Shaana Way

Owner of “Honey Joy Farm ~ Art of the Apiary” West Michigan Raw Honey, Queen Bees, and More.

Shaana and her partner Andy are makers of many things. They produce queens, honey, maple syrup, wood-turned bowls, custom metalwork, and more on their farm.

They also offer services to their community like farm help, bee removals, and landscaping. Some call them a Jack and Jill of all trades, and like to stay busy sharpening various skills and helping their neighbors and community.

Shaana has done two volunteer beekeeping education assignments abroad: in the Dominican Republic in 2018 and Jamaica in 2022.

Since they are presently artisan-level producers of these items they offer goods almost exclusively at artist and farm markets.

Queen Rearing and Colony Increase Workshop - 1st of 2 parts
Shaana Way, Instructor

— LINK to Registration —

Part 1 Date: June 8, 10-2pm
- 10-11:30 -Classroom (cover 3-4 methods of generating queens for increase)
- 11:30-noon -BYO Lunch
- noon-2PM - hands on in the hives (target 3 strong hives)

Part 2 Date: June 15, 10-2pm
- 10-10:30- Recap June 8
- 10:30- ?? Inspect hives for queen cells and make splits.
- Demo on marking queens
- BYO Lunch
- Q&A / possible option to purchase the new colonies and/or mated queens

Limited to 20 participants for this 2 part Field Event. Attendance both dates is expected.
Cost: $40 per participant plus Eventbrite fees, includes BOTH dates.
WEARING PROTECTIVE GEAR IS REQUIRED!

Bee Behavior - Communication & Swarming
Presenter: Andrew ‘Andy’ Connor

Andy will identifying early signs of swarming behavior, why bees swarm, ways to prevent swarming, when these steps should be taken and what to do if you think it’s too late to stop swarming.

Andrew Connor grew up as the son of an entomologist. He shied away from beekeeping, but after 36 years he finally dove into beekeeping. After going to a Holland Bee School, he realized how much fun and addicting beekeeping could be. As a social worker he knew the importance of having something to manage the mental health and how beekeeping could not only benefit the environment but also help your health. Andrew brings years of being a social worker to his love of beekeeping. He enjoys talking, educating, and doing anything with beekeeping. He wants to especially thank the Holland Bee Club and Don Lam for finally opening is eyes to this addictive industry.

Trees as Pollinators?!? All About Pollinator Habitat

Presenter: Mike Conner

Mike has been an ISA Certified Arborist since 1998. Being an Arborist and a nursery grower, as well as a beekeeper for more than 50 years has provided him with a unique understanding of trees, plants, and bees. Mike Connor owns Honeytree Nursery and is an experienced Beekeeper. He grew up on an orchard and Christmas tree farm in Southwestern Michigan acquiring his first bees when he was just 12 years old. Mike understands the relationships between plants, trees, and bees. Including a 7-year commitment as a municipal arborist and park superintendent, Mike has spent his entire career growing and caring for plants, trees, and bees. He is a co-founder of the Grand Rapids Area Bee Club. Mike attended Cornerstone University and Michigan State University.

Did you order trees through MBA?? Were you notified by email from HABA with instructions? If so, orders will be ready for pick-up before the meeting. If not, you will be notified by the club you are assigned to with instructions.

4:30-6:30 pm - Tree pick-up for those notified by HABA with instructions

6:30-6:45 pm - Open Forum Q&A. Come with photos or videos & questions!
6:45-7:00 pm - Opening Remarks - HABA President
7:00-8:30 pm - Presentation and Q&A
8:30-8:45 pm - Closing Remarks / Stick around for conversation.

This tree pick-up is only for those notified by HABA that your order is scheduled to be delivered to Holland.

Did you order trees through MBA?? Were you notified by email from HABA with instructions?

If so, orders will be ready for pick-up before the meeting. Otherwise, you will be notified by the club you are assigned to with instructions.

4:30-6:30 pm - Tree pick-up for those notified by HABA with instructions

Tonight’s Meeting Presenter Mike Conner is the arborist who provided the trees for this fundraiser. He knows his stuff!

What We Can Learn From Each Other
Mentee Discussion Panel, Annual Meeting and Board Elections

“Beekeeping is a fascinating and rewarding craft that requires dedication and discipline to advance successfully. Fortunately, within the beekeeping community, there is a culture of sharing knowledge and experience, which has been a guiding force for many beekeepers…” [Bee Kind Honeybees - Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada]

A few of the HABA mentors and mentees will be with us to share what they learned throughout their 2023 beekeeping experiences working with each other. Board member Rich Dykstra will interview them on lessons learned.

No meeting this month.

Our bee club needs YOU to serve on our board. Your input is valuable. Monthly meetings are virtual. Elections are in January.

Bee School registration begins this month. Consider volunteering to help, your registration will be free! There are some tasks beforehand and others are day-of only.

“Making your hobby financially sustainable while supporting bee conservation.”

Presenters: Audrey Heckwolf and Marge Kesler, Beekeepers and owners of BestBees

Ever wonder how you can make money as a hobbyist beekeeper? BestBees will cover what you need to know to create and sell products from your hives. They will cover the creative process as well as marketing, merchandising, and pricing.

Marge Kesler and Audrey Heckwolf have been beekeeping for four years and in 2020 decided to develop their hobby into something really special. Bestbees began creating products from their hives and made their hobby financially sustainable while giving back to support bee education and conservation.

Both Marge and Audrey are on the Grand Rapids Area Beekeeper’s Board as well as members and content creators for the MBA Bee Curious Program actively supporting children’s education about the importance of bees. Audrey is also a professor at Grand Rapids Community College’s Secchia Institute for Culinary Education.

HABA does not meet in December.

“The What and How of Mini-Nucs”

Steve Tilmann

Steve started keeping bees over a quarter century ago (yikes!). When he first started, he read the Hive and the Honey Bee (a 500+ page tome) from cover to cover. At one time, he produced nearly a ton of honey in one year; but has since cut back to around 6 hives.

From 2010 thru 2016 Steve served as Treasurer for the Michigan Beekeepers’ Association (MBA). During his tenure on the MBA Board, he also helped to organize the spring and fall conferences as well as the MBA’s web site. During that time he also served as Treasurer (for one year) for the Heartland Apicultural Society.

Steve is the producer, chief cook and bottle washer for his YouTube channel “In the Beekeeper’s Workshop”, a video series devoted to making your own equipment with over 1.5 million views.

He resides in Eaton County with his wife, Adrian, the beagles and around a couple hundred thousand bees.

“Windbreaks & Winterization”

Chuck Bauer

This presentation covers everything to successfully keep your bees alive and healthy into next spring. Chuck has had tremendous success in overwintering his colonies. Learn from an expert what he does to keep his bees alive.

Chuck is in his 15th year as a beekeeper. He intended to have two “hobby” beehives; he now has 25. He says it’s still a hobby that keeps him out of trouble. He prides himself in successfully overwintering his colonies.

Chuck is a past board member of our club and our 2017 ‘Beekeeper of the Year.’

and a member of five different bee clubs. He does “bee presentations” at all five clubs plus other clubs.

He is past president of the Grand Rapids Area Bee Club and a past board member of the Michigan Beekeepers Association and their 2020 ‘Beekeeper of the Year.’ Chuck was awarded ‘Beekeeper of the Year 2020’ by the Michiana Beekeepers Association (Indiana).

Field Day: Honey Extraction Demo

Time and details to be determined. FREE, no registration.

Bring your frames of honey and use the HABA club extractor to extract your honey. Bring something to take you honey home in.

Anticipatory Beekeeping & Intro to BeeMD

Dr. Dewey M Caron - Author/ Educator

"Anticipatory Beekeeping" and "BEE MD"

Anticipatory Beekeeping: The learning curve to success in beekeeping can be huge. Initially we tend to react to what is happening but as we gain experience, we find anticipating what the bees are going to do helps ensure we are 'in charge' vs the bees managing us. What do we need anticipate now in August (many consider it the beginning for the new year of bee care)? - queen replacement, splitting colonies, mite population growth, food needs of the winter, or ..(add here your favorite!). A look at the beginning of our annual bee season with emphasis on the major issues where anticipation, versus reaction, might ensure success (however we might define success).

Bee MD: Ever wonder where to go to get an answer for something you see in a beehive? Well Bee MD might be a good resource. I have spent the last year revising the Pollinator Protection website BeeMD and we have moved it to a USDA, APHIS, Information and Technology server. We will look at this resource and maybe even answer a question or two you have about your bees.

Biography: Dr Dewey M. Caron is Emeritus Professor of Entomology & Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware, & Affiliate Professor, Dept. Horticulture, Oregon State University. He enjoyed professional appointments at Cornell University (1968-70), University of Maryland (1970-81) and University of Delaware (1981-2009), serving as entomology chair at the last two. He spent a sabbatical year at the USDA Tucson laboratory (1977-78) and two Fulbright awards for projects in Panama and Bolivia with Africanized bees. He retired from the University of Delaware in 2009 and moved to Portland, OR to be closer to grandkids.

In retirement he remains active in bee education, writing for newsletters, giving Bee Short Courses, assisting in several Master beekeeper programs, and giving presentations to local, state and regional bee clubs. He is the author of Honey Bee Biology & Beekeeping, main textbook used in University and bee association courses. His 10th and newest bee book is The Complete Bee Handbook published by Rockridge Press in 2020. He is the major author of several Honey Bee Health Coalition publications including Tools for Varroa Management and is finishing a USDA APHIS Bee MD web program.

Varroa Mite Control for Healthy Bees

10 am - 12 pm

The Field Day will start with a presentation created by MSU Extension office followed by hands-on options to test for mites and simulate treatment options.  

If you have already attended a previous HABA varroa mite check field day, please do not complete this registration. Space is limited and we need to reach as many beekeepers and future beekeepers as possible.

“Evaluating Honeybee Brood Frames”

Ana Heck, MSU Apiculture Extension Educator

Learn to distinguish between healthy and sick brood and to recognize signs of European Foulbrood, American Foulbrood, chalkbrood, and varroa parasitic mite brood syndrome.

Ana Heck is Michigan State University’s Apiculture Extension Educator. She began working with honeybees in Nicaragua, and then she worked with the University of Minnesota Bee Squad and Michigan State University, Department of Entomology before joining Extension. Her role engages beekeepers, growers, pesticide applicators, and home gardeners to improve the health of pollinators. Ana holds a master’s degree in public policy and a graduate minor in Entomology from the University of Minnesota.

Ana’s MSU web page

Queen Rearing and Colony Increase Workshop - 2nd of 2 parts

Shaana Way, Instructor

June 17 part 2

See June 10 Part 1 for details and sign-up.
This is a 2-part series on June 10 & 17. Attendance at both is expected.

• 10-10:30- Recap June 10

• 10:30- ?? Inspect hives for queen cells and make splits

• Demo on marking queens

• BYO Lunch

• Q&A / possible option to purchase the new colonies and/or mated queens

• WEARING PROTECTIVE GEAR IS REQUIRED!

Queen Rearing and Colony Increase Workshop - 1st of 2 parts

Shaana Way, Instructor

Part 1 Date: June 10, 10-2pm

• 10-11:30 -Classroom (cover 3-4 methods of generating queens for increase)

• 11:30-noon -BYO Lunch

• noon-2PM - hands on in the hives (target 3 strong hives)

Part 2 Date: June 17, 10-2pm

• 10-10:30- Recap June 10

• 10:30- ?? Inspect hives for queen cells and make splits.

• Demo on marking queens

• BYO Lunch

• Q&A / possible option to purchase the new colonies and/or mated queens

Limited to 20 participants for this 2 part Field Event. Attendance both dates is expected.
Cost: $30 per participant plus Eventbrite fees, includes BOTH dates.

WEARING PROTECTIVE GEAR IS REQUIRED!

“All About Making New Colonies”

Dr. Meghan Milbrath, MSU Dept of Entomology

Meghan will speak on the benefits of using NUCs - We will discuss how to make NUCs mid-summer for apiary expansion, for sale, and for maintaining queens.  We will cover why NUCs are useful, what equipment you need, how to make them up, and how to maintain them.  

Meghan Milbrath is an assistant professor in the Department of Entomology at MSU, where she studies honeybee diseases, focusing on transmission risk and treatment.  Dr. Milbrath is also a beekeeper - she began working bees over 25 years ago as a hobby, and since 2011, has run The Sand Hill Apiary, a small livestock and queen rearing operation in Munith, Michigan. She studied biology at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, and received degrees in public health from Tulane University and the University of Michigan, where she focused on environmental health sciences and disease transmission risk.  Meghan worked as a postdoctoral research associate at Michigan State University, studying Nosema disease and in the honeybee lab at Swedish Agricultural University. 

Dr. Milbrath's MSU web page
Megan's Sand Hill Bees site

New meeting location!

Howard Miller Community Center, 14 S. Church St., Zeeland, MI 49464

On-the-Spot Queen Rearing/ Varroa Control

Mel Disselkoen - MDA Splitter Author, Inventor of OTS Method of Increase [colonies]
Author of “OTS Queen Rearing: A Survival Guide for Beekeepers Worldwide”

Mel Disselkoen was born on a farm in a Dutch settlement in southeast South Dakota and he grew up with an independent farming mentality of hard work and creative problem solving. He has kept bees for 40 years and is familiar with all phases of beekeeping including maintaining 450 colonies with a commercial migratory operation. In 2000, he sold his bees to that operation so that they could meet their pollination contracts. They are still in business today but Mel decided to leave the operation in order to focus more on his research into bee behavior in the tradition of Rev. L.L. Langstroth, G.M. Doolittle and Dr. C.C. Miller.

In 1988, he authored a booklet entitled “I.M.N. System of Queen Rearing” and today is incorporating that work with making splits and overwintering nucs to outbreed varroa mites while simultaneously avoiding expensive and harmful chemicals. He has kept chemical-free bees for over 20 years and is dedicated to sharing his findings in order to help novice beekeepers become successful and self-sufficient.

Packaged Bees Installation Demonstration on Saturday

One demonstration only: 10 am

A HABA member will be present to demonstrate how to install packaged bees into your hive.

Free. No advance sign-up. WEARING PROTECTIVE GEAR IS REQUIRED!