Orange County Beekeepers Association

1-12-2012
OCBA executive committee meeting
Present: Lewis Cauble, Geneva Green, John Harrell, ‘Lizabeth Collins, Wattie Bowes, Todd Walker, Inge Katzman, Dick Merritt
1. Golden Achievement Award
Lewis announced that he is collecting information to compile for the 2011 Golden Achievement Award. He asked Dick and ‘Lizabeth to provide membership information to him, and Todd for a spreadsheet. He plans that the format will be more of an electronic report with link
2. Membership and Finances
Dick announced that because participation in bee school this year includes the year’s membership in OCBA our membership in January is already 89. Balance of club funds: $6,121.78. Todd asked if there was money for the club to provide woodware and bee packages to two 4-hers as promised, and Dick estimated that there was. Lewis will go ahead and order the (4)packages for the 4-Hers.
Geneva asked the committee to approve the purchase of a projector for the club to be used at monthly meetings and for bee school. The projector would be the responsibility of the club’s vice president, who is in charge of programs anyway. The committee agreed to the purchase and Dick and Geneva volunteered to look into the purchase of a used one. Geneva reviewed expenses for bee school: $30 for a used projector screen to be stored at UU Church, $300 to the church for meeting space for bee school.
3. Todd announced that on-line payment of dues is now available through PayPal. Consulting his notes, he stated that the club needs to have a written policy about the use of the club extractor which is stored with Fred Fessel. Todd has been working with Howard McAdams of the Or. Co. Farm Bureau to help support the 4-Hers with money or donations of equipment, and he will write a proposal.
4. There was discussion about whether to have an Orange County Bee School as an annual event. Geneva warned that it would be a huge time commitment for someone, but it’s do-able. Lewis counseled waiting.
5. Todd announced the on-line survey about members. Club will be able to collect information about speakers, activities, programs, etc.
Geneva has three open dates on the program calendar this year (July-summer meeting)-August, October, and November.
Todd asked for input from the committee on ideas for workshops. Some tossed out were: queen-rearing, splits, package installation (in April} and wax workshop. The wax workshop was scheduled in September prior to State Fair , October 10.
Lewis volunteered to head up the State Fair committee this year.
6. Geneva stated that she felt speakers at the bee school and at club meetings should be offered an honorum for their time and trouble. It was agreed that the club would offer each speaker $25 until such time as the club might be able to afford more.
7. Exec. Committee will meet again in March.

OCBA meeting minutes-January 12, 2011 7:00 pm
1. Geneva and Todd welcomed the group and called the meeting to order.
2. Todd called for the roll call. January’s roll (89) reflects the membership of the bee school as enrollment in bee school includes OCBA membership.
3. Geneva reported that a survey for the membership about volunteering and interests/activities for OCBA is now on the website, and that OBCA listserv will be sent a link to the survey in an email. If you would like to participate, please sign up.
4. Next Geneva announced that she is working on a list of plants for honey bees in the Carolinas and has a packet for folks who are interested in helping her. It includes a CD with directions, a printable form for reporting plants in bloom, and a directory of plants to help the volunteers recognize what plants they are seeing. See Geneva after the meeting.
5. Geneva also reported on the bee school which began in January. There are 75 students, including two 4-Hers interested in completing the course to qualify for the OCBA/4-H partnership in beekeeping. Parking at the UUC where the school is being held is very limited. Thanks to all who are carpooling. OCBA is considering a change to offer a bee school in January 2013. The Introduction to Beekeeping course will probably be offered again in November this year. However, programs and workshops offered by OCBA throughout this year would be helpful to anyone new to beekeeping or wannabees, even if they haven’t attended a bee school.
6. Dick reminded everyone that membership to OCBA and NCBA is on an annual basis and begins in January. County dues are $5; state dues are $15. Pay Dick or pay on-line with PayPal. You do not have to join the state organization to participate in OCBA, but he hopes that you will want to, and mentioned some of the support the state organization. He provided applications for membership to those present.
7. Spring meeting will be in Morganton, March 9-10. Summer meeting will be in Lumberton, July 12-14.
8. Lewis reported that he’d checked out Google Maps on-line as a way to match up newbees to mentors by location. He’s labeled a map for OCBA on which people can add the locations of their hives/homes in order for new beekeepers to see where there are other beekeepers in their vicinity.
9. Todd encouraged all to participate and report on activities that give OCBA credit toward the Golden Achievement Award. There was a three-way tie last year, and OCBA came up short. Please check on-line and complete the form detailing the ways you have been active in beekeeping in the last year. This information will be compiled and submitted by Lewis for the spring meeting (March). Todd introduced Wattie Bowes as the pointman for education and requests for presentations this year. Remember that all presentations earn credit toward the master beekeeping program.
Inge introduced the speaker Annie Baggett of Sunshine Lavender Farm. Annie gave us a virtual tour of the farm throughout a year of growing and celebrations. She recommended specific varieties to plant in North Carolina, and described the growing conditions for lavender. She also answered questions from the group at the end of her presentation.
Dave Eckart invited the group to participate in the Ag. Summit, February 13 in the Big Barn, Hillsborough. Ten dollars includes the meal prepared from locally grown produce by Bob Comption.
Geneva announced that the speaker for the February meeting will be Adolphus Leonard, state bee inspector, who will discuss “Spring Build Up,” a timely topic.
Old Business: The movie “Queen of the Sun” will be shown at the United Church of Chapel Hill, date and time to be announced via email when determined.
Members enjoyed fellowship following the meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
‘Lizabeth Collins