State Calendar

February 3, 2011: Thursday, 7:00 p.m. Executive Board meeting at Rutgers EcoComplex, Bordentown. Consolidation of entries for Annual Honey Show. For direcction to the EcoComplex, click here.

February 4-12, 2011: Our Annual Honey Show at the Rutgers EcoComplex, 1200 Florence-Columbus Road, Bordentown. 2011 WINNERS! Honey Show Rules for mead have changed for 2011. Click here for current rules, sample score sheets and an entry form. If you have any questions, please contact the show chair, Janet Katz.

February 12, 2011: 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM, NJBA Winter Meeting, Rutgers EcoComplex, 1200 Florence-Columbus Road, Bordentown. The meeting will start with registration, followed by a business meeting, speaker and lunch. Featured speaker will be Jennifer A. Berry, Apicultural Research and Lab Manager at the University of Georgia. Her topic will be, "The Pros & Cons of Integrated Pest Management" (IPM).The first place and division winners of the Annual Honey Show will be auctioned to the highest bidders. Cost is $20 in advance per person 12 years and older for members ($25 at the door). Children 11 years and younger are $12.00 in advance. Cost for non-members 12 years and older is $35. RSVP to Curtis Crowell by February 8, 2010 (609 651-4585). Make checks payable to NJBA and mail to Curtis at 152 Broad Street, Hightstown, NJ 08520. Detailed agenda. Directions to the EcoComplex.

March 5, 2011: Saturday, 9:00 a.m. Leadership meeting to be attended by branch presidents and state officers. If you, as an NJBA member, have any ideas or thoughts on how your branch or the state association can do things better or more productively, please communicate them to your branch president for this meeting.

April 7, 8 & 9, 2011: Bee-ginner's Beekeeping Course at Rutgers. See the Education Page for details.

May 21, 2011: Spring Meeting, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Saturday, hosted by the Jersey Cape branch at the Cape May County 4-H Fairgrounds, 355 Court House - S. Dennis Rd., Cape May Court House (GPS 39.10N/74.82W). Click here for a map. This will be a not-to-be-missed, hands-on beekeeping meeting with outdoor demonstrations on hiving an artificial swarm, splitting a hive, comparing package bees on different foundation types and different feeding programs and queen-rearing activities. There will be honeybee-friendly plants for sale, and vendors of equipment, beeswax and honey products have been invited. Click here for a detailed agenda. Plant orders must be received no later than May 6, 2011 for pickup the day of the meeting. Click here for an order form with all the details. Interested in being a vendor? Click here for an application. If you RSVP by May 14, 2011, cost is $20 per person for members; $25 per person for non-members. Just show up on the day of and the cost is $24 per person for members; $30 for non-members. RSVP to Curtis Crowell at (609 651-4585). Checks made out to "NJBA" should be sent to Curtis Crowell, 152 Broad Street, Hightstown, NJ 08520.

July 15, 2011: State Executive Board meeting, time and location TBD.

August 13, 2011: Saturday. Annual picnic and auction at the home of Bob Hughes in Yardville, NJ (Mercer County). Find used equipment bargains, sell equipment you no longer need, talk about bees all day, good food, good company and swimming! Coffee and donuts from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. followed by the auction, with the incomparable auctioneer, member Rod Donovan. Swimming pool, so bring suits and towels. Also, bring chairs so you don't get tired of standing during the auction. Click here for directions. Price is $20 if paid before August 9th, $24 day of. Children 12 and older are $20; ages 6 to 11 are $5 and 4 years and younger are free. To register online, click here. RSVP to Curtis.Crowell@att.net or 609 651-4585, as soon as humanly possible, and send your check to him at 152 Broad St., Hightstown, NJ 08520.

September 16, 2011: State Executive Board meeting, time and location TBD.

October 1, 2011: Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Annual Fall Meeting hosted by the Morris-Somerset Counties branch at the Fellowship Deaconry, 3575 Valley Rd., Liberty Corner. Featured speaker will be Larry Connor, Ph.D., author of beekeeping 'Essentials' titles, 'Increase Essentials', 'Bee Sex Essentials' and 'Queen Rearing Essentials'.Details when available. His topic in the morning will be "Biology Driven Hive Management". In the afternoon, his talk is "Confessions of a Traveling Beekeeper" with a Q&A session at the end of the afternoon. Brushy Mountain will give a beginner workshop; State Apiarist Tim Schuler will lead a workshop on fall and winter management; Master Beekeeper Landi Simone will head a workshop on IPM (Integrated Pest Management), mites and diseases; Angelo and Anna Trapani will teach you their secrets for being competitive at the annual honey show; Gallagher Fence will show options for bear control; Dave Peregmon will teach you how to repair and build your own woodenware; and Tracy Yang will demo hive management software and record keeping. Mary Kosenski will present on queen rearing. Continental breakfast and BBQ lunch provided. For directions, click here. For more details, click here. To register online, click here.

The Northeast Beekeepers Association of New Jersey meets on the third Friday of the month, at the Glen Rock Municipal Annex, 678 South Maple Avenue, Glen Rock in Bergen County. (Near the corner of Rock Road. Look for the yellow sign out front, weather permitting.) For more information, please contact Frank Mortimer at frankmort@gmail.com or 201 417-7309.

January 21, 2011: Friday, 7:30 p.m. "Wax, Lip Balm & Hive Products" will be presented by Landi Simone, NJBA 1st Vice President and a sideliner beekeeper dba as Gooserock Farm. She is a master beekeeper and has won Best of Show and is a multiple Best of Division and First Place winner at the NJBA Annual Honey Show.

February 18, 2011: Friday, 7:30 p.m. "Italians to Buckfast: Bee Types & Characteristics" Presented by Brian Rowe, NJBA 3rd Vice President and dba Douglas Farm.

March 18, 2011: Friday, 7:30 p.m. "Making Splits & Spring Prep" presented by Bob Hughes. Bob is a two-time President of the NJBA, teaches the Bee-ginners Beekeeping Course at Rutgers University and is a sideliner beekeeper dba as Bob's Buzzy Bees.

April 15, 2011: Friday, 7:30 p.m. "Bee MD: Medicine from the Hive" presented by Dale Bellisfield, RN, AHG.

May 20, 2011: Friday, 7:30 p.m. "Queens and Local Breeding Program" Ed and Mary Kosenski, E&M Gold Beekeepers.

June 17, 2011: Friday, 7:30 p.m. A general discussion of about what you should be doing and looking for in your hives, as well as a question and answer session.

June 18, 2011: 12:00 noon, State Apiarist Tim Schuler will lead a hands-on hive inspection meeting, the Hopper-Goetschius House at the intersection of Lake Street and East Saddle River Road in Upper Saddle River. Please RSVP to Frank Mortimor, frankmort@gmail.com, if you are interested in lunch, which will be provided at a cost of $10 (sandwich, chips and a drink).

July 15, 2011: Honey House: Supers to extractors to bottling.

August 19, 2011: Friday, 7:30 p.m. "Fall Prep: Medication and Feeding Traditionally vs. Natural Approaches" presented by Sam Comfort, Anarchy Apiaries.Refreshments will be served. A $5 donation is suggested. For more information, please contact Frank Mortimer at frankmort@gmail.com or 201-417-7309.

September 16, 2011: Friday, 7:30 p.m. "Honey Tasting, Honey Recipes and Creamed Honey" presented by members and Joe Lelinho, Essex Branch President.

October 21, 2011: Friday, 7:30 p.m. "Preparing for Winter, Equipment Review" presented by Seth Belson, NJBA President.

November 18, 2011: Friday, 7:30 p.m. "Book Reviews: Resources for Beginners to Experts" presented by Frank Mortimer.

December 16, 2011: Friday, 7:30 p.m. "Making Mead and Holiday Cheer" presented by Al Stoel and Tom Fuscaldo.

March 12, 2011: Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This first meeting of the year will cover "Spring Management" and will be held at the Hunterdon County Extension building at 6 Gauntt Place, Flemington. For directions, click here.

May 14, 2011: Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Belvidere Free Public Library, 301 Second Street, Belvidere, 908 475-3941. SUBJECT: MANAGING THE HONEY FLOW! WHAT - WHEN & HOW! Come to the meeting and dialogue with other novice and experienced beekeepers. Hear a talk on managing your honey flow...there will be plenty of time for Q & A...so bring your questions and concerns. Management just prior to the honey flow and during is crucial. This is the time when bees will need room to store honey and timing is critical. The timing of the honey flow is completely dependent on where you live and the primary plant nectar sources. For purposes of planning hospitality, it is very important that you RSVP via email to Barbara Hill muscavaya@aol.com.

June 11, 2011: 10:30 a.m. to approximately 1:30 p.m. (Rain date TBD.) The Northwest NJ Beekeepers Association will be hosting a hands on meeting June 11th. The session will be hosted at the association’s mentoring hives located on West Woodschurch Road, opposite Deer Path Park. Hands on sessions will include splitting one hive into two, performing a varroa mite count using an IPM-marked bottom board (from a screened bottom board) and performing a sugar roll count method, a demonstration of the new CheckMite 2 product recently approved in NJ, how to perform a proper hive inspection and a question and answer session. Please RSVP to nwnjba@live.com and let us know who is coming. For those that have not been to this location, there is a dirt path that leads back into a field where the hives are.  It is on the left side when coming from Route 31, on the opposite side of the road from some soccer fields and the pavilion at Deer Path Park.

July 31 to August 6, 2011: Warren County Farmers' Fair, Harmony Township.

August 24 to 28, 2011: County Fairgrounds, South County Park, Route 179, Ringoes, NJ (Hunterdon County 4H & Agricultural Fair).

October 8, 2011: 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Open to all NJBA members, fall meeting at Old York Cellars. Topics to be covered are fall and winter management, including fall treatments and preparations.

The Sussex County Beekeepers Association meets monthly (except September and December) at the School of Conservation, 1 Wapalanne Road, Branchville, NJ in Stokes Forest, unless otherwise stated below. For directions, click here.

January 15, 2011: 10:00 a.m. Saturday, Executive Board Meeting, Sussex County Fairgrounds Administration Building, Augusta.

January 22, 2011: 10:00 a.m. Saturday, general Membership Meeting, Sussex County Fairgrounds Administration Building, Augusta. Topic to be "Emergency Management of Bees" with an open question and answer forum regarding anything related to beekeeping.

February 19, 2011: 10:00 a.m. Saturday, general Membership Meeting, Sussex County Fairgrounds Administration Building, Augusta. Topic to be "Spring Management and Swarm Control".

March 12 & 19, 2011: Saturdays, "Introduction to Beekeeping" short course at the Sussex County Fairground Administration Building starting at 8:30 a.m. Snow date March 26, 2011. Details on registering, cost and what the course includes will be posted on the Sussex website when available.

April 17, 2011: Note Date Change Due to Rain! 12:30 p.m. at 59 Beemer Church Rd., Branchville; behind barn, parking in front of the barn, off street. Hands-on spring management including installation of a package.

May 22, 2011: 12:30 p.m. Tim Schuler, state apiarist, will be leading this meeting on splitting a hive, re-queening and checking for diseases, with potluck picnic at School of Conservation, 1 Wapalanne Road, Branchville in Stokes Forest.

June 11, 2011: 12:30 p.m. Honey house setup and extraction techniques at The Skove Honey House with pot luck picnic. Directions to follow.

July 23, 2011: New Jersey State Fair - Sussex County Farm & Horse Show "set-up" meeting at the Sussex County Fairgrounds in the Richard's Building. Time to be determined.

August 5 through August 14, 2011: Sussex County Fair. (Sussex County Farm and Horse Show) Annual Honey Show judging on August 5, 2010. Bee information booth with bee products, observation hive and bee cage. Hours are 10:00am to 10:00pm 8/5 to 8/13. Hours are 10:00am to 5:00pm on 8/14. Honey show entries due at Sussex Fairgrounds by 10:00 a.m., Friday, August 5, 2010. For entry form, click here. For entry classes and details, click here.

September 18, 2011: 12:00 noon. Joint meeting with SENY at the Brodheckers' 75 George Hill Road, Branchville. Bring a dish to share and a chair.

October 15, 2011: There will not be a meeting on this date.

November 12, 2011: Saturday. Holiday dinner. Details TBA.

For Essex County Beekeepers Society website, click here.

March 5 & 19, 2011: Saturdays, Garibaldi Hall, Essex County Environmental Center, 621B Eagle Rock Avenue, Roseland, NJ 07068. Tentative Field Day Sunday April 17 (rain date May 1). Basic Beekeeping short course. This course will take you through a full year of beekeeping, and teach you everything you need to get started, from equipment, through management, biology, pest control, and harvest. Focus is on IPM (Integrated Pest Management). Please go to the Education page for complete details and registration.

March 8, 2011: Tuesday, 7:00 p.m., Garibaldi Hall. Screening and discussion of "Vanishing of the Bees"

April 23, 2011: (Note date & time change!) Saturday, 10:00 AM, field day conclusion of the short course held in March, at Bjorn Lass Kennels in Pine Brook. This has already been rescheduled, and may change again due to weather. Check here for cancellation in the event of inclement weather.

May 10, 2011: Tuesday, 7:00 p.m., Garibaldi Hall. Making splits with various speakers.

June 14, 2011: Tuesday, 7:00 p.m., Garibaldi Hall. Cosmetics and other hive products presented by Landi Simone, Gooserock Farm.

July & August, 2011: No meetings planned.

September, 2011: Garibaldi Hall, annual ECBS picnic and open discussion on feeding bees. Date and place TBA.

October 11, 2011: Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. Top bar and other "alternative" hives.

November 8, 2011: Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. Making mead, presented by members Joe Triemel and Mike Frey.

December, 2011: Annual ECBS Christmas Party at Garibaldi Hall, day TBA.

For Central Jersey Beekeepers Association website, click here.

January 30, 2011: Sunday, 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. Holiday party at the Captain's Inn, Forked River. For complete details, click here.

March 18, 2011: 7:00 p.m., Hightstown First Aid, General membership meeting. Click here for directions.

June 24, 2011:7:00 p.m., Hightstown First Aid, General membership meeting. Click here for directions.

July 9, 2011: 1:30 p.m., workshop, at the Armstrong Tree Service Shop, 625 Neptune Blvd., Neptune 07753. We will check the hive, pull honey, extract and bottle. The honey will be sold at the Monmouth County Fair.

July 27-31, 2011: Monmouth County Fair, East Freehold Showgrounds, Freehold, NJ.

August 26, 2011: 7:00 p.m. General membership meeting at the new offices of North Star Vets, 315 Robbinsville Allentown Road, Robbinsville, NJ. Sallie Toscano of the Bee Hive Barn in Cranbury will talk about her experiences providing supplies and advice to new beekeepers. Gary & Laryssa Boehnke will show slides of some of their more memorable world travels, as they meet with beekeepers all over the world. Pat Ricci will show a video covering preparations for winter. Of course, anyone who has questions about mite medication, particular Mite Away Quick Strips, bring your questions to the meeting. For directions, click here.

September 10, 2011: 1:00 p.m. Workshop for CJBA Hive #1 at Armstrong Tree Service Office in Neptune. General hive inspection, instruction on doing a sugar roll, how to make up a jar for doing the roll (bring a quart size Ball Mason jar with a lid),and how to put on a mite treatment. Please email Pete Cheney, principalcheney@gmail.com and let him know if you're interested in attending.

October 1, 2011: Fall Conservation Day. Forestry Research Center, Rt. 528, Jackson. Click here for directions.

November 11, 2011: 7:00 p.m., Friday. General membership meeting, time and location TBA.

December 11, 2011: 4:00 to 9:00 p.m., Holiday Party, The Captain's Inn, Forked River. Click here for directions.

Please note that South Jersey will also hold "Flash Meetings" periodically through the season at members' homes as opportunities arise. They will cover specific tasks and will be announcied to SJBA branch members with short notice via email. Attendance will be limited and require RSVP. Further details will be made available to branch members as they are available.

February 19, 2011: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Topic "All About Mead" with guest speaker Jay DeSimone. DeSimone took Division Best with three first place entries in the 2010 NJBA Annual Honey Show. Meeting location: Camp Haluwasa, 377 South Ehrke Road, Hammonton, NJ 08037.

March 17, 2011: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Cumberland in Millville. State Apiarist Tim Schuler will speak on the topic of "dead outs". Samples of 50-100 bees in rubbing alcohol can be brought in via baggie or small jar labeled with name and address. Individual supers can be brought in, ratchet strapped together. Samples will be taken for further diagnosis if deemed necessary.

April 16, 2011: Package Installation at the home of Ned & Doris Morgani, 838 Tuska Rd., Millville 08332. Time to be determined.

May 7, 2011: 9:00 a.m. Splits, Divides & Emergency at Dana Wiberg's, 75 Mannington Mills Road, Salem, NJ.

June 4, 2011: 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon, Honey Harvesting, at Tom O'Keefe's home, 122 State St., Glassboro, NJ 08028.

July 16, 2011: 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon. Mite Detection & Treatment, at the home of John & Chris Hibbs, 4 Ridge Court, Medford, NJ 08055.

September 17, 2011: PLEASE NOTE LOCATION CHANGE! 9:00 a.m., with lunchion to follow, at Germaine Camishion's home, 4 West Linden Road, Burlington Township. If you plan on staying for lunch, you must RSVP to Doris Morgan, doriskmorgan@comcast.net, by Thursday, September 15th, so Germaine knows how much to prepare. Bring a chair and either a salad or dessert to share. Let Doris know what you are bringing so there is diversity. Final Winter Evaluation (might include Combining Weak Colonies). Bring protective clothing. NOTE: Take care using Mapquest or your GPS as it may take you to the wrong location. Click here, for directions.

October 11, 2011: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 pm. The presentation will be "How to Prepare Honey for the State Honey Show by Anne and Angelo Trapani" and there will be officer nominations, at the Rutgers Coop Extension, 1200 N. Delsea Drive, Clayton.

November 15, 2011: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The topic will be "Organic Standards", at the Rutgers Coop Extension, 1200 N. Delsea Drive, Clayton.

December 13, 2011: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Officer Elections & Recognizing Pesticide Kills. At the Rutgers Coop Extension, 1200 N. Delsea Drive, Clayton.

January 21, 2012: 6:00 p.m. Members' Winter Banquet at Martin's Custom Catering, 311 Route 40, Landisville. Cost is $21 per person. Please RSVP to Doris Morgan. Review of 2011 and look ahead.

Meetings are held every third Thursday of the month (except for July and December) at 7:00 PM at the Cape May County Extension Office, 355 Court House/So. Dennis Road (Route 657), Cape May Court House, NJ. Click here, for directions.

January 20, 2011: 7:00 PM. Election of officers.

March 17, 2011: We'll be discussing spring management of bee hives, an update of the bee course and answer any questions that may arise.

April 21, 2011: The monthly meeting of the Jersey Cape Beekeepers Associstion is scheduled for Thursday evening at 7 PM at the Lockwood Building (the building behind where we usually meet). Topics include feeding your bees, supering hives, switching supers and, of course, the general question and answer session.

July 21, 22, 23, 2011: Cape May County 4H Fair.

September 15, 2011: Wax moth, storing supers, mite treatments (MAQS, ApiGuard and ApiLiveVar will be available for purchase), how to deal with robbing, feeding (corn syrup will be available for purchase). For complete details, click here.

October 20, 2011: 7:00 p.m. monthly meeting, Rutgers Building, Cape May Court House.

October 22, 2011: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Cape May Court House Harvest Fest. Mike Mc Gurk will be organizing the JCBA table for the event. If you are interested in helping please contact Mike McGurk for more details.

January 15, 2011: Meeting of club officers and chair people at the home of Secretary/Treasurer Rich Lepik to plan branch agenda for the year. Please send Mark Muller your ideas.

March 25, 2011: 7:30 p.m., Wagner Farms community room in Warren. Master Gardener Connie Kalas will present "Planting for a Bee Garden".

April 23, 2011: CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER! 12:00 noon, Saturday, spring hive inspection led by Bob Hughes at the home of member Eliza Murphy, 49 Meyersville Road, Green Village, NJ 07935 (telephone 908 612-1810.

May 14, 2011: Saturday, 12:00 noon, at the home of Orazio Amato, 3 Headley Court, Denville. Led by Tim Schuler, hands-on meeting entitled "What the Heck am I Looking at?" where we will examine hives to look at swarms, splits and other bee mysteries.

June 18, 2011: Summer picnic, 12:00 noon, at the home of member Jim Terkovich. Details to follow.

July 16, 2011: 10:00 a.m. Wagner Farms, Warren. "Family Honey Harvest and Extraction Day". Open to the public, Come and share the fun as we help John Q. Public get his hands sticky and teach him to appreciate bees in the process. We're hoping for some enthusiastic member volunteers.

July 22, 23, 24, 2011: Morris County 4H Fair, Chubb Park, Chester. Volunteers wanted.

September 10, 2011: Saturday, 12:00 noon. Fall Hive Inspection at the home of Dawn Modugno, 192 Kings Highway, Hackettstown. Dawn's two hives will be inspected and mite treatments and feeding options will be discussed as well as general winter preparations.

October 1, 2011: Beginning at 8:30 a.m. We will host the state association Fall Meeting with a nationally recognized speaker and lots of hands-on opportunities. See entry in state calendar, above, for agenda, registration and other details.

December 4, 2011: 12:00 noon, Sunday. Annual Holiday Party. Location to be determined.