Chairman letter – Jul 2017

Dear Kennet Beekeeper,

On Saturday 15 July from 4.30 to 9.00 is the Kennet BKA Garden Party. All members, their families and children are welcome. It will be held in my garden (see original letter for address). It is up to you all to make it fun by bringing something to cook, drink and hopefully share. There will be table tennis and croquet on my very rough lawn, and an egg and spoon race if someone can organise it – or any other game you are happy to arrange. Please note that we have made it a late afternoon evening event rather than what it says in the KBKA 2017 programme.

I have two BBQ’s and a wood burning pizza oven for you to use. I will provide the pizza dough base but you need to bring a selections of toppings, if you are going for pizza, or other things to throw on the BBQ if that is what you like – or BOTH! You may like to bring a bit of salad, etc. There will be paper cups, plates etc. I have arrange that the parking will be in the India Shop Warehouse at the top on my lane – there will be parking notices – so please don’t bring your car down to the garden. I do need to know how many to expect so please RSVP me and email with the number in your party to rct@beekeeping.org.uk . This could be fun – lets hope the sun shines – and should it rain I have a small marquee.

Raw Honey. A lady called Tammy Hassel has just contacted our secretary with the following:- I am a fellow beekeeper and am in the process of setting up a new business endeavour selling honey, specifically unprocessed raw honey that has, or preferably has not, been filtered. I was wondering if any of your members would be interested in selling me their excess bulk raw honey. If you are interested contact her on tammy.hassel@bathasu.com

I am off to Marlborough College on Thursday to the IMYB (International Meeting of Young Beekeepers) where I am one of the referees. It is not open to the public but I will report back to you as I expect I will learn quite a bit about beekeeping in other countries.

You will most likely be treating for varroa in the next few months. Please download the latest veterinary medicine list from the National Bee Unit here as a pdf file:- Bee medicines Not only is this useful to see what is available but it also includes a medical records card which we are all being encourage to keep.

Is there one of our member who would like to make a small display called “Bees in the Garden” for the Wiltshire BKA Honey show in October. It is all the bees you might find in a Wiltshire garden as well as honey bees. Please let our secretary John Barber know if you could do this at email:- jwbarber@btinternet.com

Kate Richardson would like some help at the Easterton Fete on Bank Holiday Monday 28 August. If you can help, or have honey to sell please contact her on email:- tiaventers@yahoo.co.uk Can I recommend doing this as it really is interesting talking bees with everyone that passes our KBKA stall.

I hope most of you can make the KBKA Garden Party. Why not check your diary and email me NOW rct@beekeeping.org.uk with the number of people in your party – then I know how many to prepare for!

All best wishes

Robert Carpenter Turner

Chairman Kennet Beekeepers

Tel: – 01672 852265    email:-  chairman@kennet-beekeepers.co.uk