Dear Kennet Beekeeper,
I hope that by now you have all written your letter to Father Christmas and requested your new
Queen marking pen for 2019 (green), a hive nail punch, a Queen marking cage, or even this mug!
Well, Christmas is coming and it is always good to have a few reasonable ideas for your family to get you as a present.
Our next club event is Skittles Night on Friday 7th December at the Fox and Hounds, Nursteed Rd, Devizes SN10 3HJ.
This is a good time to bring along your other half and show them that we don’t only talk beekeeping. If you have not already done so, please let John Barber know if you are coming by dropping him an email at jwbarber@btinternet.com. We are doing a buffet this year for £10.00 each – so please bring a tenner to present to John when you arrive. This will be a fun evening with the “Beekeeper Skittles Cup” to be won! Just think of having that on your mantel shelf!
As we have had no volunteers come forward to put the 2019 programme and lecture together I am again doing it. But please give me your thoughts as to who you would like to hear talk or a topic of particular interest. This year we have spent over £500 on speakers and it is important to get the right people. Have you any speaker suggestions? If so I want to hear your ideas.
The first three meetings in the New Year (Jan – Mar) will be held on the first Friday of the month and then we are changing to the first Wednesday of the month from April 19 onwards. I hope to print the programme as usual and this will be posted out to you in January.
The meeting on Friday 4th January 2019 is scheduled as a “Beekeepers discussion evening” starting at 7.30pm at Bishop Cannings Village Hall, SN10 2LA.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has kindly donated books to our club Library. We are building up quite a stock of material for reading and reference and I would encourage you to take a look at what’s on offer in our library, either at club meetings or as listed on our website where it can be found under ‘membership, club library’.
We really need some serious extra help with Fetes and Fairs during 2019. Sarah, who is our Fetes Manager, needs a bit of extra help at these events. Putting up the gazebo, carrying exhibits, filling the observation hive, and manning our stall during the day. It is really a nice experience talking bees with the public – you get asked some interesting questions! So please let me know if you can help during the summer – we don’t know the dates as yet, but I would like to be ready with a list of volunteers upon whom I can call.
Finally, the End of Year Apiary Party for the bees, in what has become our annual Mince Pies, Oxalic Acid and Mulled Wine get together, will be held on Saturday 29 December at 11.00am. This will take place at our new Caen Hill Apiary (Please see emailed version for location). We will be giving the bees their end of year Varroa treatment and you should all give consideration to carrying out this treatment on your own bees at this time of year.
Everyone is welcome to this social but instructive session, bringing with you some mulled wine and mince pies for sharing after we have given the bees their oxalic acid,and remember don’t forget your bee suits. This is a good way to see out the old year.
Wishing all KBKA members and their families a very Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year.
With best wishes
Robert Carpenter Turner
Chairman Kennet Beekeepers
Tel: – 01672 852265 email:- chairman@kennet-beekeepers.co.uk