Dear Kennet Beekeeper,
I have just come from the Marlborough Literature Festival to write this newsletter to you all after an afternoon session when I was asked to be the ‘bee’ expert with the author Laline Paull where she talked about her book “The Bees”. I find it very difficult to be too honest when the bees all talk to each other in the novel, but as the star of the book is a laying worker called Flora I had great fun telling the large audience what a laying worker really is.
On this Friday, 6 October, we have our AGM and Association Honey Show. I do hope that many of you will be there to show support to your Committee. It is at meetings like this that the Committee, and especially the Chairman, get the feel of the Association and whether or not we are taking KBKA in the right direction. I hope you all feel we are progressing and going from strength to strength. Please let me know if there is something that you feel would improve KBKA. I am slowly putting the programme together for next year – do you have any suggestions? If so, I would like to hear them now rather than after the programme is printed. Next year we will have meeting throughout the year on every first Friday in the month at Bishops Cannings Village Hall – this will include the summer. One of next year’s events in late June or early July will be going to a drone congregation area (DCA) with a caged Queen on the end of a long pole – and watch the drones fly in – should be fascinating and the Queen will be quite safe in the cage – we are just using her pheromone!
Our humble KBKA Honey Show, at the AGM, is really the beginning of a whole series of honey shows. The idea being that you win at our show, move on and enter the Wiltshire Honey Show 21 October, win that and move on to The National Honey Show 27 – 29 October. I have to admit to being bad at getting my honey ready in time to show, but I do need to encourage you all to show your honey, wax, mead, polish and any of the many products we can get from our bees. We have Geraldine Lenert as our judge this year and she will be talking about what we have prepared for her inspection, and giving us guidance for entering the other shows. If you are bringing entries for our show please arrive a bit early so there is not a rush to register.
I am really happy to say that after my August newsletter I have volunteers for position of Treasurer, Edith Chansigaud, Apiary Equipment Officer John Hooper and Apiary Gardener, Stephen and Joodes Izatt. May I thank you all for offering to take on these jobs. KBKA still has no Honey Manager or Fetes Coordinator – so if you feel you could take one of these roles on please let me know.
As you all know, asian hornet was found in North Devon 10 days ago, so please spend 5 mins outside your hives just watching to see if there are any hawking hornets – and if so check to see if they are asian hornets with yellow legs – get the free app for your phone – and if you are sure call your bee inspector!
Hope to see you all at the Honey Show with extensive hive products to show, not forgetting that points mean prizes and the some of the prizes are silver cups!
All best wishes to all members.
Robert Carpenter Turner
Chairman Kennet Beekeepers
Tel: – 01672 852265 email:- chairman@kennet-beekeepers.co.uk