State Calendar

February 5-11, 2010: Our Annual Honey Show at the State Annex, Trenton. 2010 WINNERS! Honey Show Rules have not changed for 2010. 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 13, 2010: 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM, NJBA Winter Meeting, New Jersey Museum of Agriculture, North Brunswick, NJ. The meeting will start with registration, followed by a business meeting, speaker and lunch. Featured speaker will be Dr. James "Jamie" Ellis an Assistant Professor of Entomology at the University of Florida (UF). He will speak on the research they are doing at the UF Honey Bee Research & Estension Lab. The first place and division winners of the Annual Honey Show will be auctioned to the highest bidders. Cost is $22 in advance per person 12 years and older for members ($25 at the door). Cost for non-members 12 years and older is $25 prepaid in advance or $28 paid the day of. Children and students are $15 each. RSVP to Curtis Crowell by February 1, 2010 (609 651-4585). Make checks payable to NJBA and mail to Curtis at 152 Broad Street, Hightstown, NJ 08520. A detailed agenda will be forthcoming. Directions to the Museum.

March 12, 2010: Friday, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. Executive Board Meeting at Rutgers EcoComplex, 1200 Florence-Columbus Rd., Bordentown, NJ, second floor conference room. Members of any branch that have issues or concerns that need to be brought before the board, should contact the state executive board members from their branch (branch presidents and Secretary/Treasurers) or a state association elected official in advance of the meeting to get the issue on the agenda.

August, 2010: Saturday TBD. Annual picnic and auction tentatively 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. 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.

May 6, 7 & 8, 2010: Bee-ginner's Beekeeping Course at Rutgers. See the Education Page for detials.

February 19, 2010: Friday evening, 7:30 p.m. the Municipal Annex in Glen Rock. Directions and information on the location are listed above. The discussion will include a report on the proceedings at the NJBA Winter Meeting from the Saturday before. All are encouraged to attend the State Winter Meeting on Saturday, February 13, 2010. Fred Canavan, Northeast President.

August 1 to 7, 2010: Warren County Farmers' Fair, Harmony Township.

August 25 to 29, 2010: County Fairgrounds, South County Park, Route 179, Ringoes, NJ (2008 Hunterdon County 4H & Agricultural Fair).

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 16, 2010: 1:00 p.m. Please note this is the correct date; the recent state newsletter contained a typo.

February 20, 2010: 1:00 p.m. School of Conservation's Kittatinny Building, Mike Osborne will speak on "Early Spring Management".

Introduction to Beekeeping - March 13 & 20, 2010: (snow date March 27, 2010), at the Sussex County Fairgrounds Administration Building, Plains Road, Augusta. From 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the 13th, and 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on he 20th. Fee is $60 which includes membership in the NJBA and Sussex County Beekeepers Association 2010 membership dues, continental breakfast, handout materials, lunch and a beginner beekeeping book or DVD. To register and if you have questions, call Linda Osborne 973 875-5770.

March 21, 2010: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The guest speaker, Ross Conrad, will talk about natural beekeeping, at the Sussex County Fairgrounds Administration Building, Plains Road, Augusta. Bring your own bagged lunch. Beverages will be provided. No charge for Sussex branch memebers; $60 fee for non-branch members, which includes a copy of Ross Conrad's book, "Natural Beekeeping". Pre-register with Linda Osborne, 973 875-5770.

April 11, 2010: 11:30 a.m., School of Conservation, installation of two packages of bees.

May 15, 2010: 10:00 a.m., Genesis Farms, Blairstown, NJ. Bring a covered dish to share and a lawn chair. This is a hands-on meeting, so remember to bring veils and gloves. Directions will be on the SCBA webpage.

June 19, 2010: Possible field trip to Kosenski Commercial Apiary located off exit 105 of the Garden State Parkway, or the Kosenski's may join us at an SCBA member's apiary--TBA.

For Essex County Beekeepers Society website, click here.

February 27 & March 6, 2010: Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 PM. Garibaldi Hall, ECEC. Basic Beekeeping short course. Field Day April 18 (rain date April 24). Fee $90 per person, which includes a one-year NJBA membership, continental breakfast and afternoon snack on classroom days. 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 management. For more information and to register, contact Maria Glasser, 3plus2@verizon.net, 973 762-3630. Class full - Registration closed!

March 9, 2010: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. "Races of Bees: Choose the Queen that’s Right for You". Speaker: Landi Simone, Master Beekeeper, Gooserock Farm.

April 13, 2010: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. "Bait Hives. Quick! Catch that Swarm"! Panel Discussion. We will be selling queen pheromone lures and waxed cardboard nuc boxes for use as bait hives, at a discount courtesy of Brushy Mountain Bee Farm.

May 11, 2010: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. "Old World Queen Rearing in New Jersey". Speaker: Karoly Toth, Carniolan queen supplier.

June 8, 2010: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. "Bee Biology". Speaker: Joe Lelinho, Hilltop Honey, MAAREC Representative.

July & August, 2010: No meetings planned.

September, 2010: Annual ECBS picnic and hive examination. Date and place TBA.

October 12, 2010: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Movie Night. Feature Film starring Honey Bee Cuties TBA. Popcorn will be served!

November 9, 2010: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. "Top Bar Hives". Speaker TBA.

December, 2010: Annual ECBS Christmas Party at Garibaldi Hall, day TBA.

For Central Jersey Beekeepers Association website, click here.

January 31, 2010: Sunday, starting at 4:00 p.m. PLEASE NOTE NEW DATE! Holiday Party. Click here for complete details.

March 19, 2010: Friday, 7:00 p.m. General membership meeting. Hightstown First Aid Building.

April 10, 2010: Saturday, Building Woodenware workshop, time and location TBA. General membership meeting.

May 8, 2010: Saturday, Splits and nuc's workshop, time and location TBA. General membership meeting.

June 19, 2010:Saturday, 10:00 a.m. General membership meeting combined with the Morris-Somerset Branch. Location TBA.

July 21-25, 2010: Monmouth County Fair, East Freehold Showgrounds, Freehold, NJ.

August 13, 2010: Friday. General membership meeting. Time and location TBA.

September 25, 2010: Saturday, 10:00 a.m. General membership meeting, Mead Making, at the home of President Pat Ricci.

October 3, 2010: Sunday, Conservation Day.

November 5, 2010: Friday. General membership meeting, time and location TBA.

January 16, 2010: 11:00 am to 4:00 p.m. at Camp Haluwasa, 377 Ehrke Road, Hammonton, NJ. NJBA members Alf and Ceil Berg will offer tips on how to prepare beeswax for artful uses and cosmetics. They will also share their knowledge on making soap and cosmetics. Alf and Ceil are regionally renowned for their award winning wax sculptures. Come learn from the best! Please check them out at www.herbertsvillehoney.com. There will be a buffet style lunch. South Jersey branch members $9; NJBA members $13. RSVP immediately to Tim Schuler. Any questions, contact Seth Belson at info@hiddenacrehoney.com. For detailed agenda, click here.

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 21, 2010: 7:00 PM. Election of officers.

July 15, 16, 17, 2010: Cape May County 4H Fair.

January 16, 2010: Meeting of club officers and chair people to plan branch agenda for the year. Please either complete the survey you received recently relating to the programs you'd like to see for the year, or send Mark Muller your ideas.

March 19, 2010: Friday, 7:30 p.m., "Is There a Doctor in the Hive?" by Dale Bellisfield, RN a holistic nurse practitioner and clinical herbalist. Chester Library, special guest speaker. Bellisfield works in the St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston and is a fellow beekeeper and member of the Northeast branch. She has prepared this talk specifically for our group and will discuss the healing power of honey bees and hive products. For a biography, click here.

April 17, 2010: Saturday, 12:00 noon. Spring hive inspection and annual "Bring a Friend" meeting at the home of member John Pagano in Bedminster, led by former NBJA President and sideliner beekeeper Bob Hughes.

July 23, 24, 25, 2010: Morris County 4H Fair, Chubb Park, Chester.