Submitted by Terry Dahms - President
East Central Iowa Beekeepers
internet: [log in to unmask]
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THE BUZZ NOVEMBER, 1993
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A newsletter published monthly as a cooperative effort by The
Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and The Iowa
Honey Producers Association (IHPA), an affiliate member of the
Iowa Horticultural Society. Copy deadline is the 20th of each
month. Your ideas, comments and letters are welcomed and
encouraged. EDITOR: Bob Cox, State Apiarist, Iowa Dept. of
Agriculture, Wallace Building, Des Monies, IA. 50319
phone: (515) 281-5736
IHPA MEMBERSHIP: Membership dues in the Iowa Honey Producers
Assn. are $5.00/year. Send to Robert Shepherd, IHPA Treasurer.
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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
It's state meeting time again. Be there! Friday and Saturday
November 5th and 6th are the dates and the Starlight Best Western
Motel in Ames is the place. The motel is located just west of I-35
at the 1st St. Exit on the North side of the street. All the
details are printed on page 7 of this newsletter. We have planned a
good program of speakers covering such topics as crop pollination,
queen management, spring management of colonies, beekeeping in
Mexico, Egypt and Eastern Europe, controlling honeybee emergencies,
the honey queen program and other topics. Our two out-of-state
speakers are: Dr. Gloria Hoffman from the Tuscon Bee Research
Laboratory and Mr. Phil May, commercial beekeeper from Harvard,
Illinois.
USDA DISCOVERS NEW CONTROL FOR FOULBROOD
Recently a new chemical has been identified that controls
American Foulbrood (AFB) Disease according to an article by Dr.
Shimanuki in the October American Bee Journal. It is interesting
to note that the discovery was based on the relationship between
chalkbrood and AFB. In studies conducted in the 60's, 70's and
80's by the USDA Beltsville Bee Lab they noticed that as the
incidence of chalkbrood increased the incidence of European
Foulbrood decreased.
Later, scientists isolated a substance from chalkbrood that
inhibited the growth of both American and European Foulbrood
bacteria in laboratory studies. A chemist at the lab identified
the active ingredient as linoleic acid. Field tests are now being
conducted to determine the best way to treat colonies of bees.
AFRICANIZED BEES SPREAD
USDA reports that Africanized bees (AHB) were found for the
first time in the metropolitan area in Houston, Texas and near the
Arizona-California state line. According to USDA officials, the
bees were found in a trap eight miles south of Orchard in Fort Bend
County, Texas. As a result Fort Bend, Jackson, Wharton and
Colorado counties have been added to the quarantined zone
regulating the movement of commercial colonies.
With this find the Africanized bees have moved 300 miles
Northeast in the last three years since first discovered near
Brownsville, Texas. At the same time the AHB's have spread to the
northwest through Texas, Old Mexico, and Arizona. The westernmost
swarm of AHB's was found September 8th in a swarm trap four miles
west of Yuma, Arizona near the Colorado River. The river at this
point forms the border between Arizona and California. There are
now twelve confirmed AHB finds in the state of Arizona.
HAVE A HONEY OF A HOLIDAY BREAKFAST
If you're in charge of feeding family and friends on Christmas
morning, honey can help transform a basic breakfast into a jolly
holiday fare.
Honey can create a festive breakfast. Try drizzling honey
over a mixture of granola and fruit or oatmeal. Top toasted bagels
with cream cheese and honey. For the gourmets in your family, try
this version of Bananas Foster (made famous by Brennan's in New
Orleans) -- halve a banana (still in its peel), drizzle each banana
half with honey, top with sliced almonds and broil for five minutes
(about four to five inches from the source of heat.)
Or, you can try a quick mix of honey with orange and lemon
juice, orange peel and ground ginger tops apples for Honey Roasted
Apples -- a special breakfast for a cozy holiday morning.
HONEY ROASTED APPLES
4 medium baking apples
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger*
1/3 cup hot water
Pare top 1/3 of apples and remove core leaving 1/2-inch of core on
bottom. Place apples in oiled baking dish. Combine honey, orange
juice, orange peel, and ginger; mix well. Spoon over apples
allowing mixture to fill centers and coat entire surface. Pour
water into baking dish. Bake, covered, at 400oF 15 minutes.
Remove cover and bake 30 minutes longer or until apples are glazed
and tender; baste with liquid from baking dish every 15 minutes.
Makes 4 servings.
Microwave Method: Pare and core apples and mix glaze ingredients
following directions above; omit water in dish. Arrange apples in
a circle, 1/2-inch apart, in a microwave-safe dish. Cover tightly
with plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 8 to 10 minutes
(depending on size of apples) until apples are tender; baste apples
and rotate dish every 2 to 3 minutes. Let stand 3 to 5 minutes
before serving.
Serving Tip: If desired, serve Honey Roasted Apples with plain or
vanilla yogurt and granola.
*One teaspoon fresh grated or chopped candied ginger may be
substituted.
STATE APIARISTS REPORT
If you haven't prepared your bees for winter yet, this is the
time to do it. Colonies should be medicated with Terramycin --and
Apistan strips if you have Varroa, entrance reducers put in place,
colonies insulated and/or wrapped against the cold and have ample
honey (60-80 lbs.) stored for the winter.
If you are moving bees or equipment out of state, contact the
state apiarist's office soon. The days of good weather for
inspecting are few and far between this time of year. I know some
of you are planning on moving south and I hate getting calls in
December to inspect your bees.
There have been many questions about Varroa mite treatments.
If you have Varroa, don't wait to treat; do it now! Infested
colonies left untreated will die and cause a nuisance to
neighboring beekeepers. The only control product available is
Apistan strips. They are to be left in for four to six weeks and
then removed. People have asked me if they can be left in the
hives all winter. The label says only six weeks and so I don't
know what will happen if left in all winter. However, when Miticur
strips were left in all winter during a research project in
Nebraska it seemed to hurt the colonies (i.e. Miticur-treated
colonies had fewer frames of brood and adult bees than untreated
colonies). That is a different chemical, so it may not relate to
Apistan. The other concern would be an increased risk of
contamination of hive products with pesticide residues if not
removed.
Don't give up on your bees because you've had several poor
honey crops. You have a large investment in equipment; so protect
it and utilize it. If you stick with the bees, we will have good
honey crops again. If you neglect your equipment and bees because
you are discouraged, you will never be able to take advantage of
the honey crops when they can be made.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
November
5 & 6 Iowa Honey Producers Annual Meeting, Starlight Best
Western Motel at I-35 and 1st Street Exit in Ames (see
program on page 7)
December
2-4 1st Upper Midwest Regional Beekeepers Meeting and
Minnesota Honey Producers Meeting, Comfort Inn-Airport
Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota (just south of
Minneapolis)
January, 1994
12-15 The 25th Annual Convention of the American Honey
Producers Association at Holiday Inn Palo Verde in
Tuscon, Arizona. National Honey Board Mtg. following.
18-23 The American Beekeepers Federation Meeting at the
Sheraton World Resort Hotel in Orlando, Florida.
MARKETING HONEY (reprinted from July/August 1986 Missouri Farm
Magazine)
In many ways, selling honey is similar to selling other
products, but there are some differences, too. Being the first
vendor at the farmers' market with sweet corn or tomatoes
absolutely guarantees initial sales. Be the first at the market
with a new crop of honey, though and it generates about as much
excitement as snowballs in Alaska.
Differences
Honey is a popular item with some people, but since it is
non-perishable, the first honey of the summer sells about as fast
as the last. It is available year-round and doesn't need to be
purchased the day it was harvested, so customers won't beat a path
to your door like they will for strawberries or corn or other
seasonal items. It is also a relatively low-use item. The average
American consumes about 120 pounds of sugar in a year's time, but
only one pound of honey. Most people buy three pounds or less a
time, but may do this several times a year.
This all-season availability can work to your advantage.
Although honey sales are almost constantly slow, they are fairly
steady throughout the year. It is not necessary to have the whole
crop contracted for before it is produced; however, markets should
be researched before jumping into full-time beekeeping. The
existence of other honey producers in your area can definitely
affect your potential sales. Certain seasons offer opportunities
that can't be had with other forms of produce. Smaller containers
can make nice stocking-stuffers a Christmas time. Attractive gift
boxes can also generate sales for gift giving. Honey can be
combined with other products for giving at Christmas. Many meat
markets put together baskets of sausage, cheese, jams and jellies,
tea, crackers, and why not honey, too? Honey and bears are often
associated with each other and a fairly standard honey package is a
twelve-ounce plastic squeeze bottle in the shape of a popular in
recent years and a bear full of honey could make a good companion
for a toy bear as a promotional item.
Most produce is sold strictly by the pound or bushel in the
fresh raw state. Honey's several different forms add to its
marketability. Some people prefer comb honey, some extracted, some
creamed or spun honey. Most people like light colored honey, but
some prefer dark, and the amount a person buys depends on how much
they use. A variety of container sizes and forms of honey are
necessary to create the most sales of your honey.
Another big difference is pick-your-own sales. With honey,
this is definitely out!
Similarities
Marketing honey also shares similarities with other farm
products. The work does not end with the production, but continues
into the marketing phase. Markets have to be found and maintained,
and marketing can be as much work as production.
Whether you are selling green beans, Christmas trees, or
honey, the first requirement is to have a top quality product.
Although honey is not perishable, it requires careful handling to
prevent overheating, contamination with dust or debris, and
absorption of atmospheric moisture. All these can affect the
flavor, appearance, and acceptability of your honey.
Honey containers can convince people to buy your honey or to
pass it by. I have seen honey packed in tin containers that don't
allow any visual inspection. I feel that clear glass or plastic
are much more attractive and let the customer see the color and
clarity of the honey. Jars may be new or used, but if used, should
only have contained a food product. (Editors note: However, not
all food jars are acceptable--such as pickle jars and jars should
be uniform in size and style). In any case, they should be
absolutely clean. Jar lids also need to be neat and attractive. A
dented, rusty lid can turn people off, as can one advertising the
jar's former contents. I was at a market one time where another
beekeeper was also selling honey. After several people told me
they chose my honey because I had used new jars, I decided I would
never try to cut expenses by using lids labeled for another
product.
When selling honey to the public, federal law requires that it
carry a label. The label can be as plain or fancy as you like, but
must contain certain information by law, and should be attractive
to the customer. The law requires the label to show the name of
the product, name and address of the producer, and net contents of
the package. Even though the label is a requirement and may seem
like an unnecessary expense, it is a good form of advertisement.
Anyone who uses that honey will see your name and think about when
the jar gets empty.
As with other products, you should convince people to buy your
honey specifically. Stress its local origin. As a beekeeper you
are somewhat an oddity to many people. Many customers have had a
relative who kept bees at some time. This is a good opportunity to
share experiences. Remember, however, listen politely and
respectfully to your potential customers' stories, no matter how
outlandish they might be. Recollections of long-ago events may
become muddled.
Competition from other beekeepers in your area will have an
effect on your sales and marketing strategies. It may be necessary
to find your own niche and work on expanding and filling it. A
beekeeper with 20 hives won't need as large a market as one 300
hives. I market most of my honey directly to the consumer through
fairs, a farmer's market, and sales from my home. I also sell some
wholesale in jars for direct resale. There are advantages and
disadvantages to both.
HONEY COOKING CONTEST
Once again this year we will hold a "Cooking with Honey"
Contest at our Annual Meeting in Ames. Enter your favorite dish in
the following categories: drinks, desserts, main dishes, salads,
cookies and snacks.
Please provide a copy of the recipe and your name for each
item entered on a 3x5" or 4x6" index card. These cards should be
turned into the judges by 9:00 a.m. Friday November 5th. Please
type or print clearly so others can understand how you made such a
delicious food item.
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DADANT BEE SUPPLY DEALER specializing in providing supplies for the
hobbyist and small sideline beekeeper.
AUTUMN APIARIES, INC. - GORDON & BEVERLY POWELL
4012 - 54TH STREET
DES MOINES, IA. 50310
PHONE (515) 278-1762
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FIRST UPPER MIDWEST REGIONAL
BEEKEEPERS MEETING
Come to the Bloomington, MN
Dec. 2-4 for this regional meeting
of beekeepers. Featured speakers
are Dr. Shimanuki, Sue Cobey &
Dr. Marla Spivak. Advance reg-
istration $10.00 For more info.
CONTACT: Marla Spivak at
(612) 624-4798.
A HONEY OF A VERSE
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
(Psalm 19:9-10)
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