File item: BUZZ0693.TXT 6/25/93 11:13AM
21464
Submitted by Terry Dahms
President-East Central Iowa Beekeepers
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THE BUZZ JUNE, 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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PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
Dear Fellow Beekeepers,
It has been another wet spring in Iowa. We've been trying
to work bees and clean up equipment in between rains. The
outlook for the summer is looking good though. A hot, dry summer
is what we need to produce a good honey crop. We have the
moisture; now we need the sun.
I want to thank all of you that have been writing or calling
your congressmen concerning the honey program. I believe you are
making a difference. Keep up the good work.
I've heard that NBC is doing a piece on the honey program
and Adee Honey Farms for their Dateline show. They filmed it
April 21. I'm not sure when it will be aired on TV, so you'll
have to watch your TV programming or the papers for the day and
time.
Don't forget the field days that have been planned for the
year. The first was held Saturday, May 22nd at Ray Tull's farm
in Donnellson on queen rearing. Watch your Buzz for others
coming up. These field days can make for a very informative and
enjoyable day.
The State Fair is just around the corner again. The bid
sheet (found on page 9) needs to be filled out and sent in by
June 10. Also we need comb honey. In the past few years its
been in short supply and the demand is great. I encourage you
all to enter into the competition with your honey, comb, candles,
etc. There is prize money and ribbons waiting to be claimed.
It's alot of fun. -Leroy Kellogg
THE EAST-CENTRAL IOWA BEEKEEPING ASSOCIATION MEETING
Are you a beekeeper? Or are you beginning beekeeping? Join
us to get new ideas, swap stories, get help with problems, and
hang out with other beekeepers. Even if you are an intermediate
or more experienced beekeeper, you may wish you had a way to
share this interesting hobby. The East-Central Iowa Beekeeping
Association meets quarterly to share ideas and share enthusiasm
for our unusual and challenging pastime. The next meeting will
be Monday, June 14, 7 to 9 p.m. in Montgomery Hall, lower level,
Johnson County 4-H fairgrounds on Riverside Dr/Hwy 218 south of
the airport and Colonial Lanes, Iowa City.
LOOKING FOR THE QUEEN (continued from May BUZZ)
As you lift each frame to view, look down at the exposed
side to the next frame to be removed. You will sometimes spot
the queen on this frame because her abdomen extends out over the
normal height of the worker bees on the comb. Sometimes the
drones will fool you, however. Proceed all through the frames in
the upper body looking for the queen. If you cannot find her,
push all frames back to the original position, leaving the first
out and proceed to look again.
Although at times a failing queen may be present with no
eggs showing, as you search for the queen make sure you see eggs
in cells to be certain the colony is queen-right. If the queen
is not found the second time through, repeat the process and look
for her in the lower body. If you are unable to find her in
either section, replace all frames to the original position and
leave the hive divided, move to the next colony, and work it in
the same manner. You may work several colonies and have success
in finding the queen in each before going back and looking for
this first queen again. She may finally appear after having been
hidden on the wall of the hive or in the corner of the bottom
board.
Without methodically splitting frames and looking for the
queen while opening a hive that is two or three stories high, one
has to be lucky in order to find her. Queens have the tendency
to keep moving down to a lower section away from light,
disturbance, and smoke. Spring is the ideal time to find queens,
as the colony is small at this time of year. The queen is
usually found in the upper hive body. When you first open the
hive, queens may move to the bottom side of the inner cover as
the hive bodies are pried apart and smoked.
Queens are seldom found on the outermost frames next to the
hive wall. These frames usually contain honey and no brood
unless the beekeeper is using follower boards. When lifting
individual frames to view, one gets accustomed to the normal
weight of each. Frames containing all honey are heaviest. Next
are those containing honey and sealed brood. Those with empty
cells and unsealed brood are the lightest. When lifting the
lighter frames, scan with particular care as this is an excellent
area in which to find the queen. Don't be discouraged.
Sometimes a queen is harder to find in a weaker colony with a
small cluster of bees than in a large, populated hive.
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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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STATE APIARISTS REPORT
June is the month to super up your colonies. Its too late
to start new colonies and still get a honey crop this season.
All medications and mite strips should be removed from colonies
before honey supers are placed on the hive. It is also a time to
get extracting equipment cleaned and repaired. If you do not
have enough containers for the honey crop, you will need to
procure those now.
I hope you will consider entering Iowa state fair apiary
exhibit this year. If you offer honey for sale to the public
there is no reason why you couldn't enter the state fair. You
can improve your product by participating in the fair. Go ahead
and give it a whirl!
There are categories for liquid dark and light honey, plain
and flavored creamed honey, cut and section comb honey, beeswax
candles and artwork, honey displays and observation beehives.
Most of the classes are the same as last year. The biggest
change will be the size of the table display which have been cut
in half. Each display will be a right triangle measuring 7 x 7 x
10 feet on the sides.
Class 12 (frame of cut comb) is now a Beewax (poured mold
art class) and class 14 Beeswax (Art Class) is now Handcrafted
Beeswax Art (not from a poured mold). The beeswax candle class
(15) is now restricted to molded or dipped tapers.
We are going back to the 2 1/2 pound chunk honey jars for
Class 7 Combination Chunk and Strained Honey. Creamed honey must
be in the one pound plastic tubs this year.
Now that you are convinced to enter the state fair, all we
need is a good honey crop. We can't have four poor honey crops
in a row? Can we?
We plan to have four summer field inspectors this summer and
fall. They will start work inspecting the week of June 21st.
If you need your bees inspected call Bob Cox at (515) 281-5736.
Louis Rickers will be inspecting the Northcentral part of the
state again this year. Tom Schuster of Dubuque will cover
Eastern Iowa. Southern Iowa will be inspected by Mike O'Hearn
from near Shennandoah and Northwest Iowa will again be covered by
Bill Eickholt of Cherokee.
TO THE BEEKEEPERS OF IOWA:
I have decided that 41 years in public service of which 18
have been with the Department of Agriculture is sufficient. I
have tendered my resignation effective June 30, 1993.
I do want to thank all the beekeepers for their fine support
and the great friends I have met. These have been pleasant years
working with all of you and may God continue His blessings on
each of you.
-Robert L. Wells
Assistant State Apiarist
MARKETING HONEY TO THE YOUNGER GENERATION
A recent National Honey Board article indicates that
teenagers spent $58 billion in 1991, of which half is spent on
food. About 60% of kids favor sweet foods. A product containing
all-natural honey satisfies that sweet tooth and gets a "thumbs
up" from mom and dad.
The children's market has the most potential because it has
all of its purchases ahead of it. The habits they form now will
stay with them for a lifetime. Also, kids have $2.6 billion
worth of influence on their parents' baked goods purchases each
year.
This marketing oportunity will not last much past the year
2000. Beyond this "Echo Baby Boom" may lie the smallest number
of kids in half a century. (Information from NHB's Honey Hotline)
ANDERSON-ERICKSON'S HONEY ICE CREAM
For the last three years Anderson-Erickson Dairy has
produced 4-oz. honey-vanilla and honey-almond ice cream cups for
the Iowa Honey Producers to sell at the State Fair Honey Booth.
Those products will be sold at state fair again this year.
Additionally, David Bush, frozen product manager for
Anderson-Erickson Dairy, said that the new Honey-Almond Premium
Ice Cream is on its way and should be on the market sometime this
summer.
In the table below you can see that Honey Ice Creams sales
decreased while honey yogurt sales increased in 1992. There was
some discussion earlier about manufacturing a frozen honey yogurt
rather than ice cream and nation-wide that seems to be a trend.
One of the most novel honey products introduced in 1992 was Honey
& Cashew Frozen Yogurt by United Dairy Farmers. Beekeepers are
anxious to see what happens in this market in Iowa.
Evidence that consumers are buying increased amounts of
honey products is apparent in the following sales chart for 1992.
Honey product sales are listed by category, noting the largest
sales increase in honey peanut butters and salad dressings.
Honey grahams continue to hold the largest volume share.
(Sales Chart)
SHAKE UP YOUR SUMMER WITH HONEY
Here are a couple of cool cummer beverages to try using honey!
BANANA YOGURT SHAKE
1-1/2 cups lowfat milk 1 teaspoon vanilla
extract
2 medium, ripe bananas, peeled 1/2 teaspoon ground
cinnamon
1 cup plain yogurt Dash ground nutmeg
1/4 cup honey 5 ice cubes
Combine all ingredients except ice cubes in blender and blend
until thick and creamy. Add ice cubes one at a time and blend
until smooth. Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon, if desired.
Makes 4 servings. (Tip: Vanilla yogurt can be substituted for
plain yogurt and vanilla extract.)
ICED MEXICAN CHOCOLATE
2 squares (2 oz.) unsweetened 1/3 cup honey
chocolate, melted* 3 cups lowfat milk
1/2 teaspoon each grated orange Ice cubes
peel and ground cinnamon
Microcook chocolate in large liquid measure at HIGH (100%) 2
minutes or until chocolate is melted; stir in honey. Microcook
at HIGH 30 seconds. Slowly stir in milk until well blended.
Stir in orange peel and ground cinnamon. Pour over ice in
serving glasses. Makes 4 servings. *Four tablespoons cocoa can
be substituted.
HONEY BOARD OFFERS NEW RECIPE LEAFLET
Bread and spreads made with honey are featured in the
National Honey Board's new recipe leaflet pictured on the cover
of THE BUZZ this month. The recipes are delicious and easy to
whip up--Honey Blueberry Spread, Spiced Honey Butter, Honey
Currant Scones, Easy Honey Muffins and Honey Cream Cheese Icing.
The leaflet is ready for your next local promotion, state
fair or to insert with your honey package. Beekeeping
associations and supporters of the National Honey Board can order
up to 500 recipe brochures free of charge. Additional brochures
are available at 5 cents each.
To order your brochures, write the National Honey Board, 421
21st Ave., #203, Longmont, CO 80501. Or, you may call Tina
Tindall at (303) 776-2337.
AMERICAN HONEY PRINCESS REPORT
June - the month I'm finished with finals, back in Iowa and
plenty of honey promotions. I'm very excited to be back home and
have many activities planned for the summer. In the past few
weeks, I've been talking to grade school classes at WACO
Community Schools and giving newspaper and radio interviews.
With the children, my focus has been to introduce them to a
honey bee's world, and stress the importance of honey bees to
mankind. In my interviews, I've been emphasizing that honey is
not restricted to toast anymore--its very versatile.
At the end of April, I presented honey bees, honey and
beekeeping to Spanish speaking children in Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania. The children enjoyed honey samples, the video
What's Buzzin'", learning about the tasks of honey bees, and the
coloring books they were given. One of the girls asked, "Did you
have to wear a swimming suit at your Honey Queen competition?"
Activities like these make this title just as glamours as it
sounds. Although challenging at times, I'm enjoying my
responsibilities as Honey Princess, and I'm looking forward to
many more opportunities this summer and fall.
I want to emphasize again that I'm interested in helping any
way I can--from a county fair to contacting media. Feel free to
ask for my assistance--I would be happy to help!
-Heather Pomeroy, 1993 American Honey Princess
HONEYS OF THE WEST PRESENTED TO SUNSET
The National Honey Board arranged a honey tasting for the
food editors of Sunset magazine in April.
"We wanted the editors to appreciate the many different
flavors and forms of honey," said Mary Humann, marketing director
for the National Honey Board.
Varieties presented included: Alaskan Fireweed, Buckwheat,
California Wild Buckwheat, Clover, Eucalyptus, Lehua, Macadamia
Nut, Mesquite, Orange Blossom, Safflower, Sage, Star Thistle and
Tupelo. The editors sampled these varieties as well as comb and
creamed honey.
FOR SALE: 3 2-story colonies. Call Gene Cluney in Pleasant Hill
phone: (515) 265-2819.
FOR SALE: 26 2-story colonies on H-frame hive stands, all
queenright $70 each, 64 - 6 5/58 supers on drawn comnb $10 each,
all excellent equipment. Total price $2460 (Sold as a unit). Call
Dan Mihal in Dubuque at (319) 582-8841
FOR SALE: 10 2-story colonies and 20 single story colonies, 70
medium depth supers, 24-frame extractor, wax melter, honey tank,
queen excluders and lots of other misc. beekeeping equipment.
Call Giffin Andrew at (515) 773-5471 in Grand River, Iowa.
1993 BID SHEET FOR HONEY
TO BE SOLD AT THE IOWA STATE FAIR SALES BOOTH
Bid on any or all items (state quantity you will supply and bid
price)
8 oz. jars--light honey_________________________________________
1 lb. jars--light honey_________________________________________
1 lb. jars combination--light honey
(liquid & comb together)__________________________________
2 lb. jars--light honey_________________________________________
5 lb. jars--light honey_________________________________________
Gallons--light honey____________________________________________
Antique jars--4 oz._____________________________________________
1 lb._____________________________________________
12 oz. bears--light honey_______________________________________
2 lb. bears--light honey________________________________________
1 lb. skep--light honey_________________________________________
Creamed honey--Regular__________________________________________
Cinnamon_________________________________________
Hard Candy--Multiple flavors____________________________________
Honey Stix--(Honey in plastic straws)___________________________
Beeswax bars-(1 oz.), (1.5 oz.), or (1 lb.)_____________________
Beeswax candles--dipped or poured_______________________________
Beeswax-other items_____________________________________________
Cut Comb Honey__________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Note: We need a substantial supply of cut comb honey in
plastic boxes and section comb honey. This item is usually in
short supply and thus bidding doesn't make sense. We will pay
$1.90 per unit. Please inform us if you can supply comb
honey._________________________________________________________
Honey from all suppliers must be 1993 crop Iowa Honey with
18.5% or less moisture content and excellent overall quality.
Winning bids will be based on price, quality and ability to
provide required quantity of product when needed.
Suppliers will be provided labels at no cost. Bids must be
received by June 10, 1993. Please sign the bid sheet and provide
address and phone numbers.
NAME
ADDRESS
PHONE ( )
RETURN TO: W. John Johnson
RR 4, Squaw Valley
Ames, Iowa 50010
(515) 232-6094
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