Regarding Peter Watt's question about membership costs and benefits of
local beekeeping associations:
Annual membership dues in the Nebraska (USA) Beekeepers Association is
$12.  Members receive the association's monthly newsletter, the
"Beeline," and the quarterly "Bee Tidings" published by the University
of Nebraska Cooperative Extension Service.  The association meets on
the second Saturday of each month.  Most meetings include an expert
guest speaker.  The association's activities include workshops,
support of the University's beginner and "Master" beekeeping classes,
and extensive involvement in the Nebraska State Fair.  The association
has recently established an endowment fund through the University of
Nebraska Foundation "to help fund the beekeeping efforts in the
Department of Entomology...(to) help ensure that honeybee research at
UNL is continued for a long time...an expendable fund to help all
students..."
--Rog Flanders