Hi everyone,

Below is the tentative schedule for the Northeast Treatment Free Beekeeping Conference held July 31-Aug 2, 2009 in Leominster, Massachusetts.

There is a forum for attendees up at:
http://BeeUntoOthers.com/forum/

The forums include places to buy/sell registrations (for those that already purchased, but can no longer use their registration), hotel rooms to share, rides to share, and even a place for non attendees to post (The Peanut Gallery).  This will be the main point of contact for the conference, so if you are planning on coming, please sign up.

We have sold 70 registrations, and have a hard (fire code) limit of 150.  If you plan to attend, I'd suggest registering ASAP, as we are starting to get registrations from farmers market customers, and are presenting at the Mass State Beekeepers Field Day this coming weekend.

http://BeeUntoOthers.com/

Feel free to contact us with any questions.

Dean Stiglitz
Golden Rule Honey, LLC

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Tentative Conference Schedule

Friday, July 31, 12pm(exact times of programs TBD)

Lunch

Conference Overview and Synopsis – Dean (deknow) Stiglitz
Dean will give a comprehensive overview of the conference including a discussion of current problems beekeepers and the beekeeping industry face, the importance and significance of zero treatments, treatment free management practices and possible futures of beekeeping. We hope that as many attendees as possible will be able to hear this talk as it will provide orientation for the conference as a whole.

Microbes and the Honeybee – Laurie (Ramona) Herboldsheimer
Honeybee associated microorganisms are necessary for the health and proper functioning of the honeybee and hive. Ramona will discuss the relationships between these microorganisms with each other, and with the bees, as well as how the use of any treatment in the hive interferes negatively with these complex adaptive systems.

Politics of the Africanized Honeybee (AHB)
Dee Lusby will speak authoritatively on the history and politics of the Africanized honeybee. This talk is must for the education and empowerment of all beekeepers.

Dinner

Breeding Bees, Africa, Brother Adam and more- Erik Osterlund
In conjunction with his work with Brother Adam Erik has traveled extensively collecting genetics from bees from as far away as Africa (the Monticola Honeybee).

From Commercial Migratory to Stationary Top Bar Hives – Sam Comfort
Sam will share his journey through diverse worlds of beekeeping. If we’re lucky, we’ll hear his songs about bugs accompanied on what is rumored to be Brother Adam’s ukulele (!).

Saturday, August 1, 8 am on…

Breakfast

Regression, Retrogression and Acclimatization – Dee Lusby Dee will give an in depth talk on the importance and significance of proper cell size, breeding, and management of honeybees in a natural system. Practical steps will be outlined to help all beekeepers establish bees that are appropriate for their geographical area.

Breeding and Preparation for the Varroa Mite – Erik Osterlund
Erik will present his experience and advice with regard to selecting stock, breeding and management practices in preparation for the arrival of Varroa to his area in Sweden.

Lunch

Overwintering Nucs and Beekeeping in New England – Michael Palmer
Michael runs a highly respected commercial operation just south of the Canadian border. He will share the details of his many years of beekeeping experience dealing with long, cold winters and the unique environment we enjoy in New England.

“Everything Works If You Let It” – Michael Bush
Michael is well known on the internet for his elegant yet simple communication style. In this presentation he will share his philosophy and some of the more important lessons and practical tips he has learned in his many years of keeping bees. For all of us whose beekeeping “to do” list is too long, this talk will bring a welcome relief

Dinner

Honeybee Removals and Other Adventures – Pete Holtzen
Pete is one of the greatest storytellers we’ve met in a long time. He’ll share his unique approaches to bee removals and marketing guaranteed to entertain and inspire you, even if you never plan to ride a pennyfarthing!

Sunday, August 2, 8 am on…

Breakfast

Observation Hives – Michael Bush
Many important discoveries about bees have been made through the use of observation hives. Michael will present the history and evolution of the observation hive and its influence on modern beekeeping. He will also share his own experiences with observation hives and practical tips for setting up one of your own. We heard this talk in Arizona and loved it so much that we want to be able to hear it again.

Bee Photography – Dean (deknow) Stiglitz
Photography is a way that we can see learn things about our bees that are impossible to experience in real time with our naked eyes. Dean has been capturing some amazing images of honeybees and other pollinators that co-exist with them with a digital point-and-shoot camera. This talk will feature his photographs and some of the incredible things we’ve been able to learn about these insects with the aid of the camera and the computer. Most importantly, Dean will share some valuable “bee specific” tips and techniques for taking pictures of bees with the ubiquitous digital point and shoot.

Question and Answer Panel – All Speakers
While we will have the opportunity to ask questions throughout the conference, this will provide us with a chance to ask any final questions.

Conference is officially over at 1 pm on Sunday. However, we hope to be able to continue throughout the day in an informal manner for those who will be able to stay on. A nearby venue is TBD. We will post more on this as we have more details.

Hive Openings
Six hives have been installed on the venue property and will be available for viewing throughout the conference; schedule TBD.

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