2017 ESHPA Summer Picnic

ESHPA 2017 Summer Picnic and
General Membership Meeting
July 22, 2017

Theme: Determining Hive Health

 

Picnic Date: July 22, 2017

Come join us at the 2017 ESHPA Summer Picnic at the famous Cornell Dyce Labs!  We’re going to do some hands-in-the-hive learning, play some beekeeping games, win door prizes, enjoy a good lunch and listen to the latest from Cornell bee researchers.

Location: Dyce Lab for Honey Bee Research, 209 Freese Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850

Cost: $25 – Doesn't include lunch (we're past the lunch registration deadline, sorry).  Walk in registration also available ($25).

Register online at ESHPA.org or use the coupon on page 2 of newsletter.

Our special program includes a chance to learn from expert beekeepers (veils are required for everyone approaching live hives.) Planned breakout sessions include:

  • “Varroa detection in the hive” taught by Emma Mullen, CCE Extension specialist

  • "Hive inspection basics" by Earl Villecco

  • “Supplemental feeding strategies using sugars and pollen” by Jim Doan, commercial beekeeper

  • “Making splits and nucs” taught by Dan Winters, commercial beekeeper

  • “Preparing for the Fall Meeting honey show in Ontario” by Jon Ryan, commercial beekeeper

  • “Nosema detection” by Christina Wahl

Agenda:

10:00am   Welcome by President Mark Berninghausen

10:15am   Speakers: Dr. Scott McArt, Department of Entomology Cornell University with an update on Cornell’s NY research programs,  and Emma Mullen, Cornell Honey Bee Extension Associate, on Varroa Mite Updates.

11:15am   General membership meeting

                    Lots of door prizes from Mann-Lake, Dadant and Brushy Mountain

12:00pm   Catered lunch and some fun beekeeper themed contests by Michelle Fuller

  1:00pm – 3:00 pm   Breakout Sessions (rotating 20 minute sessions)

SPEAKER BIOs

Scott McArt is an assistant professor of pollinator health at the Cornell Department of Entomology. Before starting at Cornell in 2014, he completed his Masters at the University of Alaska, PhD at Cornell and a postdoc at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Major current research projects include: 1) Assessing pesticide risk to bees across different landscape and agricultural contexts, 2) Evaluating the relative importance of pesticides, pathogens and other factors on colony performance, and 3) Understanding pathogen transmission in complex plant-pollinator networks. Current extension efforts include the NYS beekeeper tech team, training veterinarians on honey bee diseases as part of the new Veterinary Feed Directive and advising growers on pest control practices that minimize risk to bees.

Emma comes to us from Ontario, Canada, where she completed her Master’s degree in honey bee behavioral genetics at Western University and served as the campus beekeeper. She then worked at the University of Guelph, reporting to the Ministry of Agriculture on the status and trends of bee health in Ontario. ekm75@cornell.edu 

The ESHPA summer board meeting will be held at Dyce Labs the night before (July 21, 2017) at 4 pm followed by networking at a local micro-brewery.   All members are welcome to come to the board meeting and join the board for dinner afterward.

ESHPA Pollinator Seeds!

As a Beekeeper or as someone who enjoys the bees and natural pollinators, you often probably find yourself getting asked "How Can I Help" by someone you've been talking to. Here's one answer...by partnering with Ohio Prairie Nursery, the Empire State Honey Producers Association, Inc is offering high quality seeds that won't harm the environment or our pollinators. These seeds and seed mixes are designed for our region and many are natives to our region as well.

Ask your friends, family or interested people who ask how they can help to purchase seeds here using the provided promo code. Once planted, these seeds will help turn once empty areas into a paradise of forage that is healthy and native to our environment. Many areas once bountiful in quality forage are now lacking for many reasons. Just a quick look around and you can see the lack of flowers, weeds and other plants that once were a major part of our wild lands. By supporting this effort, we can once again have these forage areas back and help provide food to all pollinators.

When you clicked on the link back on our website that brought you here, a promo code was generated and shows below. When you purchase seeds from Ohio Prairie Nursery, be sure the promo code is added at checkout and a portion of the sale will be given to the Empire State Honey Producers Association, Inc. to help us continue striving for our mission and education efforts.

ESHPA Summer Picnic

  • Saturday, July 23, 2016
  • 10:00am 6:00pm

Come join us at the 2016 ESHPA summer picnic at the famous Cornell Dyce Labs! Bring a dish to pass and your bee veil. We're going to do some hands-in-the-hive learning and get a briefing on how we can aid bee research in NY.

Read More

The loss of Elwood "Buster" Smith

Elwood “Buster” Smith, 76, of Loris SC and Antwerp, NY, passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 22, 2016, surrounded by his family. Buster was well known for his love of his beekeeping business, his generous nature and his witty sense of humor.

Buster is predeceased by his first wife, Jeanne Murdock Smith of Antwerp, NY.

Buster is survived by his wife, Carol Ann Smith, Antwerp, NY. His three children, Daniel (Martha) of Florence, SC, Dana Smith of Palm Beach, FL and Diane McIlroy of Adams Center, NY. He is also survived by three step-children, Kim (Rick) Fiaschetti of Sackets Harbor, NY, Karen (Larry) Jobson of Brownville, NY and Kathryn (Jeffrey) Monaghan of Adams Center,NY, his brother Hoyt (Evonia) of Loris, SC., 11 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren and several nephews and nieces.

Buster will truly be missed by all whose lives he touched.

A service will be held in Loris, SC at the family convinces and a service and burial in Antwerp, NY in the Spring.

Loss of Apiculturalist Position at Cornell

Rumors are circulating that  Dr. Nicholas Calderone is retiring from Cornell. 

This is not a rumor!! 

It is true he will be departing this position and the Entomology department is debating how limited money for 2 new hirings should be partitioned.  It is disheartening that there is a push by our land grant university not to replace this valuable agricultural position at a time when our industry is still in the clutches of CCD and a time when we have so many newby beekeepers joining our ranks.

This position is the last (Apicultural) University Research & Extension position in the Northeast and Cornell has had a professor of apiculture for nearly 100 years.  New York  State had an estimated 45,000 hives in 2012 and was rated at number ten in honey production in the US (NASS, March 2012).  Pollination services adds an estimated $300,000,000 value to a 4.4 billion dollar agriculture income in New York.    To maintain a strong industry we need an educational program for new beekeepers, scientifically sound principles provided by extension program to address honey bee health problems and we need a basic research program to provide answers to honeybee disease, pollination ecology and genomic studies that may reveal solutions to future problems.

This position has produced a rich reputation through published research, training of students and post graduates and public service to apicultural  throughout New York and the entire USA.  This has been an important resource to the beekeeping industry, backyard beekeepers and to agriculture of New York.  Beekeepers, farmers and the New York economy need this position to help  maintain the numbers and health of honeybee colonies to continue providing the valuable resource of pollination for New York agriculture.  The entomology department, and Cornell University receives a benefit by maintaining this position because of the impact that basic and applied research and extension generates in this discipline and imparts on the lives and economy of New York. 

Should you and/or your local bee association choose to write a letter in support of the continuation of this position at Dyce Laboratory for Honey Bee Studies you should send a stamped addressed letter, (not email)  to both the department chair and the Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences soon!


Dr. Jeffery Scott
Department Chair
Cornell University
Department of Entomology
Comstock Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853

Dr. Kathryn J. Boor
CALS Dean's Office 260 Roberts Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853-590

The Beeman by Laurie Krebs and Valeria Cis

The Beeman by Laurie Krebs and Valeria Cis uses rhyming text and colorful illustrations to show all of the aspects of beekeeping. A young boy tells the story of how his grandfather produces honey, from the clothing he wears and the equipment he uses to the honey extraction process. Not only does this charming book explain the methods of honey production, but it also educates about the various types of bees and how they work together to produce this sweet agricultural product. The book concludes with six pages of additional information about bees, beekeeping techniques and equipment, honey, pollination, and bee dancing.