Christchurch Hobbyist Beekeepers 50th Year!

Founded 1963

May 2014 Newsletter Inside Anniversary Dinner Bees in a Wall AGM Recipe ...and More!

It's hard to believe the year has gone so fast and the last Field Day is on our doorstep. It has been an eventful year with our 50 Year Celebrations, Field Days, Training Days and site improvements Our 50th celebration dinner went off in great style with 82 people present including Jeremy and Charlotte Foate as Special Guests standing in for the Van Ash Family. We all enjoyed the wonderful dinner and an amazing cake created and decorated by Helen English. A special treat was the solo musical interlude by Rob McLean on his Harmonica. Rob played Danny Boy and When The Saints Go Marching In among others. It was fantastic - he had everyone buzzing .... Brian Busch was presented with his life membership in recognition of his ongoing contribution to the Club; and we all took home some goodies from a special bag on the table. Thanks to our sponsors, Ecroyd Beekeeping supplies, Beeline supplies, Whittaker's chocolate, Alpine Forest Honey and Warehouse Stationery. We had a great turn out to our field trip to Doug Horne's honey processing plant at Styx Apiary in Oxford on Sunday 1 3 April. 60 members turned up and were treated to a perspective of the bigger picture of commercial beekeeping. This coming field day will be a celebration day with tree planting to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the club. Our special guest will be David Penrose, the founder of the Club and first President, who will plant a commemorative tree. I look forward to seeing you all there. Keep your bees well fed during the coming months! Jeff Robinson

President's Report

Chakra Sisters Bee Products

See text on last page

50th Anniversary Dinner Images...

Courtesy of David Alexander, Photographer

Our own Helen English with her wonderful creation.

Inviting table settings for the big occasion.

Our Life Members cut the cake (L to R: Henry Tenhow, Bill Gates, Eleanor Poynton, Rob McLean).

A harmonica interlude from Rob McLean.

Helen presenting our gift for the van Asch family to Jeremy and Charlotte Foate.

Jeff Robinson, our President, honours Brian Busch with Life Membership.

At the Dinner

A magical scene greeted the guests at Riccarton Park Events Centre. Helen English and her team of workers had transformed the room with balloons, goodie bags, bee stickers and a beautiful cake into a suitable venue for the Club's Banquet to celebrate its 50th Jubilee. There were speeches from our President, Jeff Robinson, who presented Brian Busch with his Life Membership, spot prizes, presentations to members of the Committee. Kevin Gates, Jeff Chandler and Grant Jarvis' annual contribution to the Club's stand at the A&P Show was recognised with a special gift. Sandy Jamieson won the competition to guess the weight of the honey in the jar. We all also had ample opportunity to talk bee-talk with Club Members old and new. Music was provided by a trio from CPIT Music Department, and Rob McLean entertained us on the Harmonica. It was great to see so many people from out of town - including our spopnsors from Beeline Supplies in Mosgeil. Thanks to all who made the special effort to attend! Unfortunately, no one from the van Asch family was able to attend. However, Jeremy and Cheryl Foate accepted our gift of glasses (with Napoleonic bee mouldings) on their behalf in recognition of the family's generosity in allowing the Club to use the site. Access to the site has been a key factor ensuring the longevity of the Club.

March and April Field Days

These Field Days were held as usual at the Club Site. The focus of these sessions has been on honey extraction and wintering down of hives. We also discussed treatments for varroa, and carried out the usual hive inspections. Your Newsletter Editor had his arm twisted, and worked Hive No 2. The first time I had worked a hive bare-handed! I only got stung once!

The Editor working Hive No 2...

Swarm at the Old Stables!!

Videoclip of bees going into the wall: http://youtu.be/eapef31uo-g

5th April 2014 - Michael and Jo visited Oldstables Garden Centre, Yaldhurst. Those are bees going into the wall under the window! They need relocating... Call in Kevin Gates to get them out!

23 April 2014 - after a spell of foul weather, our intrepid hero starts the job!

It's a big one! We counted four separate combs in the wall cavity!

Looks quite healthy - brood, pollen, nectar and honey. Quite a lot of varroa, though with some deformed wings. Couldn't find the queen though!

We put the comb between empty frames in a nuc box, and left the box by the hole in the wall, hoping that bees and queen will move into their new home...

25 April 2014 - Two days later - still trying to find the queen and persuade the bees to move home. Kevin will make a glass sided inspection hive for the Oldstables customers to watch the colony.

Annual General Meeting and Honey Show

This year's AGM and Honey Show will be held on Saturday 23rd August at 1 .30pm . The venue will be St Anne's Church Hall, cnr

Wilson's and Centaurus Rds, Woolston.

Guest Speaker to be arranged.

This year a number of Committee Members and Office Holders are standing down, including our President and Secretary - both of whom have given the Club sterling service. It's thus doubly important for as many members as possible to attend.
Library Reminder

Helen English, our current Secretary, is eager to receive nominations for the Committee. She can be reached through helen.english@scorch.co.nz.
Coming Events DECA Course to recognise AFB

If you have finished with books you may have borrowed PLEASE Return Them!

This is happening on 1 0th May, and registration closed on 25th April. For information on future courses, contact Jeff Chandler 741 1 994, jchandler38@gmail.com

We have some great souvenir items for sale - Jeff Robinson is shown selling T-shirts, and wearing one of our Anniversary Caps. We have other items too! Check them out at the next Field Day! Don't forget to pay your subs! Payment ($25) may be made by internet banking to the clubs account at Westpac Bank number 03-0767-0323307-00 (remember to include your name and apiary number in the particulars field) or by mail to the Treasurer - Kerry Kearney - at 28 Fairway Drive, Shirley, Christchurch 8061 . To save club funds receipts will not be posted unless requested. The committee encourages you to pay the sub as soon as possible. If you pay your sub before June, you will be
covered till June 2015!

50th Anniversary Commemorative Items

From our Treasurer - Subscriptions- Special Offer!

We now have 171 Members WOW!!

Visit to Styx Apiaries, Oxford on Sunday 13 April.

Approximately 60 people sallied forth on a dull 1 3th April to make their way to Oxford - the goal was Doug Horne's honey extraction facility at Styx Apiaries. Helen English commented that it was really interesting to see the size of the plant, and to watch it at work. The workers were busy extracting high-value Manuka honey; and Helen was impressed by the compressed air technique used to make the extraction easier. Beekeepers know about the health benefits claimed for propolis. The American National Institutes of Health rates propolis as "possibly effective" for treating cold sores, genital herpes, and post-surgery mouth pain. Currently, there is "insufficient evidence" to rate the effectiveness of propolis in treating canker sores, tuberculosis, common colds and other infections, nose and throat cancer, improving the immune response, ulcers, stomach and intestinal disorders, wounds, inflammation, minor burns, or other conditions. (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propolis) Notwithstanding this, many beekeepers promote propolis as a health-promoting bee product. Propolis is sticky, and some people do not like the way it sticks to the teeth. Propolis tincture is a way of avoiding this problem. This recipe is adapted from https://hiveandhoneybeepothecary.wordpress.com/201 3/04/1 7/how-wemake-propolis-oil-and-tincture/comment-page-1 /. There is also a recipe for propolis oil at the same site. For 1 0% propolis tincture, mix 1 part of propolis by weight with 9 parts of 37% or stronger alcohol in a screw topped container (ensure that the lid, if metal and not stainless, is well coated to ensure that the alcohol does not come into contact with the metal). Shake, and store in a dark place for a couple of weeks, shaking at least daily. At the end of this time, strain through muslin, or use a coffee filter and store in a dark glass bottle. I have not tested this recipe personally, but would probably keep the alcohol propolis mix in a yoghurt maker to speed up the extraction process. Some of the benefits claimed for propolis include: antibacterial action, lowering blood pressure, use against warts etc (http://www.bee-pollenbuzz.com/health-benefits-of-propolis.html).
Recipe - Propolis Tincture

Saturday 3 May, 12.30pm (weather permitting) At the Club Site - Cashmere Rd, Kennedys Bush, Christchurch 8025

Next Field Day

Final Meeting for our Jubilee Year!

Barbeque - bring a plate, some salad, and cutlery Tree Planting with Special Guest David Penrose first President of the Club Wintering down of hives Dealing with issues over winter
The Committee

One can

no more approach people without love than one can approach bees without care. Such is the quality of bees... - Leo Tolstoy

Image from: https://www.etsy.com/nz/listing/1 03730030/bees-beehive-honey-on-keep-calm-and

The Chakra Sisters are a family business based in Christchurch. Their motto is Inspire, Uplift, Empower, and they design t-shirts and gemstone jewellery. They are passionate about their creations and preserving the Environment, and decided to combine both to raise public awareness as well as funds to help the declining numbers within the bee population. Their latest creation is a beautiful bracelet called Bee Aware. Bee Aware features a bee charm, with semi- precious gemstones of carnelian and yellow calcite. The bracelet is priced at $35 with $5 from the sale of each bracelet being donated to the National Beekeepers Association. They can be purchased from www.chakrasisters.co.nz or by emailing sales@chakrasisters.co.nz. You will also see from the website that their latest t shirt design is called Just Bee. The message is a simple one; Time to stop the rush Time to enjoy each moment of life JUST BEE!