Linn Benton Beekeepers Association
Local Learning, Support & Fun
This months speaker is Darren Morgan from Shonnard’s Nursery with the topic “Economical Ornamentals for Bee Forage”.
He will cover ornamental flowering plants that are readily available and relatively easy to grow from seeds and bulbs. Discussion topics will include: annuals (reseeding and not); perennials from seed and from bulb; native options; and a quick overview of some relevant plant options by bloom season.
This month our speaker will be Dillon Blankenship.
With the completion of his undergraduate studies at Hendrix College in Arkansas, Dillon embarked on a year of independent travel and research sponsored by the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. From July 2012 to August 2013, he explored local beekeeping practices in Europe, Africa, and Asia (the native range of honey bees) in hope of finding ways to overcome some of today’s most pressing apicultural problems. In his time abroad, he studied natural beekeeping in the United Kingdom and Germany, learned about extensive beekeeping and log hives in Tanzania, witnessed the most ancient apicultural traditions in Egypt, experienced four different honey bee species in India, and climbed to treetop beehives in the rugged forests of Russia. He will share stories and lessons from his journey.
This months topic is on “Getting Into Beekeeping” or “To Bee or Not To Bee?“.
Our speakers will be Amber Reese, Mike Rodia and Art Martinak.
This talk will discuss equipment needed to start beekeeping along with costs, the time commitments to expect with your bees and also hive placement. Also, the new state laws will be discussed in regard to hive placement.
If you have have friends, neighbors or relatives that have talked about taking up beekeeping, this would be the meeting for them.
There is no meeting in December. Enjoy the holidays and we’ll see you in 2018.
Our next meeting is Wednesday, January 17th. Our talk will be covering the needs and things to think about to when you start beekeeping. If you have friends, relatives or co-workers have talked about starting to keep bees, this would be a great meeting for them to attend. We’ll discuss costs, hive placement and the commitment required for beekeeping.
This months speaker will be Mark Luterra.
Mark Luterra has been making mead since 2009 and keeping bees since 2011. He has, to date, made 53 five-gallon batches of mead using mostly honey from his own apiary and any apples, pears, quince, peaches, berries, and rose petals he can get his paws on. He has found that many people who say they don’t like mead enjoy his fermentations, which are typically less sweet and more wine-like than commercial offerings. Mark is currently fermenting eight meads including a quince-nectarine blend, a cyser made with bitter, astringent cider apples, and a traditional mead made with a unique vanilla-toned honey that might be meadowfoam. He will be presenting on the basics and not-so-basics of making delicious mead at home. He much prefers discussing to lecturing, so bring your questions and recipe ideas.
Here is a pdf slideshow from Mark’s talk on 11/15/2017. (The file is 1.6mb so it may take a moment to download)