All-- Thanks to all of you who participated in the newsletter naming contest!  The winner is Brent Edelen of Grampa's Gourmet Honey with the suggestion of "High Country Bee".  Brent has generously, but unnecessarily, donated his winnings back to CSBA for beverages for the next meeting. Done! April went screaming by in a flash with the weather being pretty much magnificent for the entire month.  For the first time in years, I actually feel fairly caught up.  I feel this to be a combination of two factors.  One, I had low winter...

All-- It has been a busy month with the arrival of this early spring!  All of the newbees are busy pounding together equipment and eagerly anticipating their package arrivals.  All of the old bees have been busy with bee yard maintenance.  In my case, this consists of pulling feeders (and putting in honey frames, if needed), reversing hive bodies, hive maintenance including the removal of old comb, removing burr comb, cleaning out the bottom boards, and substituting freshly painted and constructed equipment for that in the field...

All-- The warm weather of the past couple of weeks should have allowed you to observe all of your hives and to assess winter losses.  Hobbyists are severely under-represented in data collection in this state and nationwide.  If you are a hobbyist, this is your one chance to stand up and bee counted!  Please be sure to participate in the Bee Informed Partnership survey!  http://beeinformed.org/ This is also the time of year when the calls begin coming in about bees in my....chicken feed, compost (for coffee grounds),...

Boy, after a February like that, who needs January!  An absolute role reversal for the months, in my opinion.  I was able to get two-thirds of my bees onto feeders before the weather struck back--that was actually January.  The final third are all running a field test for me as I have been unable to get out to them since.  Cross my fingers! No matter what, we are going to know who survived and who did not.  This year, I hope you all choose to participate in the Bee Informed Partnership Survey.  http://beeinformed.org/participate/ ...

Welcome to the inaugural newsletter from the president.  I think it is important that everyone is kept aware of industry issues and, beginning right now, I will start a monthly newsletter.  I am thinking that a contest to name the newsletter would be fun.  So—email me at president@coloradobeekeepers.org with your entries by March 1st and the Executive committee will render a decision on the entries by March 15th.  Winner will get to be the editor—just kidding.  Winner will take away $25.  Good Luck! February, to me, is a beekeeping...