At the summer meeting of the Vermont Beekeepers Association (VBA) on August 12, 2023, Andrew Munkres, was recognized as the VBA’s Beekeeper of the Year. Few people have had the positive impact on apiculture in Vermont as Andrew Munkres. It’s important to note that the following is only a partial description of the extent of his workload and accomplishments.
For many years, Andrew has made great contributions to the Vermont Beekeepers Association, Vermont beekeepers, and the practice of apiculture in Vermont. It’s not exaggerating to state that his experience and knowledge of the practice and politics of apiculture is encyclopedic. This makes him an especially effective as an educational speaker and unquestionably credible in the broader political and state policy realm.
The Agency of Agriculture is requesting information from farms and organizations who were impacted by the flooding and severe weather that occurred between July 7 and 18. The purpose of this survey is to capture the type and scale of the damage suffered by agricultural producers in the state.
Survey data will be used to inform response efforts, effectively allocate resources, and advocate for future relief and recovery programs.
The survey should take between 5 and 10 minutes to complete and will remain open until August 28, 2023. Link to survey: https://forms.office.com/g/VXfb1jGTc4
Dear VBA members,
The VBA Tunbridge Fair Committee is again soliciting honey (and other bee-related products) to be sold at the Fair.
This activity is the largest annual fund-raiser and promotional event for the VBA. To make this process both fair and simple, we have a few guidelines for your submissions:
Internationally known beekeeper Mike Palmer, who began beekeeping in 1974, was celebrated this week in an article published by the St. Albans Messenger. The story tells of a group of 25 beekeepers who helped Mike search for queens and gives a good overview of his contributions to beekeeping.
You can read the story here.
VBA Members will be asked to vote on the proposed budget for the 2023-24 year at the upcoming VBA Summer Meeting on August 12th in South Strafford, VT.
The proposed slate of officers, as submitted by the Nominating Committee (Jeff Battaglini, Bill Mares, and Samantha Alger) include:
Remember to register for the meeting!
Dear Beekeepers,
First of all, we hope that you are safe during this significant flooding event.
We are hearing reports of flooded and washed away apiaries. Beekeepers experiencing these losses may qualify for support through the USDA FSA ELAP program.
Farmers should assess damages Field by Field and Crop by Crop and reach out to their local USDA Service Centers.
Lincoln Sennett will be our featured speaker at the August 12 Summer Meeting in Strafford, VT. He is a co-owner of Swan’s Honey located in Albion, Maine. This beekeeping operation manages 3,000 – 4,000 colonies between Georgia and Maine. They offer pollination services, nuc sales, and produce and pack their own varietal honeys, including Tupelo, Sourwood, Wild Raspberry, Wild Blueberry, Clover, and Buckwheat.
The 2023 summer meeting of the Vermont Beekeepers Association will be held on Saturday, August 12 at the Barrett Memorial Hall in Strafford, VT.
Directions from most places: I-89 Vermont Exit 2, take Rt. 132 East for about 6.5 miles. Barrett Memorial Hall is located at the junction of Rt. 132 and the Justin Morrill Memorial Highway in Strafford. See the location picture below. If you’re using GPS or mapping apps, the physical address is 248 VT Rte 132, S. Strafford, VT.
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