Aaron Morris, of SABA and VBA Passes
Aaron W. Morris 66, passed away on Sunday, January 3, 2021. Known to many in the Vermont Beekeepers Association, he taught many beekeeping classes throughout the northeast including Cornell University. He was a member of Empire State Honey Producers, and the Southern Adirondack Beekeepers Association (SABA), holding numerous positions. He was also a member of VBA.
Bill Mares writes, "Aaron's death is a sad moment for beekeepers world-wide. He was a champion herder of the "cats" on BEE-L. His mind was clear as a bell, even if his home gave a new definition to the word "cluttered." He had a generosity of spirit and a restless curiosity we'll all miss. The last time I spoke to him, he enthused about a drone he'd bought to do his early spring out-yard inspections when his truck couldn't negotiate the mud."
In Memory of Bill Taft
Longtime Vermont beekeeper Bill Taft died on December 21, 2020. 
Bill Taft at the South Yard
For close to 40 years, Bill was an accomplished and committed beekeeper, and he would help anyone at any time.
When the South Yard workshops were revived seven or eight years ago, Bill was co-instructor, and his beekeeping experience and wisdom had a positive effect on hundreds of students.
Above all, Bill was a quintessential Vermonter, somewhat of an endangered species these days; and he will be missed.
The Potential of Propolis in the Fight Against Covid-19
As I sit down to write this article some 900,000 people have died world-wide as a result of Covid-19. The disease is associated with the development of pneumonia, serious breathing problems as the lungs fill with fluid, and heart failure.
The United States leads the rest of the globe in Caronavirus related deaths, with the American death toll at 190,000 and climbing. We have less than 5 percent of the world’s population but have experienced over 20 percent of the world’s Covid-19 deaths despite being the country with the most expensive and supposedly best health care system in the world.
In the midst of this dire situation comes a review of the healing properties of propolis and its potential use in treating Covid-19 that appears in the November issue of Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy. We already know that propolis ramps up the immune response of honey bees when they are exposed to pathogens, but now it appears increasingly likely that propolis may be able to do something similar for us humans.
The Beauty of Black & White
Black and white photography can force you to focus on the subject without the distraction often brought by color.
© 2020 - Scott Wilson
Winners Announced
VBA members attending our first virtual annual meeting last Saturday were eligible to be entered into two contests.
in the random drawings, Jim Jarvis won a one-year extension to his VBA membership for his honey label. (We requested members submit labels to share their designs. They will be posted in a gallery on the website shortly. Jim's label is at the right.)
Judith Graves is the winner of our other contest. She receives a pair of VBA beer mead glasses which will be shipped to her.
Congratulations to both winners!
VBA Updated By-Laws Approved
Members attending the Vermont Beekeepers Association's virtual "summer" meeting this past Saturday, October 17th, approved changes to the organizations by-laws to include, among other things, a new Member-at-Large director seat. That seat is being filled by new-to-the-board Laura Johnson.
The updated by-laws are available online for review.
The VBA's new leadership roles are being fulfilled by these volunteers:
President: Andrew Munkres
Vice President: Jeff Battaglini
Treasurer: Richard Roy
Recording Secretary: Fred Putnam
Membership Secretary: Darci Benoit
Director At Large: Laura Johnson
Immediate Past President: Jack Rath
State Apiculturist: Brooke Decker
Advisory Board Members: Bill Mares, Mike Palmer, Chas Mraz, Samantha Alger, Greg Smela, Kim Greenwood
Meet Darci Benoit
Darci Benoit is VBA's new Membership Secretary seat. She was nominated to replace outgoing secretary Scott Wilson.
Meet Jeff Battaglini
Jeff Battaglini is VBA's new Vice-President. He replaces Andrew Munkres who is VBA's new President effective October 17.
Jeff started his beekeeping journey years before he brought his first hive home. He noticed there were very few pollinators around the native Vermont landscape. So he started researching bees and talking to local beekeepers. He joined the Vermont Beekeepers Association (VBA) and all the local beekeeping clubs he could find. Jeff also started taking beekeeping classes and broke ground on his apiary site in October 2014.
