38 people in attendance

  • Many new members!
  • Membership update, as of today:
    • 5 Lifetime members
    • 43 paid members through 12/31/2023
      • 14 are new members
      • 29 are renewing members 
    • 94 members are currently listed as expired as of 12/31/2022 or 01/01/2023

Nathan reviewed the notes from the last board meeting. Additional notes:

  • We no longer have hives at the governor’s mansion. Alan Woods put them there this year. Would be good if the association could get them back this year, improve communication to make it happen.
  • Tenino Mayor offered a different site after we declined the first one – possibility, but maybe a better current option in Rochester
  • Looking for volunteers to work the booth at the Fair July 26-31
  • Need to add ongoing costs for the website to the budget – about $175 plus $15/month

Speaker tonight: Alan Woods, Woods Bee Co.

  • Representing WASBA – Washington State Beekeepers Association
  • We are in Region 2
  • WASBA is designed to help beekeeping clubs in every region of Washington, clubs are charged $1 per person per year for:
    • Club support
      • Supports legislative actions for the state (ex, passed legislation that beekeeper not liable if their bees sting someone)
      • Provide speakers for club meetings
      • Provide club development support ( ex, will start providing training for club officers)
      • Insurance support
    • Education
      • Provide education and certifications, master beekeeping will be ready end of year
      • Member clubs can teach our material
      • Will host workshops on the westside this year (schedule TBD)
      • Working on a mentorship program
    • Outreach committee
      • Club presidents are members of the outreach committee (David attended for OBA) on the WASBA board
      • Work with clubs on administrative actions and assist them in engaging their local community
    • Master’s committee
      • Comprised of master beekeepers in WASBA, but work independently of them
      • Currently working with WSU to develop the Master Certification
    • WASBA conference
      • Statewide beekeeper family fun day at the Medicine Creek Winery July 22 – free to bring your booth to sell equipment and honey
      • Honey judging contest at the state fair – will teach all the clubs how to examine and judge honey, want first place honey from every county to go to state, best in the state gets $250
      • Will have a big club of the year and a small club of the year with participation based on percentages (to be fair)
      • WASBA annual conference October 7 and 8 at the Hotel at Capitol Lake (in Olympia)
      • Will have beekeeper of the year – every club nominates one, prize is $250
      • Up to each club to decide if they want to be a member
      • 2 journeyman courses coming up – first one starting in May, if you have taken another apprenticeship class, you will have to take a 50-question test to get into the WASBA journeyman class
    • Veteran support – WASBA has partnered with Healing Through Hives (HTH) supported by Garden-Raised Bounty (GRUB) and the Veterans Ecological Trade Collective (VETC) to assist veteran beekeepers in getting verified as well as training them how to start a beekeeping business.
      • Veterans who start beekeeping will be reimbursed!
    • Alan offering 3 cards for free NUCs from Woods Bee Co – which are always deeps with lots of bees in them!
      • Also offers hands-on classes every other weekend for free training on what you should be doing at that time (ex, splitting bees, finding the queen, hive checks, etc.)
    • Follow Woods Bee Co on Instagram! Come out and split bees with us, timing depending on weather, around end of March
  • Jeff Ott – master beekeeper cohosts a podcast “Beekeeping Today” and “Honey bee obscure” – be sure to listen!
    • Working on a new intro to the podcast
  • Lynn Library update – books for the new folks:
    • Building bee hives for dummies
    • Hive management
    • Attracting native pollinators