Attendees: Nathan, David, Camy, Mohan, Kristina 

Finances and Grant

  • Used some of the grant funds to purchase HiveIQs and different types of Langstroth-based hives for demonstration/education at the apiary
  • Nathan applied for the Whole Foods grant for kids outreach, which is awarding a big observation hive (or $1500)

Membership

  • ~150 paid members
  • Post card campaigns
    • Renew membership for the year
    • Reminder to folks to take advantage of their membership
  • Still need to edit the automatic emails we send out?
    • WordPress website has a Memberships Pro plugin that we have a lifetime membership for – functionality includes an automatic welcome email when someone initially signs up, signs them up for the Beeline, reminds them each year to renew
    • Possible to set up listservs for certain topics?

Board changes/elections

  • Treasurer – three people are interested in filling the Treasurer spot; Charlie, Melissa, Pamela
  • Board of Directors
    • President: Nathan Allan
    • Vice President: Bryan Henn
    • Treasurer: Open
    • Secretary: Camy Naasz
    • Education Coordinator: Gail Booth
    • Membership Coordinator: Kristina Tucker
    • Outreach Coordinator: Mohan Raj
  • Committees
    • Library Committee: Open
    • Mentorship Committee: David Hughes
    • Apiary Committee: Bryan Henn

Apiary

  • Freedom Farmers just got funding for infrastructure improvements that likely mean needing to move the apiary to a different location on the farm
    • Holding off on the idea of doing the dome, thinking a yurt is smarter at this time instead (cheaper and easier to move, could still host a 20-person class)
    • If we move the apiary, we will take the opportunity to install a better base/ground surface (gravel, pavers, the less maintenance required the better)
  • Need more people to help at the apiary
    • Schedule a regular Apiary Committee meeting?
  • No internet access yet, cameras save to card – more potential for internet after the move

Education

  • Upcoming class schedule – apprentice class likely in Winter, the wait list has 23 people on it already.
  • Any other classes that we could hold at the apiary (aside from apprentice)?
    • Limit to 5-6 people
    • Queen rearing – Deborah is in to co-teach with Bryan
    • Pollinator plants, relationship between gardening and beekeeping

Website and Beeline

  • Beeline – currently has 777 subscribers!
  • Website maintenance
    • Has been slow and payments for the class were timing out for about half the people
    • Do we need to switch to a different host – look at what the Paid Membership Pro recommends – pay someone to do all necessary backups and upgrades