This is from Dee Lusby:
I will update this as more information becomes available. Hope to see you all there.
--------------------------As the Organic Beekeepers Yahoo.com discussion group has now grown in numbers to over 1,600+ members, we have put together our first meeting for an American beekeepers association, for beekeepers into organic beekeeping, to come together to associate for clean sustainable beekeeping with "NO" treatments.
Meeting to be held in Oracle, Arizona at the YMCA Triangle Y Ranch Camp and Retreat Center 15-17 February 2008. Arrival checkin time is 12:00PM, noon, 15 Feb, with departure checkout time 2:00PM 17 Feb. Fee for meeting, to be paid in advance, is $80.00 per individual, that covers 3 days of talks with speakers, two nights lodging in cabins (dormitory style 6 bunks, 2 singles per cabin, in 4-5 cabin groupings), including 6 meals. Men to be lodged seperate from women, with limited family type lodging available for those bringing children and or husbands/wives not wishing to be seperated, but willing to share cabins.Vendors welcomed, with "No" additional charge for vendors other then normal lodging costs for meeting/catered meals.
The meeting will start Friday afternoon with Friday Night Hello's/Dinner; run all day Saturday, and thru Sunday afternoon checkout time. Friday night Hello/s will also have speakers, along with Saturday night dinner.
Three conference meeting areas will be used with those attending rotating around throughout the three day affair. Hawkins Hall (60-80+ seating), Sportsman's Hall (100-150 seating), and Green Retreat conference rooms A/B (80-100 seating).
Speakers so far confirming are: Michael Bush (overseeing the Sportsman's Hall) for talks on Bee Breeding, along with Dee Lusby, and Randy Quinn (worked with Dadants starline/midnight breeding program), with 2 as yet still unconfirmed speakers. Scott McPherson (overseeing the Hawkins Hall) for talks on various Top Bar Hives and their management, with 1 as yet still unconfirmed speaker. Dean "Deknow" (overseeing the Green Retreat Conference rooms A/B) for talks on Organic Beekeeping as to what it means, how we fit into the larger world of beekeeping, and where we go from here with future planning, Along with Dee Lusby helping at times, and 1 as yet still unconfirmed speaker.
During Friday's afternoon signing in (from 2:00PM noon till 1 hour before nights dinner) a basic workshop of interest will be available; along with Sunday morning until Lunch (checkout time 2:00PM).
For more information see: http://www.tucsonymca.org or visit Organic Beekeepers at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/organicbeekeepers. For payment of registration per person of $80, due in advance of attending, send to Organic Beekeepers % Dee Lusby, HC 65, Box 7450, Amado, Arizona 85645, with stamped self address envelop (2-stamps) for returning receipt and more information on YMCA to sender. Phone for more information (Dee Lusby) is 1-520-398-2474 eve concerning reservations.
In addition, please call Cindy Lindow for help with discount Airline Tickets with Confirmation number A0628AA.The code will give you 5% off your ticket price. Phone Number is: 810-329-6641.
For general information concerning the meeting other contacts are Joe Waggle (Penn) 724-694-5756, Scott McPherson (Ind) 563-324-0848, Keith Malone (Alaska) 907-688-0588, John Moerschbacher (Canada) 403-288-2829
I will update this as more information becomes available. Hope to see you all there.