Jim Tew, Kim Flottum and Michael Bush Tulsa OK March 19-20

[NeilV]

We have added a fourth speaker, Dr. Charles Abramson from Oklahoma State University. He is in the psychology dept., and he studies learning/conditioning behavior in insects. He has devised some experiments which suggest that chemicals that are "safe" for bees appear to have adverse effects on their behavior. Should be something different and interesting.

Hope to see some more Beesourcers there. Here is the whole schedule:

BIG BEE BUZZ, MARCH 19-20, 2010
SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 2010

5:30 p.m. Registration

6:00 p.m. Opening Announcements/Welcome

6:15 p.m. Dr. Jim Tew – The Honeybee’s Place in the “Green” Movement

7:00 p.m. Let’s Eat!!! – Bar-B-Que Dinner (meat courtesy of Beesource's very own Mr. Hambone)

7:45 p.m. Kim Flottum – Producing Varietal and Artisan Honey to Boost Honey Sales

8:30 p.m. Ed Levi – Sustainable Beekeeping Through Genetics – An Important Step in Integrated Pest Management


SATURDAY, MARCH 20, 2010

8:30 a.m. Registration

9:00 a.m. Dr. Jim Tew – The Natural Bee Nest

9:45 a.m. Break

10:00 a.m. Dr. Charles Abramson, Oklahoma State Univesity – Betty the Boozing Bee: Studies In How “Safe” Chemicals Affect Bee Behavior

10:45 a.m. Break

11:00 a.m. Ed Levi – IPM Beekeeping – Working Towards Chemical-Free Beekeeping

11:45 a.m. Potluck Lunch

1:00 p.m. Kim Flottum – Using Nucs For Better Beekeeping

1:45 p.m. Break

2:00 p.m. Dr. Jim Tew – Good Bees In Bad Places

2:45 p.m. Break

3:00 p.m. Panel Discussion Free-For-All, Covering All Topics, Including CCD Update

3:45 p.m. Auction and Raffle

4:00 p.m. Adjourn

[NasalSponge]

Looks great!! Very exciting! Thx to all you Tulsa beeks for all the hard work to get all this together.

And to Hambone for coming all that way too cook dinner!!

[fuzzybeekeeper]

Neil,

What are the chances that someone could video or at least audio record some of the sessions?

I can't attend because of some medical appointments for my wife, but I would love to hear some of the topics.

I have the capability to duplicate CD's and DVD's and could do it very inexpensively if someone could to the taping. I am sure there are others on Beesource that would pay a nominal fee for copies of the presentations. What does everyone think?

Let me know if you feel like this is feasible.

Fuzzybeekeeper

[NeilV]

I don't think that would be a problem, if somebody else could handle the recording aspect. I do not have that sort of equipment. Any volunteers? (I'll also bring this up with the speakers to make sure they don't mind and will talk to the othe NEOBA folks about it.)

[Hambone]

And to Hambone for coming all that way too cook dinner!!

Not anymore. I got a good kick in the nads this morning. Gotta work that Thurs and Fri. Spring Break week-end is not working in my favor. I am not happy right now. I do apologize to the BBB.

[NasalSponge]

Dude....what a bummer!! I was actually worried when I saw the post before I opened it that it might be bad news. Sorry to hear you won't be there!!

[NeilV]

But there still will be food. Of that I am certain.

[NasalSponge]

Is there a website to pre-register??

[NeilV]

We talked about doing that, but nobody got it set up. But you don't need to preregister. Just show up.

[NasalSponge]

Thx...I will be there.

[okiequeenbee]

Too bad that Hambone won't bee at the Buzz, but Bullseye and I will bee there and bring plenty of the good beverage to pass around. Looking forward to seeing everyone again, and the new faces.

[NasalSponge]

Sitting in a hotel room in Tulsa looking forward to Friday eve and realizing I forgot my camera!

[steveo_uk]

Really wanted to go to this. I have to work.

[Hambone]

Hope all gos well. Weather report is not good for the area.

[okiequeenbee]

This first evening was great speakers and even better food. Sure wish someone would have drove on up. It's Oklahoma, who knows what the weather will do - besides that, the next day it will be summer again. Looking forward to tomorrow.

[Michael Palmer]

Would someone post a brief of Kim's talk on using nucs for better beekeeping? I'd like to be there but time and $$ and too many apiaries to feed will keep me here in Vermont. Thanks.

[NasalSponge]

Well, I gave into my fears and bailed (after getting texts from a coworker admonishing me to come home) and as I look out the window this AM I am certainly glad I did as far as not being stuck in Tulsa, however it was very disappointing to miss the rest of the meeting. It was great to meet Neil and I saw Bullseye and Okiequeen from across the room but didn't get to talk. Did you get your extractor sold?? Who new we would get a blizzard on the first day of spring in Okla.?

[NeilV]

Michael P,

I asked Kim how to respond to this. What he said was that he basically took a lot of ideas that he heard you present and modified them to encourage hobbiest beekeepers to keep nucs. He said you would not have learned much from him, because a lot of the ideas originated with you. He is very complementary of you as a beekeeper and teacher. FWIW, your ideas as retold by Kim make me want to make up a couple of nucs.

Neil

P.S. Any chance I could talk you into coming down here to be a presenter (hopefully on a weekend with less snow)?

[NeilV]

The snow definitely hurt the attendance, but we still did okay. We had 107 friday evening. I did not get an exact attendance for Saturday, but I'd guess about 90 were there, with some people who were not there in friday showing up saturday.

The speakers were great, the food was good and the company was excellent. Nice to see Ms. Okiequeenbee (who may need to change her name to Kansanqueenbee) and Bill. Also got to meet Arkansas Beekeeper and NasalSponge. Of course, the other Bill (MagnetMan) was also in attendance. I probably missed somebody in this list of Beesourcers, sorry if I did.

Also, our club passed the resolution to support the BSA Merit Badge project, and Kim Flottum made some agreements that will be bringing Bee Culture Magazine into the effort very soon.

Thanks for everybody who came, and I hope to see you again next year along with some I have not gotten to meet in person yet (Mr. Hambone, for example).

Neil

[Michael Palmer]

P.S. Any chance I could talk you into coming down here to be a presenter (hopefully on a weekend with less snow)?

Sure, but not during the active bee season. November to April is best.
Mike