Promoting beekeeping in Door County
Max's Minute - Archives provides helpful insights and tips for managing your beekeeping throughout the year, as well as a look into the monthly activities of the Door County Beekeepers Club. These posts are provided by Max Martin, co-president of the DCBC, and initially appear on the Home page for timely aid during the various beekeeping seasons. Visit our Home page often to see the latest Max's Minute.
May 27, 2019 – The May meeting of Door County Beekeepers Club will be held at the Crossroads in Sturgeon Bay at 6:30pm on Tuesday, May 28th.
Topic: Maintaining Your Bees Against Disease
Presenter: State Apiary Inspector Dan Ziehli
If you have questions concerning your bees there will be an open forum to ask questions during the presentation.
May 20, 2019 – Members, if you would like to have our State Bee Inspector, Dan Ziehi, inspect your hives (I highly recommend this) please email Dennis Marquardt at dennisMarquardt1929@gmail.com.
Dan Ziehli will be in Door County on May 27th & 28th. Please indicate the date, the address location of your hives and your phone number when contacting Dennis.
Dan will also be our speaker on May 28th at Crossroads.
March 15, 2019 – Our March meeting will be held on January 22 at 6:30pm at the Peninsular Ag Research Station Classroom, 4312 Highway 42 in Sturgeon Bay.
Topic: Honey Color, the How and Why, and their Plants
Presenter: Kent Pegorsch
Kent is the president of the Wisconsin Honey Producers Association (WHPA). His program will cover honey flavors and color from different nectar sources. Kent will also have a collection of honey from around the world that he will provide samples and share. He will conclude his program with a brief overview of the WHPA and the benefits of membership.
February 26, 2019 – Hope you got a chance to get out and check on your hives during this last Friday and Saturday (February 22nd and 23rd) warm-up! All my hives have hard candy above the top frames. I had a disappointment in losing a hive, it had consumed all the hard candy before I added more. I also had a pleasant surprise, a hive I had thought was dead and was going to clean out had a nice cluster of live bees in it!
Be sure to clean out any dead hives while it is still cold! It will be a moldy stinky mess if you wait. Learn from my mistakes!
Hope to see you all on Tuesday, February 26 at 6:30 PM at Cross Roads.
We will be doing some frame assembly and general talk about preparation for the arrival of the bees.
If you have any tips or tricks to share please bring them along!
January 21, 2019 – Meeting Cancellation Notice!
Due to the weather forecast for tomorrow night, our DCBC meeting is cancelled. Everyone please stay safe and warm!
January 22, 2019 – Our first meeting of 2019 will be held at the Door County Library (Sturgeon Bay) in the Jane Green Meeting Room (2nd floor) on January 22 at 6:30pm.
Topic: Honey Color, the How and Why, and their Plants
Presenter: Kent Pegorsch
Kent is the president of the Wisconsin Honey Producers Association (WHPA). His program will cover honey flavors and color from different nectar sources. Kent will also have a collection of honey from around the world that he will provide samples and share. He will conclude his program with a brief overview of the WHPA and the benefits of membership.
December 26, 2018 – Announcing Max’s 2019 Beginner Beekeeping Class
What: Introduction to keeping honey bees as a hobby
Presenter: Max Martin, local beekeeper for 20 years
When: Saturday, January 12, 8am to Noon
Where: UW Peninsular Agricultural Research Station, 4312 Hwy 42 Sturgeon Bay, WI
Cost: $35.00 (pay at the door)
Beverages and light snacks will be provided. Class limited to 25.
For reservations please call 920-743-8457 or email mwmarti1@wisc.edu.
December 16, 2018 – The December meeting of the Door County Beekeepers Club will be held at the Crossroads in Sturgeon Bay at 6:30pm on Tuesday, December 18th.
On the agenda:
• Pot Luck Social! Bring a dish to pass and enjoy fellow beekeepers company!
• Max Martin will demonstrate how to make bee candy for the winter to feed your bees. Recipes will available.
• 2019 Meeting Calendar copies will be hot off the press and available!
November 24, 2018 – This month’s Door County Beekeepers Club Meeting will be held at the Crossroads in Sturgeon Bay at 6:30pm on Tuesday, November 27th.
Topic: Varroa mite life cycle and control caution using oxalic acid
Presenter: Kevin O’Donnell (DCBC club member)
Case Study: Negative behavioral effects from Oxalic Acid Vaporization on honey bee colony, vitality, brood and honey production. This study was done by Kevin as a field study experiment for the University of Montana Master Beekeeping Course.
October 18, 2018 – The October DCBC meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 23 at 6:30pm at the Door County Library, 107 S. 4th Ave, Sturgeon Bay, in the Downstairs Meeting Room.
Topic: Marketing Your Honey Products
Presenters: Heather Spetz, Door County Beekeeper and producer of ‘MotherSun’ honey products. Heather will share her experience in marketing her products:
• Labeling – what is required, what is attractive
• Selling – word of mouth, road side stand, stores, and Farmers Markets, etc..
Group input from others and their marketing products and experiences. Bring your labels and products to show and tell (Lip balm, Facial creams, Soaps, Cutting board finishes, Pollen, Propilis, Candles)! If you have recipes to share, bring them along.
