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Welcome
to the October 2003 issue of Bromley News.
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Bromley
and Orpington Honey Show 2003
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Thank you
to those members who supported our branch honey show and congratulation
to all the prize winners. Our Chairman Tom
Winks was awarded the new John Pearce trophy for his honey. To
attract more member participation next year we shall be introducing
a members only class for 2 jars (any colour) with a big prize
such as a complete bee hive worth over a hundred pounds, the
entry fee for this new class would be £1.00. The full honey
show report from Peter Bashford will be published on the Bromley
website in due course.
1st Prize Winning Honey
Do make the effort to enter honey shows to gain the necessary
disciplines to be able to produce the highest quality products
fit for sale to the public. Can you prove that your honey meets
the highest standards?
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The Bromley branch AGM
Our AGM next month is on Tuesday the 18th November 2003 at
7:30pm (sharp).
We should all be interested in our branch affairs, how its managed,
where the money is spent etc. A good turnout is essential for the
health of the branch. This is your opportunity to voice your opinions
and make suggestions on how the branch can be improved for the benefit
of its members. Tea and cakes are served during the interval. Honey
show winners will also receive their trophies and have their official
photograph taken for the branch website. New officers are elected
so have nominations ready. You will enjoy the evening.
Membership Subscription
It is once again that time of the year when I have to ask you to
renew your membership of the K.B.K.A. The membership renewal form
is enclosed in this mailing. Please fill it in straight away and
return it with your subscriptions for County and Apiary club, as
well as the correct extra Bee Diseases Insurance premium to cover
your additional colonies. It is important that I receive your subscriptions
promptly as late payment may lead to an interruption in your receipt
of Beecraft.
Peter Macan Hon. Branch Treasurer.
Internet
Improved web version of this newsletter with pictures URL: http://www.kentbee.com/bromley/newsletters/octbbk03.htm
Apis-UK—The free beekeeping web magazine and newsletter.
Apis-Uk September issue No.17 prints to 21 sides of A4. Contents:
Editorial;
Beekeeping news; Bee press;
Articles: Natural Ways of Improving Varroa Containment (part 4) Ian
Rumsey; Feeding Honeybees John Yates; The Bees at the Horniman Museum
Peter Springall; Mite resistance Max Watkins; Poem of the month: A
Flight of a Bee Veroljub Vukašinovic; Factfile: Attracting honeybee
swarms; Honey recipe: Andalucian; Historical note: Drowning bees; Letters:
David Yale, Keith Hooker; John Carlisle; Beekeeping courses 2004; Diary
of events. Total D/L. 213KB. URL: http://www.beedata.com/apis-uk/newsletters/apis-uk0903.htm
Honey
and diabetics URL: http://www.kohala.net/bees/diabetics.html
Cooking with honey
The first thing to consider when using honey
to cook with is that it is judged to be twice (2 X) as sweet as
sugar.
Therefore, to get the same sweetness as sugar, you use one half as
much as you would of sugar. Honey is about 18% water. If you round
that off to 20% you can easily figure that about 1/5th of the honey
you add to your recipe is water. Therefore, you cut back on the moisture
in your recipe by 20% (1/5th). Examples from the URL: http://www.kohala.net/bees/formula.html
Steven Turner
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Apiary News
September turned out to be quite an interesting month. Our first meeting
of the winter series coincided with the open day at the allotments
and of course crowds turned up to see the bees, members and public
mingled, altogether a very pleasant time had by all. The NSPCC made
a total of 1,700 quid out of the day which exceeds all past results.
The following weekend saw two events, on the Saturday our branch
Honey Show the results of which are published elsewhere and on the
Sunday up went the tent again for the show at Woodlands Farm, Shooters
Hill. Literally thousands visited our tent (sorry Pavilion) and we
sold out of honey by 1:30pm with another 2 hours to go. All credit
to the ladies and gent on the candle making who took a grand total
of 264 quid. What an enjoyable day for all who took part. Not forgetting
Barry's timely tea, bacon rolls and flan thank you Barry and Liz.
To top it all, Clive found himself on TV in the Richard and Judy programme
on Wednesday the 17th. He tells us he only got his hands in the frame
but it would still be nice to see the great epic if someone happened
to record it. The final event of the month was a visit to the home of Robin and
Jenny Spon-Smith where we re-housed a colony that had taken possession
of a tank as a swarm earlier in the year.
As expected some of the combs were stuck to a box inside and when
we lifted the tank a few of the combs were left behind. However this
didn't make too much of a problem and all the combs containing brood
were rescued and tied into fresh frames and placed in a brand new brood
chamber on the old position. Fifty minutes later the tea appeared by
which time we were ready to leave the bees to get on with it. Again
a most pleasant and successful time had by all. Thank you once again
Robin and Jenny for your kind hospitality.
We were planning to take off David's honey this coming Monday but
I have just heard that he is due for yet another operation, but even
so the news is hopeful and we all wish him all the best for a speedy
recovery. You will no doubt have noticed that this newsletter is a little early.
The reason for this is that Clive, who prints and distributes it each
month, is off for a visit to the other side of the world and would
find difficulty in contacting us from Oz.
October brings a quiet month just the meeting
at 11:45am on the 5th,
but the following weekend our landlords are running a Coach Trip to
the RHS Gardens at Wisley on Sunday the 12th October leaving the main
gate at 9:30am the cost per seat is 7 quid which includes entrance
to the grounds. There is a restaurant but I usually take a picnic,
what ever you do I can assure you that you will have an enjoyable day. Don't forget to get your entries in for the National
Honey Show as
soon as possible and put aside the evening of Tuesday the 11th
November at 6pm to come along and help me and my team put up the stands. If
you are available during the show 12th-15th your help with the stewarding
would be much appreciated. Please contact The Secretary Francis Capener
at 1 Balric Road, Folkestone, CT20 2NR. Tel 1303254579.
I guarantee you will enjoy being part of this great organisation.
Peter
Springall
Diary
Dates
Sunday
5th October 11:45am - The
branch morning apiary meeting. Beekeeping demonstrations
and hive management. Tea and biscuits provided.
13-15
November 2003 - The National Honey Show. The National
Honey Show will be held at Kensington Town Hall, Hornton Street.
You can download the schedule of classes from the National Honey
Show site from the support pages URL: http://www.honeyshow.co.uk
Tuesday 18th November 2003 7:30pm - The Bromley
branch AGM. Tea and biscuits provided.
For
more information
Peter Springall 020-8690-3906 Mobile: 07779970104 E-Mail
Tom Winks Chairman 020-8777-3144
Clive Watson 020-8658-3786
Steven Turner (editor) 020-8698-0313 E-Mail
Visit our site www.kentbee.com/bromley
Advertisements
(free to members or £10.00 for non-members)
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Harris
Is now an approved Thorne agent able to supply all beekeeping needs at
a discount.
49
Shawbrooke Road, Eltham SE9 6AL. A telephone call before calling is
much appreciated 020-8850-7826 Web: www.busybusybee.demon.co.uk
FREE
Six large (very heavy) concrete slabs idea for standing hives on
Collect from Steven Turner 153 Thornsbeach Road, Catford, SE6 1HB Tel:
020-8698-0313
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