Admission is free for members and $15 for non-members (register ahead of time or pay at the door)
8:30 – Registration starts. Raffle, vendor and visitor tables open
9:00 - 9:05 - Welcome and opening remarks – VBA President, Bianca Braman
9:05 – 9:10 - Tunbridge Fair Update - VBA Membership Secretary, Mary Stoddard
9:10 - 9:40 - Business Meeting
9:40 - 9:50 - Recognition Committee
9:50 - 10:20 - Updates from:
10:20 - 10:40 - Refreshment Break & Beekeeper Networking
10:40 - 12:00 - Keynote Speaker: Julia Mahood: It’s all about the Drones
Honey bee drones are the Rodney Dangerfields of the bee world; they (often) get no respect! Learn all about the amazing drones and their mysterious drone congregation areas (and how to find them using the other kind of drone).
12:00 – 1:00 - Lunch - Bring your own or place an order a pre-packed one when you register.
1:00 - 3:40 Concurrent workshops/Educational Sessions
Session 1 - 1:00 – 2:15
Horizontal hives - Jason Morin - Learn how horizontal hives can reduce heavy lifting while providing an alternative approach to managing honey bee colonies.
Grafting workshop – Andrew Munkres, Bianca Braman, Cheryl Achilles - Get an introduction to grafting and queen rearing through this interactive workshop. Participants will learn the grafting process and have the chance to try grafting themselves. Space is limited, so please sign up at the registration table.
Record Keeping - Julia Mahood
2:15-2:25 Move to the next Session
Session 2 – 2:25 – 3:40
Winter Bees: The skinny on fat bees – Julia Mahood - This presentation focuses on how honey bees physiologically prepare for winter. It teaches beekeepers how to help their colonies survive cold months by understanding the crucial, nutrient-rich "fat" bees that keep the cluster alive
Making Candles – Cheryl Achilles - Explore the process of turning beeswax into candles. This workshop will cover cleaning and filtering wax, choosing appropriate wicks, and working with candle molds.
Splits, Nucs, and Swarm Control – Bianca Braman - This workshop will cover how and when to split colonies, establish nucleus (nuc) colonies, and implement effective swarm control techniques. Attendees will learn how these management tools can help maintain strong, productive hives while reducing swarm risk.
3:40 – Meeting ends. Check the raffle tables and pick up your raffle winnings
Vendors
Dadant will be attending and bringing orders @ 10% off. Orders must be called in by Monday, July 13. Orders to be brought to the VBA summer meeting cannot be made online; their website will not list an option for delivery to our meeting. Place orders by calling the Dadant Pennsylvania Office: 570-980-9831 or 1-877-532-3268. Space is limited.
BetterBee Is happy to bring pre-orders and set up a booth with items for sale if space allows. You can place pre-orders online soon, but they can take them over the phone now. They're renting a truck, and space is limited, so it will be first-come, first-served.
Potluck Breakfast
This year, instead of having our breakfast pastries and goodies catered, we are asking our members to bring some treats to share!
If you like to bake and are able to make some snacks for the Winter Meeting’s morning break, we would love to sample them.
Traditionally we have had muffins, pastries and cookies, but don’t let that stop your imagination!
We ask that you bring at least 1 dozen and add an ingredient label in case of restrictions. Make sure to put your name on your container if you want it back.
Please contact Bianca Braman for any questions: birchbeekeeping@gmail.com
Brown Bag Lunch Orders
Brown bag lunch orders are available for pre-order now from Morse Block Deli in Barre. All the details and options are included in the registration link
Keynote Speaker
Julia Mahood
Julia Mahood is a Georgia Master Craftsman Beekeeper who has been keeping bees since 2004 and has a particular fascination with the often-overlooked world of honey bee drones. She is the founder of MapMyDCA.com, a citizen science project that helps beekeepers locate and map drone congregation areas using innovative UAV-based techniques.
Recognized as Georgia Beekeeper of the Year in 2018, Julia is an active leader in Georgia's beekeeping community and a dedicated educator. She coordinates the Georgia Beekeepers Association prison beekeeping program and teaches beekeeping in correctional facilities throughout the state. In addition to her beekeeping accomplishments, Julia is a graphic artist and designer of Georgia's "Save the Honey Bee" license plate.
It will be a full day of learning, sharing, and sweet community—don’t miss it!
U-32 Middle and High School
Montpelier, VT
Full details on the VBA calendar
