Beekeepers Association of Southwest Florida

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Convention Planning Committee Meeting
Met on Sunday, July 18, 2010
at the Estero Community Park, Estero Florida

All club members were INVITED. If you missed the meeting and walk thru, then you can still visit the park on your own... and check out the amenities, grounds, recreation center, etc.

CLICK HERE and enter your address for driving directions from your place to the Park

Our regular 2010 meetings are on the 2nd Wednesday of each month unless otherwise noted.

Our Next Regular Meeting will be
August 11, 2010, 6:30 PM
Meeting Q&A Topic will be "Lazy Beekeeping"

Glorybee Plastic Extractor | Dadant S.S. Extractor | Make your own Radial Extractor | Uncapping/Straining Tubs
Triangular Bee Escape | Use of Fume and Breeze Boards

Click here for MAP of our Regular meeting facility
Lee County Extension, 3406 Palm Beach Blvd, Ft. Myers, FL 33916-3736

Yes!, Florida has a Honey Standard ~ Only PURE HONEY will do on Florida Retail Shelves
No unfair competition from foreign honey blends, diluted honey, or honey cut with syrups.

Standard of Identity - Honey: One objective is control of the pervasive, illegal practice of blending or diluting pure honey with low-cost syrups (i.e., sugar, cane, corn, etc.) thereby committing an economic fraud on both the permanent and transient residents of Florida.

This rule addresses comprehensive prohibitions against the deliberate addition of any food ingredient or food additives other than honey, sets maximum moisture content for honey, sets parameters for sugar constituents in honey and establish honey labeling guidelines. This rule provides a mechanism for the Department to enforce instances of adulteration and misbranding of honey being offered for sale at retail in Florida.

DOWNLOAD or VIEW the Standard of Identity - Honey for Florida (pdf)

Florida State Beekeepers Association 90th Annual Convention
Estero Community Park, Estero Florida

October 28, 29, & 30, 2010

The Beekeepers Association of Southwest Florida is pleased to announce 2010 Florida State Beekeepers Association Annual Convention will be held in Southwest Florida on October 28, 29 & 30, 2010. Currently not all details are available as the convention is still in early planning stages. Please check back from time-to-time for additional news and updates regarding this year's convention. We will provide additional information as it is made available to us through our own progress or the efforts of the Florida State Beekeepers Association.

The convention will begin with a President’s Reception/BBQ at BASF President, Keith Councell’s home in Cape Coral, FL the evening of Thursday 28 October 2010.

The Convention will be held at the Estero Community Park, Estero, FL on Friday & Saturday October 29 & 30, 2010.

Seminars and Venders will be in the Park recreation center and on the Park grounds. A live bee yard will also be on the Park grounds for training on Saturday, October 30, 2010. The convention is open to the public.

Estero Community Park Map ~ Proposal Estero Community Park ~ Convention Press Release ~ Map/Directions

CLICK HERE and enter your address for driving directions from your place to the Park

We do not have a Convention Brochure yet; however, Last Years (2009) FSBA State Convention Brochure has been included below to give you an idea of what to expect and to serve as a guide/reference for our convention committee as we plan the convention:

Last Year's Convention Brochure as a reference.
Click to launch the full edition in a new window

CONVENTION COMMITTEE MEMBERS LIST (view or download pdf file)

Keith & Melissa talk about BACKYARD BEEKEEPING on WGCU National Public Radio
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE BROADCAST

Reminder to registered beekeepers from Freddie Howard, local apiary inspector:
If you have not already done so, please call Freddie and schedule your yearly inspection

| Find your Legislators | Write to your Representative | Locate your Senator |

Help boy scout, Christopher Stowell to bring back the Beekeeping Merit badge
which was discontinued in 1995.

Christopher says, “I believe that now more than ever before the survival of the honey bee is important to all. If other boys are not encouraged to learn how to become beekeepers, the honey bee will surely die out. Not only do I feel this way, but beekeepers all across America believe in the importance of teaching the younger generations the importance of the honey bee." READ CHRISTOPHER'S REQUEST at the Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream website.

Support the Reinstatement of the Merit Badge... SEND THE LETTER for Christopher using the form on the Haagen-Dazs website. ADD YOUR NAME to the list of those supporting this cause using the simple online petition form.

[ American Honey Queen Program ] | [ Guidelines for Honey Queen Program ] | [ Application Form ]

Dennis'
Daughter-in-Law
Crystal

Florida State Beekeepers Association is proud to announce the reintroduction of the Honey Queen Project for Florida.

If you have a daughter, niece, sister, or granddaughter between the ages of 17 and 24 she may be eligible. THIS IS NOT "A BEAUTY CONTEST"!... and NO! she will not wear a bee costume like Dennis' daughter-in-law who is holding a teddy bear of Old Man Riggs' honey.

The Honey Queen is the "front line" between the public and Florida Beekeepers. She is the face of beekeeping and attends local fairs, gives lectures at garden clubs and schools and is the media contact for the local and state associations. The ultimate goal for a Florida Honey Queen is to attend the American Beekeeping Federation and win the National honor.

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FORM

Please go to http://floridabeekeepers.org and click the "history" button. Scroll down and see the years and names of past Honey Queens.

For more information, please email Beth Fox at BF54321@aol.com .

FAQ (Frequently Asked Question):

QUESTION: Where can I get package bees, queens, and equipment?
ANSWER: Click HERE or on LINKS in menu above.


Our Event Calendar Our Local Beekeepers Association of Southwest Florida Calendar. Primarily Local BEEKEEPING Events and BEEKEEPING Activities. Events with some State (Florida) Events.	Global Event Calendar FSBA Calendar includes all Beekeeping Events (Local, Florida, and other locations). We are often incorrectly listed as Southwest Beekeepers on this calendar.

Free Bee Removal?
BEES ON MY PROPERTY!... What Should I do? CLICK HERE before doing anything!

Annual UF Bee College and Master Beekeeper Program
Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience - Marineland, FL (St. Augustine)
Click logos below for more information!

CLICK HERE for more information

Click here to join riggsfriends
Click to join our Yahoo Group FREE (swfbees)

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Not a beekeeper, but wish to support our efforts and show your support for our cause, then please consider donating. You may use the convenient "Donate" button to donate online (securely and safely) using your credit card... or you may mail your donations to our treasurer.

Beekeepers Association of Southwest Florida can use your help. Please DONATE to support our group's efforts.
We are NOT a charity and your donations are NOT tax deductible:

Notice: You do NOT have to be a member of PayPal (or sign up) to use your credit card to donate, simply look during the donation process for the section "Don't have a PayPal account? and click continue.

How do I join Beekeepers Association of Southwest Florida (BASF)? Attend one of our meetings and pay applicable dues to our Treasurer, or you can DOWNLOAD an application for membership, and mail it to our treasurer along with applicable dues. Currently $10 for current year if you are already a member of the Florida State Beekeepers Association (FSBA). If you are not a member of FSBA then we can collect membership dues for FSBA as well, in which case the total amount would be $25 ($10 BASF + $15 FSBA).