The Knox Lincoln County Beekeepers group will hold its midwinter workshop on Saturday, Feb. 18 from 9 a.m. to noon. It will be at the Morris Farm, 156 Gardiner Road, Wiscasset. Morning refreshments and coffee will be provided by the group. There is no cost, but donations are accepted. Refreshment donations also accepted.
Many beekeepers look at the winter months as a time to take off from beekeeping. The rest look at the winter as a time to complete all the things not done during those busy summer months. How many beekeepers sharpened their hive tools or cleaned out smelly old smokers? The even more important question is how many have an item that should be repaired before spring but put it away thinking they will get to it? This workshop is directed to beekeepers that have overwintered bees and want to know how to manage their colonies as spring approaches.
Maine’s First Master Beekeeper Rick Cooper, of Bowdoinham, is the featured speaker. “My Bees Made It Through the Winter — Now What Do I Do?” is his topic. Cooper has been an Eastern Apicultural Society master beekeeper since 1994. He will pass on some of the tips he has learned over the years. Some of the topics included in his talk are coming out of winter into spring, how not to lose the hive, starvation prevention, swarm prevention, requeening, queen loss, managing for pollination, managing a defensive hive, and equipment hints. This workshop is open to all beekeepers and other interested folks.
This event is free and open to anyone interested in beekeeping. For more information, call Jean Vose at 563-7564 or go to klcbee.com for details and directions.
