# Big Bee Buzz In Tulsa, OK March 13-14, 2009



## NeilV

The Northeast Oklahoma Beekeepers Association (NEOBA) is please to invite the public to attend the Big Bee Buzz in Tulsa, Oklahoma on the evening of March 13 and all day March 14, 2009 at the Tulsa County Ag. Extension Center, located at the intersection of 15th Street and South Quebec Avenue in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Speakers confirmed at this time include Jerry Hayes, Florida State Apiarist, and Dewey Caron, formerly of the University of Delaware and now affiliated with Oregon State Universtity. Cost is $20.00 if paid one month in advance or $25.00 at the door. Cost includes dinner on Friday Evening and a Potluck lunch on the 14th. For inquiries please post on this thread or send me a PM. 

This should be a good meeting, and we have a couple more speakers who are excellent who will probably also attend. We usually have just shy of 100 attendees at this meeting, and we are a friendly group. I will post as soon as I know about the full speaker line up and the agenda.


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## Joseph Clemens

Ooops


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## NeilV

*Update--Ed Levi's also speaking*

I am pleased to announce that Ed Levi, the State Bee Inspector for Arkansas, is also coming to speak. I have heard him twice, and he is top notch. He has literally travelled the world doing beekeeping extension things in third world countries. He is also very knowledgable about beekeeping and an excellent speaker who promotes the use of IPM type methods, not using chemicals. In the past, some of his recommendations were using in hive traps with oil for SHB, using nematodes for SHB and controlling mites primarily through genetics (and drone comb removal). 

So come to Tulsa and join us.


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## BULLSEYE BILL

I just received confirmation that the Ks / Mo meeting is the weekend before yours so I may be able to come down. I'd like to visit AHB country and meet some of our Southern neighbors.


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## NeilV

Good deal!!! Drag the Rat with you. I really want to meet both of you.

Neil


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## NeilV

Also, Dr. Caron and Jerry Hayes are doing a joint presentation on AHB.


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## BULLSEYE BILL

NeilV said:


> Good deal!!! Drag the Rat with you. I really want to meet both of you.
> 
> Neil


Careful what you wish for.... :no: you better break out the hip waders if da Rat tags along.


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## NeilV

I also duck hunt, so I've got chest waders.


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## NeilV

*We now have a tentative schedule*

Here's the current plan, and the final plan will be something pretty close to this, all for the price of $20 in advance or $25 at the door (which includes two meals). Out-of-towners don't need to bring anything to the potluck lunch.

BIG BEE BUZZ 2009

Schedule

Friday, March 13

5:30 p.m.	Registration
6:00 p.m.	Opening Announcements
6:15 p.m.	Bee Nutrition - Dr. Dewey Caron
7:00 p.m.	Dinner (barbecue sandwiches)
7:40 p.m.	Honey Bee Pest Overview - Jerry Hayes
8:30 p.m.	Nosema - Ed Levi
9:10 p.m.	Adjourn


Saturday, March 14

8:00 a.m.	Registration and Opening Announcements
8:30 a.m.	Swarm Prevention - Dr. Dewey Caron
9:30 a.m.	Break
9:45 a.m.	What's In Your Comb? - Ed Levi
10:30 a.m.	Break
10:45 a.m.	The Africanized Honey Bee Experience - Dr. Dewey Caron
12:00 p.m.	Lunch (Fried Chicken and Potluck)
1:00 p.m.	Africanized Honey Bee Best Practices - Jerry Hayes
1:30 p.m.	The Importance of Pollinators and Beekeeper Public Relations -
Jerry Hayes
2:00 p.m.	Break
2:15 p.m.	Panel discussion regarding CCD
3:00 p.m.	"The Classroom" Live - question and answer free-for-all -
Jerry Hayes, Dr. Dewey Caron and Ed Levi
3:45 p.m.	Auction and Raffle
4:00 p.m. Adjourn


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## okiequeenbee

It has been confirmed the Notorious Three will bee attending the Big Bee Buzz in Tulsa. :gh: RiverRat, Bullseye Bill, and OkieQueenBee will bee there live and in person and will be looking forward to meeting our fellow bee enthusiasts. :applause:


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## NeilV

It will be fun to put some faces on the fake names. 

For out-of-towners, a nearby hotel/motel is called Inn at Expo Square, and the phone number is 918-838-3775. The cost per night is 75.00 for queen and 85.00 for a suite. I tried to get a group rate, but they declined. You might look on Expedia or similar sites to try for a better rate, either there or someplace nearby. 

The primary benefit of this location is that it is closest to the event (about 4 blocks). I don't know how nice it is, since I've never stayed there. 

Please let me know if anybody has questions. 

Neil


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## NeilV

If you want to pay early, send your money to:

NEOBA 
C/O Penny Richardson 
21780 E. 66th Circle 
Broken Arrow, OK 74014

You may preregister until 
February 9th, for $20.00. 
Thereafter it will cost $25.00 

You can pay $25.00 at the door, but I would appreciate it if you would give me notice if you are going to be there, so we can plan for the number of attendees. Okiequeenbee, Riverrat and Bullseye Bill are already accounted for and I have gotten permission for them to pay only $20.00, if they will get it to us by 2/15/09.

Thanks, 
Neil


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## NeilV

*Info on Ed Levi*

Of the Buzz speakers, I think Jerry Hayes and Dewey Caron are probably more widely known than Ed Levi. I have obtained a short bio on him, and I thought I'd post it. Although I do not have the authority to volunteer Ed for speaking, I would recommend putting him on lists of people who you would like to have at your events. He is a regular at the Buzz and is a very interesting person. Anyway, here's the bio:


Ed Levi

Brief Biological Regarding Beekeeping Experiences*

Ed originally got involved in beekeeping in southern France by attending an Agricultural College where he specialized in apiculture in the early 70's.* He then started a commercial beekeeping business in France that he ran for 5 years.*

In the late 70's he re-started his beekeeping operation in the Arkansas Ozarks and that business is still in operation.* He raises queens, fulfills pollination contracts and produces and sells honey.*

In 1984, Ed became Apiary Specialist and Inspector for the Arkansas State Plant Board and continues to work in that position.* This involves bee disease detection and identification, enforcing the State's Apiary Laws and Regulations and educating beekeepers about modern techniques and the public about the importance and protection of the honeybee.* Ed teaches classes, speaks to all different types of organizations in Arkansas and for beekeeping groups in numerous states.* He also writes a statewide newsletter, sits as Secretary of the Apiary Inspectors of America and publishes their Annual Proceedings.* *

At the same time Ed has done and continues to do extensive consulting/advisory work for USAID's Farmer to Farmer program through Winrock International and other consulting for both Heifer Project International, and Development Alternatives Inc.* This has involved many trips to several of the former Soviet countries plus repeated trips to Nepal, India, Bangladesh , Guinea in western Africa and Armenia.* Ed has also worked with bees and beekeepers in several eastern and western European countries.


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## NeilV

*Vendor Info.*

The vendor we will have is Dadant from Paris, Tx. Call 877-632-3268 to place orders for pick up at the event. Ray Latner is the branch manager, but whoever answers the phone can take the order. Just tell them to bring the order to the bee buzz in
Tulsa, Oklahoma March 13. Prices are on the internet at Dadant.com


Oh yeah, and Magnet-Man is donating one of his Super-Breeze Bee Suit Jackets as the door prize.


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## NeilV

*Location Change*

It looks like we could have too many people show up for the original location for this year's Buzz (which is exactly the sort of problem we want to have). To avoid overcrowding, we are moving the Buzz down the street to a larger facility. The new location will be at the Eastside Christian Church at 1438 S Indianapolis Ave, Tulsa, OK 74112. That location is just east of the intersection of 15th Street and Harvard Avenue. 

The new location is very close to the origial location (about 1/2 mile due west on 15th Street). Even if people go to the orignial location, there will be a sign telling them where to go, and it takes less than a minute to get to the new location. 

If anybody has questions, please send me a PM. 

Thanks, 

Neil

P.S. If any of the regulars on this site want to meet some of the others in person, you can do that at this year's Buzz. At this point, it looks like Magnet Man, Okiequeenbee, Riverrat, Bullseye Bill, Derek (I think) and myself will be in attendance. Magnet Man will have his bee suits for sale, and he is donating a jacket as a door prize.


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## okiequeenbee

Hey Neil,
Looking forward to this weekend. Bullseye has the new location programed into his Garmin, so we should be good to go. Hoping to learn lots and meet new people. What better way to spend a cold weekend than in the company of fellow beeks. See ya there.
PS - Who said these names are fake?


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## NeilV

Can't wait.


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