# 2010 Northeast Treatment Free Beekeeping Conference



## Jack Grimshaw

Dean,
Good roster of speakers but again I'll be away at EAS that weekend.
How about changing the date for 2011?
You're right up the road.

Jack


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## deknow

Hi Jack,

Having our conference the weekend before EAS was designed specifically so people could go to both....I know of at least 2 people (probably more) that attended EAS last year after our conference. Yes, it's a bit tight on scheduling to do so..but it also means that people scheduling time off work/business don't have any downtime between the two either.

This does seem to be the time of summer where beekeepers have a little time for such things.

I'm sorry that it is a problem for you (and many others, I'm sure), but it really does seem to be the best time, and it doesn't conflict directly with EAS.

deknow


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## bigevilgrape

Is there any camping near by for those of us trying to save a few bucks?


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## Bodhi

Jack Grimshaw said:


> Dean,
> Good roster of speakers but again I'll be away at EAS that weekend.
> How about changing the date for 2011?
> You're right up the road.
> 
> Jack


I'm with you, Jack. I was looking forward to going to this one, but already made plans for EAS. Too bad, looks like a geat bunch of speakers.

As for attending both last year, keep in mind EAS 2009 was in NY. This year, one would have to leave Mass at 6 pm Sunday and drive straight through, ~850 miles, to Boone to make it there by 8 am Monday. Seems unlikely anyone will be doing that.


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## Jack Grimshaw

I like to see the country and EAS is a good excuse.Travel all the way to the Smokies and not spend a few days??? A few hikes planned. My wife and I took 2 wks when EAS was in Ga.


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## deknow

summer is a hard time to schedule anything without conflict. we do the best we can to accommodate our speakers and attendees.

i would like to point out how we run our conference. all speakers are paid, and we pay all travel expenses (with some exceptions on travel for those also acting as vendors). we provide all meals (and accommodate any and all dietary issues) that are home cooked by us and our friends....no HFCS, no soda, and no sugary snacks are served.

despite an intense program, almost everyone came in and sat down for every single talk (not much shmoozing while talks were happening).

...and the cost is more than reasonable. we don't have any club or organization sponsoring this event, we plan and finance this ourselves out of our own pockets with our own resources.

if you think there is value in the speakers we have assembled (we do), it's worth supporting what we are doing....clearly other clubs and organizations (with more resources than we have) _could_ book these same people, but don't. we started running this conference because we saw a need for it...it was the conference we wished we could sign up for.

deknow


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## deknow

*Tentative Program/Agenda*

Here is the current plan of talks for this year's conference. In addition, there will be panel discussions with all of the speakers daily.

Announcemnts will be posted here:
http://thecompleteidiotsguidetobeek...on=com_kunena&Itemid=93&func=showcat&catid=11 (right now there is transportation and accommodation information up).

Registration info can be found here:
http://beeuntoothers.com/2010Conference.html

...and don't forget that there is a 2 day beginner beekeeping crash course immediately preceding the main conference.

*Introductions and Conference Overview – Dean Stiglitz and guest speakers*

Dean will give an overview of the philosophy, practicality and necessity of treatment free beekeeping as well as outline some developments that have occurred during the past year. We’ll introduce our speakers, give them each a chance to introduce themselves and go over the basic agenda for the overall conference.
*
Case Studies in Three Commercial Apiaries - Dee Lusby*

Dee and her late husband Ed pioneered the treatment free beekeeping movement. Dee will give a comprehensive overview of her beekeeping experiences (spanning many decades and geographic locations) and the history of their commercial operation in southern Arizona. Dee will share her discovery of the importance of cell size, the process of regressing, acclimatizing and breeding their bees through mites and disease, and the history of her legendary involvement in the fight for clean agriculture and treatment free bees.
*
Case Studies in Three Commercial Apiaries - Kirk Webster*

Kirk is a long-time commercial honey producer and bee breeder from the Champlain Valley of Vermont with deep roots in the foundations of organic agriculture. Kirk will tell the history of his apiary including his development of a unique, closed population breeding program, abandonment of treatments while struggling with varroa and his innovative use of over-wintered nucs to replace losses. Kirk’s writings in the bee journals are eagerly read by all and we are looking forward to hearing all the additional details he has to share.
*
Case Studies in Three Commercial Apiaries – Erik Osterlund*

Erik is a commercial honey producer and bee breeder (Elgon bee) in Sweden and editor of the Swedish beekeeping journal. Erik will share the history of his apiary including his travels to Africa to obtain the elusive monticola honeybee genetics, preparations for the inevitable arrival of the varroa mite in Sweden and the current state of his apiary after exposure to the mites.
*
Catching Swarms and Building Community – Corwin Bell*

Corwin encountered his first honeybees while rock climbing and now leads a network of swarm catchers, honeybee educators and backyard top bar hive beekeepers in Boulder, Colorado. Modeled after the swarm itself, his incredibly inspiring program incorporates communication technology, honeybee placement and community outreach.
*
Treatment Free Management – Dee Lusby*

Keeping treatment free bees successfully involves more than just not treating. Dee will explain in detail her “whole bee” management concept which includes proper nutrition, environment and breeding. Unlimited broodnest, small cell, housel positioning, breeding and acclimatizing to the local environment are among the topics that will be discussed.
*
Top Bar Hive Management – Sam Comfort*

Top bar hives are growing in popularity and require their own specific management. Learn Sam’s management techniques, and tips and how to build the simplest top bar nuc you’ve ever seen. Sam made the transition from commercial Langstroth beekeeping to top bars which he keeps in New York and Florida. He’ll be bringing a top bar hive for the hive openings and his ukulele to the bonfires.
*
Making Varroa Into an Ally – Kirk Webster*

“Varroa” is a word that has come to be associated with dread in the minds of most beekeepers. After waging war with the mites Kirk realized the futility of the chemical treatments and gave them up. He’ll explain how and why encountering varroa has actually improved his bees and the overall benefits to befriending a seeming enemy.

*Over-wintering Nucs – Michael Palmer*

The ability to make up winter losses with your own survivor stock is one of the keys to keeping your apiary strong. Michael will explain in detail his strategy for over-wintering nucs to replace dead-outs and/or to have bees for sale in the spring (something you will be able to sell at a premium). This talk generated a huge amount of interest last year and we’re happy to have Michael back to give it again.
*
Microbes: The Supporting Cast of the Honeybees – Laurie (Ramona) Herboldsheimer*

The relationship between honeybees and their associated mico-organisms is an ever-unfolding story. Ramona will discuss the importance of the microbial community to the proper functioning of the honeybee and the hive, the effect of beekeeping treatments on the microbes and new research on fungicides and bees. Be prepared to become a wild weed advocate!
*
Beekeeping in Europe, Africa and the USA – Erik Osterlund*

Erik has visited apiaries in Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the United Sates and Kenya, where he worked with the monticola and scutellata bees. He’ll share his observations on the similarities and differences between bees and beekeeper management styles in different geographic areas and the factors that he sees contributing to honeybee health. Erik will also give a yearly overview on how he manages his own bees in Sweden. His insights will be especially helpful to the smaller beekeeper, as everything is smaller in Sweden compared to the USA.

*Inside the Honey Market – Michael Palmer*

How does honey get from the hive into the marketplace? Where is the honey coming from? Are all honey producing bees managed the same way? Do labels on honey and foods that include honey accurately reflect the product? A long time honey producer and honey broker, Michael will explain the inner workings of the honey industry, the politics of the National Honey Board and the role that non-migratory/treatment free beekeepers play in the overall picture. This talk promises to turn into a lively discussion!


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## ezrahug

Recommend local campgrounds. Like for tents and not RVs?

Thanks in advance,

Ezra M Hug


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## waynesgarden

Looking forward to attending. I don't see a schedule with times/days. Are there presentations/discussions on Thursday evening? (Trying to plan my escape from work.)

Wayne


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## sqkcrk

Tempting. 350 or so miles, 6.5 hrs drive. I'm tempted. I hope I'll be taking off honey by then. But if Mike Palmer can take time off at that time of year, maybe I can too. Though I bet Mike is coming in for the day and going home.


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## Blackwater Bee

Beeks,

This conference is worth every penny, We attended it last year with no expectations and we're going again this year. You will definitely walk away with new found Knowledge and Friends, the food was great too. :thumbsup: There is one caution though, bring a chair pad if you have a boney arse 

BB


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## waynesgarden

I just want to thank Dean and Ramona for all the hard work and energy they put into bringing this very worthwhile conference to life. I walked away with much more knowledge and new directions in my thinking than I arrived with. Listening to the very diverse philosophies and methodologies of the speakers was interesting and illustrative of the many differing paths we beekeepers are taking towards the same ends. It was great to meet and talk with people whose writings I've read in papers and on this forum and to meet so many other like-minded beekeepers.

Most interesting was Dee Lusby's talk on treatment free management. Given an hour and a half time slot to fill, she began "I don't put anything in my hives...........Should I go home now?"

And as seems to often be mentioned in discussing this conference, the food was fantastic. 

Thanks again and see you next year.

Wayne

[By the way Dean, the virgin queen I brought home survived the trip and marched into a hastily made nuc the next morning. I'll let her settle in and check on her again in a week or two.]


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## bigevilgrape

What he said  My brain is still trying to process a lot of what I took in at the confence. Eventually I will blog about it, but for now I put a few pictures up on flickr. Besides all of the stuff previously mentioned I'd like to add in that I particularly enjoyed Corwin Bell's talk and ideas and Julian Wooten(?) talk about working on The Secret Life of Bees. It was nice to have some lighter stuff mixed in with all of Dee's, Mike Plamer's, and Kirk's extremely informative talks.


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## deknow

I'm glad you had fun!

We were cleaning up at the venue until about 7pm yesterday, and I got up at 4:30 this morning to drive James to the airport shuttle....now doing a market (one of 7 this week), but Ramona and Erik Osterlund have the market covered while I tool around on the computer 

FWIW: of the 7 virgins we introduced during the conference, 5 were still present on Monday. I had 2 left, so I asked Sam if he would introduce them to any of the nucs that did not have queens. One was accepted like a puppy!

http://vimeo.com/13861928 (video with a fairly detailed account of what was going on)

http://picasaweb.google.com/Dean.Ramona/VirginAcceptance?authkey=Gv1sRgCJ_HyoOjwt3SVw# (a few stills)

deknow


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## Michael Palmer

Something I gleaned from the conference...

I've always felt that over wintered nucs build up faster and produce better than spring splits. I can make a split with the same population and brood frame count as my wintered nuc and the wintered nuc will be more productive. The queen will be better too...I guess they go hand in hand. Anyway, others said the same thing...in a roundabout way...hence, gleaning.

Brother Adam says queens are best the year after they are mated. That's why he wintered them over one year before placing them into production colonies.

Dee Lusby says first year queens are juveniles, and aren't adults until the third year...same thing the Mraz family has said for years.

Eric Osterlund showed a slide of a yard he has in Sweeden. It was made up of wintered nucs and spring splits. The wintered nucs were several supers high on top of the broodnests. The spring splits were still in their brood boxes. He drew attention to the fact that his wintered nucs develop faster and are more productive than his spring splits.

Tidbits of information that come together to strengthen my belief in the benefits and wisdom of wintering nucs...or queens if you will.


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## deknow

mike, i think dee usually talks about a _hive_ growing up (or maturing), not specifically a queen....but dee does little (if any) requeening these days.

can you clarify? does a mature colony become immature again if requeened with a newly mated (this year) queen? does a newly made up nuc explode with the addition of a mature queen?

deknow


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## Michael Palmer

>> mike, i think dee usually talks about a _hive_ growing up (or maturing), not specifically a queen....but dee does little (if any) requeening these days.<<

Well, what changes in a colony? The bees or the queen? The original bees are all dead. And those that replacved them are all dead too. And the next and the next. Only the queen remains. So who is it that is maturing...thinking out loud here, don't ya know.

>>can you clarify? does a mature colony become immature again if requeened with a newly mated (this year) queen? does a newly made up nuc explode with the addition of a mature queen?<<

Hard to say and keep track of. With nucs, you see them start and grow. With requeened production colonies they are already in all their boxes. I don't normally requeen with 1 year old queens, but with queens fresh out of the mating nucs.

I was talking about the difference between wintered nucs with queens mated last year and spring splits with queens raised this year.


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## mythomane

Would like to see Palmers talk on the Honey Industry. Will you have any videos of the talks online?


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## deknow

it is possible that it will go up online, but i don't have a timeframe at this point. first, i don't own a computer that is capable of doing the necessary editing (another person also did some filming, but he is also pretty busy). second, i will make sure that mike gets a chance to review before it is made public (and we will make any edits he requests).

as always, the only way to insure that you see a full, unedited talk is to attend the conference.

deknow


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