North Herts news by Graham Beesley

I have to beg your forgiveness for the lateness of this newsletter. What with controlling swarms, making up frames /boxes and now getting in the honey harvest I have been a little busy. Every year I think I've got it covered and find myself caught out.

We have several interested newcomers and beginners who have been coming along to the Garden Centre apiary on a Saturday morning. Any other members who are interested are welcome to come. We meet at 10.00am at the Stevenage Garden Centre.

Helen is starting to provide swarms for those who are waiting for their first colony. Strangely, given early spring and the speed of the build up of the colonies, there seem to be very few swarms about. If anyone knows different please let Helen know. She has a long list!

I have now finalised the apiary meetings for the summer. They are:

• 04/06/2011, The Association apiary at Nortonbury, kindly hosted for us by John Nicoll. Meet at 2.30pm.(This is short notice I know, do come if you can). Ring/email John or myself for directions.
• 18/06/2011, Pat Veasey has invited us to visit his hives at his home, Gosmore Cross. Againthe start time is 2.30 pm. Please ring Pat or myself. 
• 05/07/2011, David Mathews has arranged for us to visit the Apiary site at Standalone Farm, Letchworth.( Note, this is a Friday evening)! Start time is 5.30 pm. Standalone Farm will be googleable, (have I just invented a word there)?

If anyone else would like to invite members to peer at their hives, give their opinion and retire for tea and cake we would be very pleased to accept an invitation. Please contact me to arrange.

I look froward to seeing you at some or all of these events.

Some members may not be aware that at the Herts Beekeeper's AGM in March, one of our members, Derek Richardson, was elected as President of the association for 2011. This is an honoury role which rotates between the associations.

Derek has, I know, a strong commitment to forging links between the associations in Hertfordshire. To do this he is keen to encourage members to visit other association's apiary meetings and events. If anyone is interested in visiting with Derek and seeing how beekeeping is done in other parts of the County, I am sure he would be pleased to hear from you.

This weekend is BEEWORLD where Herts Beekeepers association meets the public, kindly hosted for us again by the County Show. The event is held at the County Showground, Redbourn. Derek and I will be meeting the public on the Sunday and demonstrating the observation hive.

Closer to home is Preston village open gardens where one of our members Chris Mercer will be selling honey and having an observation hive.

Back to the harvesting!

Best regards.