Beekeeping Symposium

Auburn University and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System hosted about 420 beekeepers from across the state on Saturday, 2/4/12.  In my opinion, it was wildly successful.  They had three tracks in each of the break-out sessions geared to the beginning beekeeper, to the backyard hobbyist and the more commercial beekeeper.  Vendors from several companies brought plenty of material for sale and the food was great.  I learned much and appreciated, in particular, Dr. Tew's dynamic opening session.  Beekeeping Symposium.

Auburn University is about 4 hours away from our home and the drive down through heavy, torrential rain and then again on the way home was made slightly better by the warm and sunny weather that greeted us in Auburn.  75 degrees and sunny is hard to beat.  Mike did antique hunting while I attended the beekeeping classes and then met me for lunch in Auburn's AgBusiness arena.   There was a live beehive demo during lunch that was great.  Beekeepers are friendly folks and love to mentor newbees like myself.

One of the county extension apiary agents will be in contact with me before I make the decision to burn my hive due to American foulbrood.  They were doubtful that this disease would manifest itself in a first year hive.  Only 2% of all hives contact foulbrood.  So I hope the apiary agent helps me rule out foulbrood so I can reuse my hive.

After all the Auburn sessions, I am ready to invest in more hives and bees.  My package bees from Draper's arrive the week of April 23rd.  I want to order two more top bar hives and at least one Langstroth_hive, which is geared more toward commercial beekeepers.  Commercial beekeeper is my description for any beekeeper who wants more honey than they can use themselves and they want to make a profit in producing it.

Mike and I stayed one night at the very well run The Hotel at Auburn University. I highly recommend it to any other travelers to Auburn University.  We managed to do a little sight-seeing; we found the Toomer's Corner trees that the man poisoned, Toomer's Corner Oak Trees in the news, and the famed Jordan-O'Hare football stadium and last but not least, Tiger Rags, where you can find unique Auburn Tiger T-shirts not found anywhere else.

All in all, excluding the heavy rain downpours, it was a great weekend!  I am armed with knowledge and ready to establish a new bee yard!