Northeastern Kansas Beekeepers
AssOCIATIOn
NEKBA.ORG
Monday, September 16th, meeting in-person, Lawrence, KS. See September 's newsletter (when available) for details the September 2024 "Buzzer" newsletter
Welcome to beekeeping!
Keeping honey bees can be a fascinating hobby with many benefits to you, your community, the planet, and the bees! Getting started can be summarized in a few steps:
Get educated; join a bee group; take some classes. Do some reading. Find a location. Decide on the type of equipment you want. Find a source for bees. Manage your hive.
Why beekeeping? It’s the back-to-nature hobby that has many people buzzing. Honey bees are an interesting and exciting social insect. Besides pollination, making honey for food, and beeswax, how bees live, work, and reproduce has intrigued humans since before recorded history.
Education is the most important step to successful beekeeping and will greatly increase your chances of enjoying a long and happy relationship with your bees. A bee class is invaluable for getting good basics. Even longtime beekeepers are sometimes challenged by new problems and are learning throughout their time with the bees.
The Northeastern Kansas Beekeepers’ Association has a great mixture of beginners, hobbyists, and well-seasoned beekeepers. There are so many different areas of knowledge that at first it can be daunting. Do not despair, and remember that there is more than one right way to do things. So, what are you waiting for?
Special Announcement: Kansas Legislative Quick Action Needed:
Support re Kansas HB2720. Details on the Legislative page(link). ( posted 18Feb2024; up-dated 26Apr2024)
NEKBA Newsletter & Document Archive (newsletter page link)
BEE class 2024
We are building a knowledgeable beekeeping community through fellowship, classes, and events. (bee class page)
NEKBA to print & mail Membership Form 2025 & NEKBA Benefits
[About] [Calendar] [Other Affiliates] [Links] [Local Suppliers] [Membership] [Newsletter] [Presentations] [Scholarship] [Top Bar] [Weather] [Welcome]
(You will need Adobe Acrobat to view some documents. Please click on the link below to download a free copy.)
"What's New Section" - see what's new!
MEMBERSHIP Renewal TIME for 2024/2025
Is your membership Current?
We do our best to give all members advance notification before expiring memberships.
THANK YOU for your interest and support throughout the years!
Electronic newsletters: Thank you for helping the environment and our labor resources! We make every attempt to notify our members of their expiring membership status on the newsletters and via email. If you do not receive any special notification in your email, then your membership is current and in good-standing. We do understand extenuating circumstances and financial difficulties. If you are have a situation and would like to continue, please contact the treasurer to make arrangements.
Hard-copy newsletters: If you are receiving your newsletter via USPS, please check your mailing label. The year displayed after your name indicates the calendar year through which your membership is paid. For example “2023” indicates a membership paid through Dec. 31st 2023. A renewal would be necessary to participate in 2024 activities. We do our best to give you advance notification before expiring all memberships.
Handouts: Elderberry Jelly Recipe October 2022 presentation by Robert Burns
Handouts: Making Colorful Soaps
June 2024 Bee FunDay presentation by Lisa Opitz
Handouts: Propolis for Personal Use
December 2022 presentation by EAS Cindy Hodges
welcome
Next monthly meeting is Monday, September 16, 2024 7pm in-person, Lawrence.
Check the September 2024 "Buzzer" newsletter!
We have posted our most current Video Listing. Be sure to 'subscribe' to our YouTube channel for when we do go public with the files! Looking for KHPA "Value-added"?
Special Announcement: 2024 Queen Rearing Workshop
2.5 Days on the dates of May 10,11,12, 2024. Details on the Workshop page(link). ( posted 18Feb2024)
Handouts: Beeswax Soap-Making September 2021 by Becky Tipton
Have you heard about our mentoring and Open Apiary programs? Thanks to generous funding through the Great Plains Master Beekeeping Program, we have been able to start an apiary in April of 2023 just outside of Lawrence, KS. GPMB and Open Apiary(link). First 2024 Dates -April 6th & 7th! Thank you for coming and see you soon!
Bee FEED SYRUP MIXING Calculator spreadsheet
Trying to work out the sugar-to-water ratio (1:1 or 2:1) for feeding sugar syrup to your bees? Here's a link to a spreadsheet calculator. Download and save the calculator for future reference. Did you know thatsugar syrup is the absolute best solution to feedyour bees?Sucrose (table sugar) is a 50/50 blend of fructose and glucose.
Are you skillful with wood working? Want to make some of your own bee equipment?
Here's an article by Ed Simon from Bee Culture magazine
about building feeder stands for jar feeding.
Get a copy of Ed Simon’s book Bee Equipment Essentials, $20. (*Wicwas Press).
Just Getting started in 2024?
What equipment should I get? How much does it cost??
Here is an outline of items to get you started for the 1st year.(download .pdf2024 or .xlsx2024) Use this information to keep track of the equipment you'll need. Also, check out our tips for feeding your bees!
Kansas Honey Producers Fair Booth - 2024 September 6-15th
Thank you to all involved at the State Fair and Booth. We would sure love to have you! Help us at the KHPA Honey Booth. It's easy to schedule using Sign-Up Genius 2024 (link). We depend on volunteers. The fair dates are September 6 - 15, 2024 in Hutchinson, Kansas. See you at the Kansas State Fair! More info on the link...
NEKBA is your Northeastern Kansas Beekeepers' Association.
Welcome, and thank you for exploring our site. Check out what's happening locally for beekeepers on our FB group site, what's going in our hives, and what's blooming in your backyards. Come back soon.
Honey production and pollination services increase significantly, and so does beekeeper enjoyment and honey bee health in general, by improving regional and independent beekeeping practices through better husbandry and recognition skills of diseases and pest problems as well as and better colony management.
Handouts: KHPAMaking Liquid Foaming Soap Instructions and Honey Shampooby Robin Kolterman
Special Announcement: 2024 Open Apiary Inspection Sign-up
Various dates during the 2024 bee season. Details on the Open Apiary & GPMB page. ( posted 08Mar2024)
Our state affiliate, The Kansas Honey Producers' (Kansas State Beekeepers) Assoc and their newsletter July 2024 "Cappings" (3rd Quarter 2024).
Are you listed? Sign up here for BeeCheck (formerly DriftWatch). It's a free mapping program. Beekeepers and pesticide applicators need to work together to protect apiaries.
Questions re Shawnee North CC meetings? Pls email: Becky Tipton Classes held 3rd Wednesday of each month: 6:30-8pm. See you in 2024!
March 20, 2024
April 17, 2024
May 15, 2024
June 20, 2024
July 24, 2024
August 21, 2024
September 18, 2024
October 16, 2024 (last meet-up)
The Northeastern Kansas Beekeepers Association has a more than 76-year legacy of supporting beekeeping from 1948 through 2024. Learn more about us. 2023 was our Diamond Jubilee !!
2024 Membership and other Fees on-line via PayPal.
Beekeeping can be a life-long endeavor. We hope you'll continue to stay with us for all the benefits and enjoyment of getting out with nature. Membership and re-newal is easy Online: Use the PayPal option (above) to register and re-new. You have the option of using your own debit or credit card. One does not need to have a PayPal account. Try it out! Or by Mail: print and mail using the
2024 / 2025 Membership Form. We'll be letting you know when you are up for renewal.
Thank you! Have a great bee-season for 2024!.
Northeastern Kansas Beekeepers Association
The Northeastern Kansas Beekeepers Association is a 501(c)5 non-profit organization.
Use the NEKBA Registration Options drop-box for memberships, magazines, events, and more! --->
Great Plains Master Beekeeping Program
There is a new program for Best-management practice beekeeping. The program covers beekeepers in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Wyoming. Learn the benefits and reasons to join. To participate, one needs to join GPMB. It's free to begin and it's easy. Learn more information about the program. Up-coming GPMB events calendar.
GOOD FELLOWSHIP & GOOD BEEKEEPING
LEARN, SUPPORT, subscribe
We offer region specific knowledge, and support for all levels. Join, renew, register, subscribe! more
2024 kansas honey producers Association FALL meeting! (Kansas state beekeepers)
A monthly meeting is just not enough sometimes?
Join us for our semi-annual bee conference for all levels and commercial as well as hobbyist. Next meeting - Friday & Saturday, November 8&9, 2024. Organizers are busy planning.We will have some 'work shop' presentations. Join us for another exciting beekeeping harvesting year! (KHPA link). Two full DAYs of bee topics and education.
The Kansas State Fair is coming up. We depend on volunteers. Please consider taking a shift or two with Sign-up Genius link 2024. The fair dates are September 6 - 15, 2024 in Hutchinson, Kansas. See you at the fair!
2024 State Fair Honey Show Results....take a look! Honey Show Winners
Our most recent NEKBA newsletter ... 2024 September "Buzzer".
Join, re-new, or register on-line via PayPal.
NEKBA 2024/2025 Membership - form to view, print and mail.
You do not need to print, mail, or email this form, if you register via PayPal.
Yes! There are honey bee magazines for beekeepers!
We all need a little extra help in keeping our bees going. Good beekeepers stay up-to-date with publications, meetings, and more!
SUBSCRIBE TO A MONTHLY MAGAZINE. STAY INFORMED.
Bee Culture Magazine (link) American Bee Journal (link)
For annual subscription rates average of just $2.47 or $2.83 per month, this is fantastic information is right at your finger tips. It's important to keep up-to-date with the trends in biology, honey processing, and more!
Plenty of informative how-to articles, bee biology, and market up-dates. Regular contributors help you to learn to keep your bees healthy. Subscribe on-line (Bee Culture) or through the association (discount on ABJ only). Don't miss out!
Get the latest news.
SINCE 1948
2024 is the association's 76th milestone year! EXPLORING THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF BEEKEEPING TOGETHER
For honey bees and beekeepers, we give each season our best effort in making an indispensable contribution to our rich and healthy environment. It is not just because we have a special delicacy but due to our passion and responsibility to the world in which we all live.