I finally got off to Orlando. I was tired after extracting the honey. I didn’t get off as early as I had hoped, but I still got down there about 7:00 pm. I found the meeting place so I could go to it fairly easily the next day, June 13.

I was there at 15 minutes till 7:00 am and I was immediately put to work. They didn’t even have the coffee pots started yet.

We had over 100 people there and at least 50 were new beekeepers or wannabes. Some had just one or two colonies, and quite a few didn’t even have wood for their hives, much less ready for the colonies to install in them.

We had classes just for beginners consisting of equipment needed for the beekeeper, wood for the hive bodies, and hands-on for the newbies to learn how to install packages, nucs, and swarms. All in all the classes were well received.

There were classes for the advanced beekeeper consisting of:Wax Working, i.g., candle molding, candle wrapping, making wax soap; Pricing and Marketing Honey; Rules Concerning the Uses of the Made in Florida Label.

We had three vendors set up booths. Jerry Latner and his wife, Joanne from Dadant Bee Supplies, was there to answer questions and sell bee equipment to the attendees. The ladies that gave the Wax Works class, had a booth to sell their wax candles, skin creams, and whatnot’s. There was one other vendor selling bee related goods.

We had a catered lunch of baked chicken, meat loaf, veggies, and a dessert made up of cake and strawberry’s. It was very scrumptious and well served.

I guess you would like to know who sponsored this workshop. The Florida State Beekeepers Association actually sponsored this workshop and the Orangeblossom Beekeepers Association hosted it at the Orange County Extension Center in Orlando, FL. For future workshop and important dates, you can go to: http://my.calendars.net/fsba/.

These workshops are put on for anyone interested in bees and bee products. There is a lot of great information given with the new and old beekeeper in mind. If you can, please plan to make one of these meetings the next time you get a chance. You will not regret it. To find an association near you go to: http://floridabeekeepers.org and click Local.