UESBA's purpose is to organize programs for current and future beekeepers, educate and teach responsible and modern beekeeping practices, and inform the public of the importance of honey bees to our survival. The UESBA serves primarily Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne’s Counties of Maryland.
The President's Corner
Cornell University is offering free access to their online Ag courses, and you can sign up for two. They have Beekeeping 101 (they have a well regarded Master Beekeeping program, so I am sure the course is high quality. They also have loads of gardening and farm management courses.
You must sign up by March 27, and you have access until the end of April.
Check out all the great offerings!
Synthetic Drawn Comb: Contamination Concern
Bees are dying at an alarming rate. Amsterdam may have the answer.
Bees Required to Create an Excellent Blueberry Crop
Stung by crime The booming almond industry in California is inspiring a new organized crime, said Oliver Milman in TheGuardian.com: beehive heists. There were 1,048 reported hive thefts in California in 2017, compared with just 101 in 2015. Authorities know where the stolen bees tend to wind up-in California's fertile Central Valley, where farmland filled with "lettuce, grapes, lemons, apricots, and more requires pollina tion from far more bees than naturally live in the area." Almonds are the "main driver of the honeybee demand," with 1.17 million acres of land requiring pol lination "at a standard rate of two beehives an acre." With demand rising and bee popula tions dropping, the price of a hive for pol lination has grown to $200 and up. Reported thefts dropped recently after the arrest of two men who'd been hiding 2,500 hives in what authorities called "a chop shop for bees."
Upcoming Events
Saturday, May 2, 2020
Honey Judging Class
MSBA wants to alert the county club Presidents and the county VPs that registration is now open for this year’s Honey Judging Class on May 2, 2020 from 38:30 AM to 4:30 PM at the University of Maryland/College Park Plant Sciences Building. Complete details are available at
This class is for MSBA members, costs $50 and is restricted to 35 attendees in order to guarantee lots of direct instruction and hands on opportunities. Among other features, students will get presentations from other beekeepers who have prepared champion entries in critical skill areas, such as extracted and comb honey and beeswax handling.
Mentoring contacts:
Don Sparks 410-708-6360 or
Sam Beachy 410-708-9935 or
Gary Robson 443-480-2285
