The Rocky Mountain Survivor Queenbee Cooperative

Established 2012 By New Mexico & Colorado Beekeepers:

Meg McGee, Resa Sawyer, Moira O’Hanlon, Angela Lewis, Kate Whealen, Melanie

Kirby, Janet Fink, Kris Holthaus, & Marygael

Meister

AGENDA7pm Welcome

7:02 WHO & WHERE

7:05 2012 Project Parameters

& Objectives

7:10 Weather & Apiary Reports

7:30 Review Nuc #s & Potential

Breeding Stock

7:40 Discuss June 20th Queen Wkshp

7:45 Schedule Stock Exchange/Visits

7:55 Final Comments- signing up for

blog instructions from Marygael

8pm Meeting Adjourned

WELCOME:

Hola Ladies! I’m really looking forward to working with you all. I am so excited to see where this endeavor takes us and to create a beautiful and cooperative partnership of and for our bees!

--Melanie Margarita Kirby

RMSQB Coop Founders

These two ladies in the Mora Valley have each been keeping bees on their own for some time now. I have no doubt that their dedication and motivation will soar them to new heights as they buzz along with their bees. And a SINCERE THANK YOU to each of you for participating

DOUBLE RAINBOW- Now that’s a good sign!- -Sorry for the blurry pic- low battery. With new digi- cams our documentation should be crystal clear.

Resa’s home apiaryBuena Vista, NM August 2011

Just want to give proper acknowledgementTo Resa (l) and Meg (r) who inspired me to attempt to organize and pull off this

special Project.

WHO & WHERE-Colorado Mountain Mamas-

Kris Holthaus- Ft. CollinsCO Survivor Stock Breeder

RMSQB CO Coordinator

Marygael Meister- DenverFounder & Coordinator

DenverBee.org

Janet Fink- WalsenburgFounder & Coordinator Spanish Peaks Bee Club

New Mexico Mountain Mamas

Kate Whealen- Santa Fe Founder & Coordinator

of Sangre de Cristo Beeks

Angela Lewis- Arroyo Hondo

Moira O’Hanlon- Arroyo Seco

Melanie Kirby-Truchas RMSQB Facilitator

Resa Sawyer- Buena Vista

Meg McGee- Mora ValleyRMSQB NM Coordinator

Parameters You all are the authors.

We will only get out of it, what we put into it.

We shall set realistic expectations and look to remain flexible

with our bees and with Mother Nature.

We will strive to remain in communication with each other and to

allow for minor alterations as seen fit by each if

needed.

If something doesn’t work out, please do not hesitate to share so that we can work together to figure out a

solution.

We will sweat comb with each other!

TOTAL DISTANCE COVERED: SANTA FE TO FORT COLLINS = 458 miles

Project Covers 7 counties total!

Split down the middle for both Top Bar & Langstroth with several of us maintaining both (or wanting to )

2012 Project Objectives- Update

• 1. (Jan-April) Ag Professional composes project protocol manual for issue to producers at 1st mtg.

• 2. (April) Hold first meeting to discuss timeline and coordinate site visit calendar (mtg. location in NM- Taos area)

• 3. (May) Get equipment assembled/mating apiaries bear fenced

• 4. (June) Bring participants to ZQB farm for weekend Queenrearing workshop and to schedule brood exchange/cell

exchange.

• 5. (June) Conduct first graft for swapping (approx. 2 week process)

• Stock mating nuclei

• Deliver ripe cells for out-crossing and pick up cells- round 1

• 6. (July) Exchange mated queens (5 week process from graft to harvest)* from round 1 and swap cells for round 2

• 7. (August) Exchange round 2 mated queens and swap cells/brood for round 3

• 8. (September) Exchange round 3 queens and mark all queens/collect data

• 9. (October) Review season and begin discussions for following spring

• 10. (November) Review documentation and compile data for reports to producers and WSARE.

Weather & Apiary Reports

Please share how your bees overwintered and how spring commencement seems to be

treating them.

Those that overwintered successfully- how is their spring

build up?

Any selection for breeders?

Share selection criteria.

Q: Who has bear issues?

Needs fencing?

Protein levels- need Pollen?

Nuc # & Breeder ReviewHow many nucs would you like to get going this season?

Do you have any Breeding Contenders?

June 20th Queen Workshop @ ZQB Farm in Truchas, NM

From the Art of Grafting To Mature Harvest We’ll start at 9am and

go through to late afternoon. I’ll provide lunch. We can do bee

beards for those interested.

Schedule Stock Exchange and Visits

4) 4th and final graft swap for 2012 season in Walsenburg in September if timing and weather oblige.

Queen swapping can take place at this time for those interested and able.

2) Set date in July to visit Colorado.

On this trip we would visit Janet, Marygael and Kris

Beekeepers can conduct grafts of their selected breeders two weeks before visit to swap.

* I will venture to visit NM ladies to help them establish their nucs/mating apiaries starting after QR workshop in June.3) Set August for CO to

visit NM beekeepers.

Visits for Angela, Moira, Meg & Resa & Kate

We can conduct 3rd graft two weeks before visit to swap.

1) First graft swap will take place June 20th at ZQB.

I will provide some cells/virgins of some of our prize 3 and 2 year old breeders.

* If you are willing and able, you can bring a comb of some young larvae- just hatched eggs for grafting or if you already grafted and have some cells/virgins to share- great!

-Final Comments- Marygael- Blog Talk

Marygael secured http://www.RMSQBcoop.org as our project website She has information and directions on how to establish

a free blog online. www.blogspot.com or www.wordpress.com

Everyone is encouraged to establish their own free blog- as it relates to the project. Please upload any pictures or data that you would like to disclose.

Marygael will link up everyone’s individual blogs to the main website. I have also secured www.SurvivorQueenbees.org as an umbrella site. I hope to include RMSQB Coop project links there and also other regional survivor rearing and breeding efforts. Your input is appreciated.

Everything is at your discretion- I will not censor anything unless it is posing to arrest project development in a negative manner.

Conclusion: June 20th QR

wkshp ZQB home farmTruchas, NM

• 1st exchange• Get grafting and

set up nucs

July CO visits 2nd exchange

August NM visits 3rd

exchange

September Final

exchange Cross-Mated Queen Swap

Thank you Ladies for your time and attention.

This is a new and unique project. I am so very glad and honored to have

you all participate and to serve as the Technical Advisor.

Thanks Bee to All-

Melanie