Columbia County Beekeepers Club
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columbia county beekeepers

Dead-out Diagnosing Tools
  • Winter Deadout Diagnosis Key - NY Bee Wellness
  • Why Did My Bees Die this Winter (PPT) - NY Bee Wellness
  • Hive Autopsy Chart - Maine State Beekeepers Assoc.
  • ​Dead Colony Forensics - Dewey M. Caron
Marketing Honey in New York State
​“From Honeycomb to Consumer Marketing Local Honey in New York State” 
While this is a great little guide to help the hobbyist or small-scale honey producer thread their way through practices, guidelines and regulations, the author(s) clearly state that information offered is for educational purposes only, no legal counsel is intended or provided and recommends that readers check for updates in regulations that may have been implemented since publication.
Marketing Bee Products  (webinar recording / PDF handout)
Dr. Julie Fox, Ohio State University Direct Marketing Specialist, September 19, 2012
Other Marketing Resources
Definition of Honey & Honey Products
File Size: 122 kb
File Type: pdf
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​​General info:
  • ​Basic Labeling Requirements
  • USDA Food Labeling: Guidance for Industry: Proper Labeling of Honey and Honey Products; Draft Guidance (April 2014)
New York State Requirements:
  •  Sanitary Regulations for Direct Marketing
  • New York State Food Labeling
This pamphlet covers the five basic label requirements:
  1. Identity of Food in Package Form
  2. Name of Manufacturer, Packer or Distributor
  3. Place of Business
  4. Ingredient Declaration
  5. Net Quantity of Contents

Links to videos
  • Introduction to Beekeeping - 1 of 2: Equipment Descriptions - What You'll Need (University of Maryland)
  • Introduction to Beekeeping - 2 of 2: Opening Your Hive (University of Maryland)

Guest Presentations

  • Hobby to Business
  • ​Farm Service Agency Programs
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​Mary Kate Wheeler, NY Tech Team (1/31/18)

Turning Your Hobby into a Business: What it does it mean, and what does it take?
Have you ever thought about turning your surplus honey into cash? Or growing your beekeeping hobby into a source of income? Building a business can be exciting and rewarding, but it is not for everyone. This talk focuses on what it means to go into business, what it takes, and whether or not it would be a good fit for you. During this presentation, participants can expect to:
  • Review the differences between pursuing a hobby and managing a business
  • Assess their strengths and motivations for going into business
  • Understand why a customer-centered business model is key to success
  • Learn about the core functions that make up a healthy business
  • Identify important steps in the business planning process 
  • Receive a to-do list of the tasks necessary to launch a startup honey business
The presenter, Mary Kate Wheeler, serves as the Applied Economic Analyst for the NYS Beekeeper Tech Team, based at Cornell University. She loves helping people achieve their business goals, and recently launched a new Financial Analysis and Business Benchmarking program for beekeepers.
Turning your hobby into a business (presentation)
File Size: 817 kb
File Type: pdf
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Tech Team Updates (presentation)
File Size: 1007 kb
File Type: pdf
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​Matthew Forrest, Columbia-Greene FSA (2/28/18)

Bee Meeting Talk (PowerPoint)
File Size: 2628 kb
File Type: pptx
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Emergency Livestock Assistance Program: 
(ELAP) provides commercial beekeepers with emergency assistance when they lose colonies or hives to Natural Disasters or Colony Collapse Disorder. ELAP reimburses Beekeepers for Colonies lost as well as for extra feed that was purchased due to natural disasters. 
ELAP for Honeybees
File Size: 277 kb
File Type: pdf
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Farm Loans & Farm Storage Facility Loans
FSA Offers a number of different loan Programs. These loan programs include Farm loans that can be used as operating loans, or loans to purchase equipment or property. Farm Storage Facility loans are another type of loan that FSA offers. These loans have a lower interest rate but can only be used for storage or handling equipment or Storage Structures. 
Farm Storage Facility Loans
File Size: 276 kb
File Type: pdf
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Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance 
NAP offers Commercial beekeepers insurance on their honey production against natural disasters. Catastrophic coverage is free for beginning (fewer than 10 years’ operating) and historically underserved (females & minorities) Farmers. 
NAP info
File Size: 307 kb
File Type: pdf
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Links to info on forage plants for honey bees
  • Relative Ranking of Ornamental Flower Plants to Foraging Honey Bee / Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University
  • Pellett, Frank; American Honey Plants, American Bee Journal, Hamilton, Illinois, 297 pages, 1920
  • Tew, James,  Some Ohio Nectar and Pollen Producing Plants, Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet, 2000       
ohionectarplants.pdf
File Size: 381 kb
File Type: pdf
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Varroa Mite info
August 2016 - late summer management tasks.pdf
File Size: 2515 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Tools for Varroa Management: a guide to effective varroa sampling and control (24 page publication from Honey Bee Health Coalition) 
Varroa Mite Detection and Sampling (University of Maryland)

American Foulbrood info
  • American Foulbrood Identification and Control in New York / Cornell University
  • American Foul Brood / NY Bee Wellness

Thermal Camera info

Picture
Photo used with permission: Rusty Berlew, www.honeybeesuite.com
​Winter Uses for Thermal Cameras
by Jerry Bromenshenk / Bee Culture, February 22, 2016
​
Beekeeping with a "Flir One for Android"
Phillip Cairns​ / mudsongs.org   
And click here to view ~3 minute video of a low-res thermal camera imaging a beehive
​   

12 Things to Consider Before Buying an Infrared Camera

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This popular guide book answers questions such as:
  • What features do I need?
  • What are the basic infrared camera functions?
  • What about price versus functionality?
A little bit of advance homework can save you a lot of money and work in the long run.  

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Email:  ccnybees@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/ccnybees
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