Attending were: Eleanor Tessier, Doug Atkins, Laura Joiner, Idria Knecht, Rick Knecht, James Zdepski, Tameeka Chang, and Vanessa Preston.

President's Report

• State Meeting Issues: 

  • At the state meeting, it was reported that first-prize honey entries were stolen, with a loss of $100. There was a security lapse and winners were asked to bring new jars. Non-winning entries also went missing.

Treasurer’s Report

• Financial Overview: 

  • Starting Balance: $34,372.71

  • Ending Balance: $35,506.71

  • Income:

    • $1,040 from short course tuition

    • $224 from NJBA dues

    • $130 from tuition reimbursement

  • Membership changes: One primary member loss and one gain.

Old Business

Hive Mind 2025 Event Planning

• Venue:

  • Tameeka and Vanessa visited potential locations for Hive Mind 2025, with North Hunterdon High School (CTHS) being chosen due to its large space and no custodial fees.

  • Event Schedule: Proposed event hours from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.. The agenda will include a mix of presentations, breaks, and possibly a field visit.

• Speakers:

  • Proposed speakers include Tim Dunne (plants for pollinators), John Gaut (drones in beekeeping), and Erin Evans (Business of Beekeeping, artificial swarming).

  • Erin Evans is highly supported by the group, with a suggestion for her to be the keynote speaker.

  • The possibility of having Dr. David Peck from Better Bee as both a speaker and vendor was discussed.

• Event Logistics:

  • Zoom Capability: The group discussed the technical aspects of hosting a Zoom speaker. NHHS has a screen in the auditorium, but additional laptops will be needed.

  • Vendors: There was a conversation about the possibility of having vendors at the event, including Better Bee if Dr. Peck is confirmed.

Survey Results and Member Feedback

• Survey Overview:

  • The February survey results indicated that members value the content of meetings but are often too busy to attend. There was a clear preference for both beginner and advanced topics, as well as the inclusion of hands-on demonstrations.

  • Some members suggested having more Saturday meetings to accommodate working beekeepers, and the group agreed to explore this further.

• Meeting Format Suggestions:

  • Consider splitting meetings into beginner and advanced sessions to cater to different skill levels.

  • Ideas for hands-on demonstrations, such as setting up an electric fence, were discussed.

New Business

County Fairs

• Warren County Fair: Doug will work with Eleanor on planning for the Warren County Fair booth. They will also reach out to Jim regarding the Hunterdon County Fair.

• Short-Term Committees: A suggestion was made to recruit members for short-term committees to help with events like the fairs without requiring a long-term commitment.