The 67th Canadian Honey Council (CHC) and Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists (CAPA) Annual General Meeting and Convention is scheduled for 23 - 26 January 2008 in Calgary, Alberta.

Guest speakers will include:

• Dennis van Englesdorp, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
• Ron Phipps, President of China Products North America
• Dr. Ron Fessenden, Director and Co-chairman of the Committee for the Promotion of Honey and Health Inc.

In addition to the business meetings and research symposium, the agenda includes an on-going trade show, meet-and-greet event, buffet dinner, and an “Agritourism” tour to the Town of High River: Chinook Honey, the Greidanus Honey Mill, and Medivet Pharmaceuticals.

For more information, including the Agenda and Registration form, along with details on accommodations, please visit the Canadian Honey Council website.

The non-profit Committee for the Promotion of Honey and Health will be holding the 1st Annual Symposium on Honey and Health, to be held 8 January 2008 in Sacramento, California.

Scientists, researchers and physicians from around the world will make presentations on topics related to honey as a functional food. Featured speakers include Dr. David Baer of the USDA Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center in Maryland, on the potential role of honey in combatting the increasing incidence of insulin resistance, obesity and diabetes in America.

For more information, please contact:
Ron Fessenden
713-436-7802
info@prohoneyandhealth.com
or worldclassemprise@sbcglobal.net

A question that beekeepers are often asked is this:
How long can I keep honey and have it still be good to eat?”

The short answer is — indefinitely.

In fact, jars of honey have been found in the tombs of the old Egyptian pharaohs, still in fine condition!

If honey is allowed to absorb extra moisture from the air, however, it might begin to ferment. But if you store it in a sealed container, honey may be kept for almost an unlimited time. Honey may also darken with age and become a bit stronger in flavour, but again, it will not spoil if it’s kept in a sealed container.

• Do keep your honey at room temperature, in a closed jar, and out of strong sunlight.
• Don’t keep honey in the refrigerator, as cool temperatures will often speed up the natural granulation of honey, making the liquid turn into a lumpy solid form!

Tip: If your honey jar is sometimes hard to open, try wiping a little oil onto the rim of the jar before closing it. That will keep the lid from sticking.

The Apimondia Foundation announces the opening today of its new “beekeeping information shop” online.

They offer editions of Apiacta beekeeping magazine, volumes of Apimondia Congresses, beekeeping books, dictionaries (like the one pictured here, with beekeeping terms in 24 languages), as well as CD-DVD recordings of important beekeeping events.

Visit: www.shop.apimondiafoundation.org

The Honey Bees and Winter Kill fact sheet, from the province of Alberta, was highlighted in yesterday’s article entitled How to Help Honey Bees to Survive the Winter. By way of follow-up, New Brunswick’s Chief Apiarist, Chris Maund, has provided this comment:

This is a very well-written fact sheet. One key point that I would like to bring to people’s attention is the beginning statement in the section on Pest Management: “Beekeepers should check the annual recommendations provided by their Apiculture Program”. Please be aware that each province may have different recommendation practices.

For example, in New Brunswick, bees from colonies with visible signs of American foulbrood (AFB) MUST NOT be shaken onto new foundation. In New Brunswick, all bees from colonies with visible signs of AFB must be destroyed by burning. Equipment must be also burned (some parts may be scorched). Additional management practices must also be done for colonies with no visible signs of AFB in the same apiary.

Chris Maund
Integrated Pest Management Specialist (Entomologist) and Provincial Apiarist /
Spécialiste de la lutte contre les parasites (Entomologiste) et Apiculteur provincial
New Brunswick Department of Agriculture and Aquaculture /
Ministère de l’Agriculture et l’Aquaculture du Nouveau-Brunswick