Date/Time Date(s) – 02/06/2015 – 02/07/2015 All Day

Location Kosmos Performance Space

The New Mexico Beekeepers Association invites you to join us for our Annual Meeting on February 6, 2015, noon-5 pm and February 7, 8:30 am- 3:45 pm. with Guest Speaker, Dr. Marla Spivak in Albuquerque, NM. Admission is free, but we encourage family membership to the NM Beekeepers Association for $30 per year.

The guest lineup also includes:

• Beth Conrey, President of the CO Beekeepers Association and Owner of Bee Squared Apiaries. “There’s Plenty of Money in Honey”
• Ryan Hiles, NM Department of Agriculture, Entomology and Nursery Industries, “Report from the NM Apiary Inspector”
• Loretta McGrath, Pollinator Partners Director
• Ken Bower, “Tracking Pollen Sources in your Area”
• Darren Jewell, hive removals

This event also features information about keeping bees in New Mexico, vendors, artisans, giveaways and the business meeting for their Association.

Please bring honey samples to share from your area of the state.

Kindly RSVP or send a note to secretary@nmbeeekeepers.org so that we can be sure our meeting hall is big enough.

Schedule of Events

Friday, February 6, 2015 12:00-1:00 pm Registration 1:00-1:15 pm Introductions 1:15-2:30pm Ryan Hiles, NM Department of Agriculture (NMDA), Entomology and Nursery Industries Division, State Survey Coordinator, “NMDA Apiary Updates and Announcements” 2:15- 2:30 pm Break 2:30- 3:15 pm Loretta McGrath, “Protecting Pollinators in New Mexico: Cultivating Allies and Enhancing Habitat” 3:15-4:15 pm Break 4:15- 5:00 pm Marla Spivak, “Good News from the University and State of Minnesota” 6:00 pm Art gallery opening, 6th Annual People’s Show, Factory on 5th

Saturday, February 7, 2015 8:30-9:30 am Swap meet/ Registration 9:30-10:00 am Introductions/ President Jessie Brown 10-10:45 am Marla Spivak, “From Propolis to Pesticides: Research at the University of Minnesota MN Bee Lab” 10:45-11:30 am Business Meeting 11:30- 1:00 pm Lunch 1:00- 1:30 pm Announcements from local groups 1:30-2:00 pm Darren Jewel- Removing Hives 2:00-2:15 pm Break 2:15-2:45 pm Ken Bower, “Tracking Pollen Sources in Your Area” 2:45-3:00 pm Break 3:00-3:45 pm Beth Conrey, “There’s plenty of money in honey”

Speaker Biographies

Dr. Marla Spivak’s interest in bees began when she worked for a commercial beekeeper in New Mexico in 1975. Marla Spivak is a MacArthur Fellow and McKnight Distinguished Professor in Entomology at the University of Minnesota. Her research efforts focus on protecting the health of all bees, breeding bees for their natural defenses against diseases and parasites, promoting sustainable beekeeping practices, and propagating floral rich and pesticide-free landscapes to support the nutrition, health and diversity of bee pollinators.

Beth Conrey has an MBA from the University of New Mexico, Anderson School of Management. She owns Bee Squared Apiaries, a 60 hive beekeeping operation. Bee Squared produces chemical-free honey, hand rolled beeswax candles and quality soaps. She is president of the Colorado State Beekeepers Association and the Western Apicultural Society. She sits on the Board of the Pollinator Stewardship Council (PSC) and People and Pollinators Action Network (PPAN).

Loretta McGrath directs the Pollinator Partners Program at Farm to Table, provides education and outreach on pollinator conservation strategies, and has been a top-bar beekeeper since 2006. For over 20 years, Loretta has been a college educator and sustainability leader and consults with local non-profits on projects to support local food system development, healthy human communities and living systems. Since 2007, Loretta has been teaching courses in sustainability studies and environmental ethics at Santa Fe Community College and has been a consultant with Farm to Table since 2008.

Ken Bower has had a passion for growing plants and vegetables since his youth. Living in Santa Fe for the past 14 years, he and his wife created Eldorado Windy Farm, a suburban home farm where they grow vegetables, herbs, lavender, fruit trees, berries and many varieties of flowering plants. Ken is also a beekeeper and active member of the Sangre de Cristo Beekeepers Association. Ken has an undergraduate degree in biology with a minor in vocational agriculture as well as a Doctorate in Education. He worked in the field of public education for over thirty years as a biology teacher, school counselor, assistant superintendent and also taught at the university level. He completed the Master Gardener course in 2001, sells his lavender products and beeswax at the Eldorado Farmer’s Market and assists friends selling vegetables at the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market. For the past couple years Ken has been actively recording the flowering schedules of plants in the Eldorado area to determine which pollens are most sought after by his bees.  He also continues to give presentations locally on fruit trees, bees and home gardening.