WOW!!! We have had a whirlwind of an autum season here. It is unseasonably warm right now and we hope to finish extracting honey before it crystallizes in the comb. Otherwise, it gets saved to be returned to the bees in the spring. We are anxiously awaiting the ski season, too!
To update everyone,
We attended the 2012 Western Apicultural Society annual conference which took place in Seattle, Washington this past October. We had the blessed opportunity to share the establishment of The Rocky Mountain Survivor Queenbee Cooperative, which despite initial funding delays, developed on target this past 2012 season thanks to the dedicated participants. The cooperative includes 9 beekeepers, 6 from NM and 3 from CO from 5000′-8000′ elevation through 7 counties, from Santa Fe, NM to Fort Collins, CO (close to 500 miles) dedicated to preserving and promoting quality chemical-free honeybee stock. Visit www.rmsqbcoop.org to follow the process.
I also just got back from sharing the RMSQB Cooperative establishment in Quebec City, Canada at the Apimondia- World Queenbreeding Conference this past month in November. It was truly awesome!!! Additional survivor stock breeding efforts and projects are in the works!!! It does indeed take a community to raise bees!
We are currently getting our continuance grant proposal drafted and submitted. Ultimate vision is to assist in establishing The Rocky Mountain Pollinator Institute come 2014-2015.
We came back from Seattle to be present at the Dixon Studio Tour in early November. With coordination from our associate Resa Sawyer, she represented us this past post-Thanksgiving feast at the annual Taos Yuletide Fair and just recently at the Taos Pueblo Head Start Annual Christmas Fair.
Coming up, Resa will be sharing this year’s ZQB pure and raw NM honey harvest at the Santa Fe Railyard Sunday Artisan Market. You can also find our bee products at The High Road Art Gallery here in Truchas, the Dixon Cooperative Market, and the upcoming Espresso Gallery Holiday Bazaar in Embudo this holiday season.
We have smaller sampler gift jars and packs including a new lipbalm in a 100% recycled tube.
We will post info on this upcoming 2013 bee season schedule, including information on timing and start up of reservations/order list (starting in January).
We are also designing our new website focusing on our Enchanted Empress Breeder Companion line- www.longevibees.com and our free, educational resource website, www.survivorqueenbees.org. These will be up and running soon!!!
SEASON’S GREETINGS!!!
M&M and family.