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Massachusetts Beekeepers Association Annual Field Day
June 11, 2022 @ 9:00 am – 3:30 pm EDT
The Massachusetts Beekeepers Association is holding our annual FIELD DAY on Saturday, June 11, 2022. The event is hosted by Franklin County Beekeepers Association. The event is free and open to all.
We are returning to the UMASS AGRICULTURAL LEARNING CENTER on 911 NORTH PLEASANT STREET AMHERST, MA. Follow the Yellow Bee Signs!!
The AGRICULTURAL CENTER is a 70-acre “Living Classroom” located on the UMASS Amherst campus. The facility hosts the State’s (MDAR) and UMASS research Apiaries and features Fruit / Vegetable, Vineyard, Landscaping designs, and Pollination Gardens. We ask that ALL bring your veil for protection. Free Parking on site.
Place your orders with your favorite vendor and enjoy FREE SHIPPING. Better Bee, Mann Lake, and Dadant will be exhibiting as well as local vendors and artists will exhibit in the open area located adjacent to the main tent where everyone meets.
Mass Bee Field Day is FREE to All
Massachusetts Annual Field Day Schedule
Co-Hosted by the Massachusetts Beekeepers Association, the Franklin County Beekeepers Association, and the University of Massachusetts.
Vendor note: You can order from our participating vendors in advance and pick them up at the Field Day event. This saves you the cost of shipping. Contact the vendor directly to place an order. Massachusetts’s Beekeepers Association & the Franklin County Bee Association thank participating vendors for their continued support of our Field Day event.
Saturday, June 11th Field Day – 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM.
- Sessions will run for one hour, with time between moving to the next session.
- Locations will include Two tent locations, five with two colonies of bees including the MDAR bee yard (State Inspectors).
- The pollinator garden is also a location that can be used for nectar plant identification and related topics.
- Attendees are encouraged to wear protective clothing. This is a live bee day.
8-9AM Registration & Finish Setting up.
9:00 – 9:30 AM – Welcome & Announcements. Mary Duane MBA President, Stephen Herbert UMASS. Announcements – check in with Mary if you have an announcement. Dan Conlon President FCBA – instructions for the day.
Tent #1 “Judging Queens for Support & Replacement” Ed Karle EAS Master Beekeeper
MDAR Apiary #2 Massachusetts Bee Inspectors Program – Sessions will include Swarm Prevention and Varroa Mite Sampling.
Bees #3 “Management of Russian Honeybees” – Dan Conlon Warm Colors Apiary
Bees #4 “Natural Approaches to Beekeeping” – Mel Gadd Beekeeper of the Year 2018.
Bees #5 “Benefits of the Snelgrove Board” – Roland Sevigney.
Bees #6 “Hive Management throughout the Year” – Ken Warchol WCBA
Bees #7 “Hive Management” Dave Lewcon WCBA
Vendor Area Dr. Bill Blocher The Bee Glove Guy
Session #2 10:45 – 11:45 AM
Tent #1 “Multi-purpose bee planting” -making the most of your yard to feed honey bees and other creatures Marion & Ed Szymanski NCBA
MDAR Apiary #2 Massachusetts Bee Inspectors Program
Bees #3 “My Hive Swarmed – Now What?” Leslie Huston EAS Master Beekeeper
Bees #4 “Using Bait Hives to Increase Your Apiary” Art Canterbury FCBA Vice President Cornell Master Beekeeper
Bees #5 “Raising Queens Using the Cloake Board” – Bob Hickey
Bees #6 “Hive Management throughout the Year” – Ken Warchol WCBA
Bees #7 TBA
Vendor Area
LUNCH 12:00 – 1:30 PM. Served by John Welsh – pre-ordering required. Those with special diets are encouraged to bring a lunch.
- The Smoker Contest will be started during the lunch break – Ken Warhol (Worcester County Beekeeper & Retired Massachusetts Bee Inspector) will be judging the contest. See Ken to enter.
- Mary Duane MBA President – will schedule a brief BOD meeting.
Session #3 1:30 – 2:30 PM
Tent #1 “Membership Update & BOD meeting” – Mary Duane 2022 President of the Massachusetts Bee Association.
MDAR Apiary #2 Massachusetts Bee Inspectors Program
Bees #3 TBA – Dick Conner Red Barn Honey Co.
Bees #4 “Making Splits for Colony Increase & Swarm Prevention” Rick Church Monadnock Bee Association, NH
Bees #5 “Benefits of the Snelgrove Board” – Roland Sevigney.
Bees #6 “Hive inspection tips for beginners” Carin Zinter EAS Master Beekeeper
Bees #7 “Using the Alcohol Wash to Detect Varroa Mites” Dave Lewcon WCBA
Vendor Area
Session #4 2:45 – 3:45 PM
Tent #1 “Creating Pollinator Habitat & Pasture” – Tom Bacon Owner of Union Bee Co.
MDAR Apiary #2 Massachusetts Bee Inspectors Program
Bees #3 “Care & Introduction of Queens” – Dan Conlon Warm Colors Apiary. Queens will be available for purchase and can be picked up at this location.
Bees #4 “Natural Approaches to Beekeeping” – Mel Gadd Beekeeper of the Year 2018
Bees #5 Raising Queens Using the Cloake Board – Bob Hickey
Bees #6 “Swarming” – Scott Herbert
Bees #7 “Finding & Marking Queens” – Ed Karle EAS Master Beekeeper
Vendor Area
CLEANUP 4:00 – 5:00 PM. We appreciate and need volunteers packing up tents, tables, and chairs. Please consider helping out. Field Day is among the few beekeeping events still free and inclusive of all beekeepers. It will remain free as long as we have volunteers willing to pitch in and contribute an hour to keep this event going.