Missouri State Beekeepers Association

2017 Fall Conference

We hope you’re making plans to join us in Springfield for the Missouri State Beekeepers Association Fall Conference, October 27 – 28. We believe we have an extraordinary lineup of speakers, presentations, and extra events to make this a unique Fall Conference in the beautiful University Plaza Hotel and Convention Center.

Our speakers include….

Dr. Meghan Milbrath from Michigan State University. She owns and manages The Sand Hill Farm, a small livestock and queen rearing operation in Munith, Michigan. She began working bees with her father as a child over 20 years ago, and has been hooked on bees since.  She is the coordinator of the Michigan Pollinator Initiative at Michigan State University, where she also recently worked as a postdoctoral research associate in the Entomology Department, studying honey bee disease with Zachary Huang.  She is an active member in the South East Michigan Beekeeping Association, the Center of Michigan Beekeeping Association, is the district 2 representative for the Michigan Beekeeping Association, is the acting president of the Ann Arbor Backyard Beekeepers and the coordinator of the Northern Bee Network, an organization dedicated to promoting sustainable beekeeping in northern climates. Some of the topics she will speak on include a Management Plan of Varroa Mites and Small-Scale Queen Rearing.

Erin McGregor-Forbes is an EAS Master Beekeeper, past-president of the Maine State Beekeeper’s Association (MSBA), as well as Chairman of the Eastern Apicultural Society. She is an engaging-speaker and will speak on Winter-Survivability of Nucs, Small-Scale Queen Rearing; and present on her 2-year SARE demonstration study, in which Erin evaluated the strength, survivability, and honey production of requeened packaged colonies compared to northern-produced nuclear colonies (aka “nucs”) and southern-produced packaged colonies. She will also lead a hive inspection in Springfield at Urban Roots CSA Farm.

Beginning Beekeeping Tract
Friday Afternoon
For beginning beekeepers we’re offering classes Friday afternoon “So You Wanna be a Beekeeper” classes designed to answer your questions prior to taking a Beginning Beekeeping class in a local club. There will be am opportunity to sign up with local clubs in their upcoming Fall and Spring Beginning Beekeeping classes.

Beginning Beekeeping Tract
Saturday Morning
Grant Gillard, a highly successful Missouri beekeeper and prolific beekeeping author will present 7 Habits of Successful Beekeepers
Bob Brammer, a longtime Missouri beekeeper will present a class on Swarm Traps, Cut-outs, and Capturing Tree Hives.
Gregg Hitchings, Master Beekeeper and Missouri beekeeper will present a class on Mites, Monitoring, and Control Methods

Pre-Conference Events For Anyone
Two Pre-Conference events on Friday morning include hive inspections with Erin McGregor-Forbes at a local apiary run by Jeff Maddox from Springfield at Urban Roots Farm in downtown Springfield.

Also Dr Tom Coudron from the USDA ARS laboratory in Columbia MO and Dr Maciej A. Pszczolkowski from the MSU Fruit Experiment Station in Mt Grove MO will both lead a Part 2 Microscopy Class as an extension from our 2017 Spring Conference on Microscopy of Bees.

Both of these opportunities can accommodate 25 conference attendees in each session due to space and focus.
Conference Cost, $80 each and includes 3 meals at the University Plaza Hotel for Friday evening’s Banquet and Breakfast and Lunch on Saturday.
You can reserve your rooms now by clicking on this link: Reserve Your Room! 
If you have any questions please email them to Bruce Snavely, MSBA Conference Chairman: brucesnavely@hotmail.com.