CARSPA met for their monthly meeting on Monday, May 13, at 9:30 a.m. at the Osceola Senior Center following social time and the speaker’s program at 9 a.m. Hostesses Venita Escher and Eleanor Gage served doughnuts.
Guest presenter was Scott Kent, a beekeeper. He keeps four to eight hives. The beekeepers meet at East Lake Park or Honey Hill on the third Thursday of the month. Honey production may be 60 to 100 pounds from one colony. When collecting honey, the bottom two boxes of the hive are left for the honeybees’ food. In the spring, Scott makes a sugar/water solution for the bees to eat. Bees may fly three miles from the hive. They prefer flat flowers such as lilac, fruit tree flowers, or clover. In the fall, they like goldenrod or what is blooming. Honey flavors change from the flowers that bees have used.
Most honey sold in stores is USA honey. In cooking, a half cup honey can usually be substituted for one cup sugar. In cookies, honey keeps them softer. Honey never goes bad. If it solidifies, warm it in warm water but not in a microwave. A person could survive on honey as it has everything needed to live.
Bees were not native to North America and originally came from Europe. Costs to start beekeeping may be $300, for hives, protective clothing, and purchase of the queen and bees. Requests are frequently received to remove bees from houses. In one case, 300 pounds of honey were removed from one home. Shop vacs may be used to suck bees out of houses. Homeowners need to be aware that it may be necessary to cut into the house walls, remove the bees, honey and the comb, and then paint to seal the comb area.
Honeybees are not aggressive and are docile until invaded. The male bee has no stinger. Females live about 90 days and are about 98 percent of the bee population. When their home is destroyed or they have outgrown it, scouts will go about 200 yards and select a place for some bees to move. A cluster of bees move in a swarm that looks like a tornado spiral.
Each bee has a specific job to do. One is the queen who lays 2,000 eggs a day. Others are the bouncers to guard the hive from intruders, some spin out the honey comb, worker bees who take care of the queen, clean, gather pollen, or serve as scout bees. The male bees do not have any tasks. Scott left to meet school children at the park.
Linda opened the business meeting with a poem, “A Mother’s Love.”
There were nine members present. Others were absent to attend a wedding, graduation activities, and grandparent day events.
Jeri Lytton accompanied the members in singing “Grace.”
The Treasurer’s report was given by Linda Foland. Linda Foland read the April 8 minutes. The minutes and treasurer’s reports were approved.
Linda Foland had purchased the Magic Treehouse set of books from the McCann memorial. The memorial committee had met and decided to use the McCann memorial money donation to purchase a set of second-grade-level books to be rotated between the Clarke second grade rooms after a few weeks so all second graders would have an opportunity to read them. A small portable container is needed for the book set.
Linda also purchased library books in memory of Tom Murr a book on basketball and a Max Lucado book and in memory of Bev Edwards the Chicken Soup for Nurses Soul book.
Venita Escher moved that Linda Foland be reimbursed for the books she had purchased. Motion carried.
Linda Foland shared highlights from the May 9 District 4 Meeting that was held in Creston. One of the sessions was on mobility carts made in Iowa, with information on www.mobilityworld wide.org. One of the carts was on display and demonstrated at the meeting. They are powered by human strength and provide low cost mobility around the world to those with lower-body handicaps.
The next state IRSPA meeting will be in Denison, Iowa, in October, 2019.
Linda reminded the nominating committee to meet to get a slate of new officers for the coming year.
The next CARSPA meeting will be June 10. Donna Kindred is scheduled to present information on Wreath Making and Crafts. Anyone who has worked in education in any capacity is invited to attend.