Fred inspects a hive at home.
Hello Maryland Beekeepers!
As the pollination season draws to a close, so does my time as President of MSBA. I’d like to take this last opportunity to express a few thank-yous.
Thank you to my father: C.O. Smith is and has been a prominent beekeeper in Hagerstown Valley his whole life. He recounts taking colonies to Hancock when apple orchards dotted the hillsides, and tells stories of my grandfather keeping bees in nail kegs. He would place a simple box on top of the keg for the bees to draw comb and store honey.
C.O. cut down this swarm and walked it a mile home. A superhero!!!
Back in those days, all the honey was then cut out and simply sold as section honey. Dad also shares stories of “taking colonies to the Eastern Shore on the ferry across the bay for FREE because you’d make a super of honey off of the cucumbers and lima beans and that was good money back then.”
My dad has certainly witnessed many changes in beekeeping. I, too, have witnessed many changes. The one constant, though, is my dad will forever be an integral part of my beekeeping. Thank you, Dad!
My own beekeeping season has been marked with typical guarantees. Fuel prices always seem so high, fruit growers take forever to pay, and swarms inevitably happen when you don’t have enough woodenware.
Along with those constants though, my affection for the bees and my commitment to service endures. Serving as the president of Maryland State Beekeepers Association is one my greatest honors. I thank you for the opportunity, and I thank you for the trust you invested in me. I would be remiss if I didn’t take this opportunity to thank a few specific individuals.
Thank you to Toni Burnham for the countless hours she puts in to keeping the MSBA ball rolling. Without Toni, my presidency would have derailed early. 😊 Thank you to Kim Mehalick for setting me up for success, to Mary Laura for being willing to relieve me, and thank you the entire Board of Directors for their support and wisdom. I know that MSBA is in good hands for many years to come. Thank you to the many friends I’ve made through MSBA for being a part of my legacy!
Current superhero working in the rain, bringing colonies home for winter.
For the future beekeeping family, and generation, I will offer that change is inevitable so don’t fight it. Through research, ingenuity, and a good dose of hard work those challenges will not only be overcome but may also be embraced. Giving your time, sharing your talent, or simply mentoring a new beekeeper will reward you tenfold. To adapt a few of Kennedy’s words, “ask not what MSBA can do for you, but what can you do for MSBA.”
I look forward to what the future generation of beekeeping becomes, and I thank you for it already.
Now go make sure your bees are ready for winter: and again, much thanks to all.
[Return to November 2023 BeeLine newsletter]