1:30 - What's Hapening in my Hive? Followed by our speaker Associate Professor Lisa Palmer and Dr Balthasar Kehi Wild Honey: Caring for Bees in a Divided Land - Movie & Discussion. For more than a century, the island of Timor has been divided by a colonial border, which has displaced and separated the people of Lookeu, dividing their land, water & history. This film is the outcome of a long-term collaboration between these researchers and the people of Lookeu. Associate Professor Lisa Palmer teaches and researches on indigenous environmental knowledge and focuses on south-east Asia and indigenous Australia and this is her first film. Dr Balthasar Kehi is a researcher who lives in Melbourne and returns whenever he can to his homeland of Lookeu. Remember to bring your mask - current retrictions state that masks must be worn whilst indoors. Come along and keep up to date with local conditions that effect your hive, connect with other beekeepers, share resources, improve your apiary skills and learn more about honeybee ecology. Monthly meetings are usually the last Sunday of the month. Meetings are held at ECOSS, 711 Old Warburton Road, Wesburn, in the newly renovated ‘Coop’ (past the old house, over the green, down the bottom).

We're back at ECOSS for our first meeting of 2021! We'll begin with What's Hapening in my Hive? at 1:30, followed by main meeting. Guest speaker - Jane Stormer who will be speaking about how to design your garden so you have all year round flowers that bees can forage from. I'm a wild gardener, landscape designer & consultant with a deep interest in the places like the Upper Yarra Valley where habitat and horticulture meet. I've always wanted bees, and as a horticulturalist asked myself the question: do I have enough forage in my garden to support a beehive and is it possible to design a Bee-longing Garden? We live in a relatively high rainfall area, and on rainy days bees cannot travel far to forage, so its important to provide opportunities close to bee hives. Luckily there are a number of Australian botanical scientists who have been researching what plants bees love and their nectar and pollen loads based on the observations of apiarists in their local areas who have told them which flowering plants and trees the bees forage from most frequently. Over the past year, I have identified, and with the support of ECOSS, have grown and gathered a range of perennial plants which will flourish in this area. In the interests of supporting local bee keepers I will be doing a talk with the Yarra Valley Bee Group on Sunday 31st January where I will talk about how to design your garden so you have all year round flowers that bees can forage from, and hope to learn more from local apiarists about even more local flowering plants that bees love. Please come along and keep up to date with local conditions that effect your hive, connect with other beekeepers, share resources, improve your apiary skills and learn more about honeybee ecology. REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR MASK Meetings are held at ECOSS, 711 Old Warburton Road, Wesburn, in the newly renovated ‘Coop’ (past the old house, over the green, down the bottom). Everyone is welcome - gold coin donation appreciated.

Join us online on 29th November for our Yarra Valley Bee Group Annual General Meeting Beginning at 1:30 we will host our AGM, followed by our monthly meeting and guest speaker. Jay Hu from Organics Way in Mount Evelyn is coming to talk to us about Queens and Royal Jelly. Calling for nominations to our Committee Take your interest in bees to the next level. Join or friendly and focused committee to work together to help this group thrive. Put your skills and abilities to work with only four meetings a year. Nominations are still open for committee positions. Please use the below nomination form. Nominations close midday Friday 27th November. In preparation for the meeting, please view the following: AGM Minutes 2019 Agenda Committee Nomination Form Proxy form Presidents Report Treasurers Report All are welcome to attend the AGM. However, only financial members are entitled to vote.  If you are unsure of your financial status, please email us to check at yarravalleybeegroup@mail.tidyhq.com. Please register your attendance by clicking the link below to Get a Ticket **Registrations for the meeting close Saturday 28th November 2pm. If you've missed out please email yarravalleybeegroup@mail.tidyhq.com

Join us online on 25th October for our Yarra Valley Bee Group Meeting We'll start with Whats happening in my hive? - hosted by our President Phil Godman. Followed by our guest speaker: Andrew Wootton - Electronic Hive Monitoring Andrew first started beekeeping assisting his father in the UK in the pre-varroa 1960’s.   He is a certified Master Beekeeper with the Eastern Apicultural Society of North America.  Over the last few years in Melbourne his beekeeping activities have mainly involved convening and running numerous teaching courses including beginners, Flow hive, intermediate and queen raising workshops. Andrew has presented his electronic hive monitoring projects at the Apimondia World Bee Congresses in Istanbul and Montreal as well as at the 3rd and 4th International Bee and Hive Monitoring Workshops. In his talk, Andrew will discuss his swarm trap monitor and show the electronic bee counter that he built during lockdown.  He will also review some highlights from the recent 4th International Hive Monitoring Workshop. Come along and keep up to date with local conditions that effect your hive, connect with other beekeepers, share resources, improve your apiary skills and learn more about honeybee ecology. **Registrations close Saturday 24th October at midday. If you've missed out please email yarravalleybeegroup@mail.tidyhq.com **Our monthly meetings will continue online on the last Sunday of the month.  

Join us online on 27th September for our Yarra Valley Bee Group Meeting We'll start with Whats happening in my hive? - hosted by our President Phil Godman. Followed by our guest speaker - Speaker Don Muir Don is the B-QUAL Director and program manager for the 'Australian Honey Assurance Project' in conjunction with the CRCHBP and University of WA.  He will be speaking about this subject, including the creation of an Australian Honey Library, Flora data base and Honey traceability. With the COVID-19 forcing us to change the way we stay connected, we are now holding our meetings via Zoom. To join us you will need to get a Free Ticket by registering below (link not avaiable yet). The day before the meeting, we'll send you a link via email. On the day its as simple as clicking the link to join using your computer, ipad or phone. When you register we'll also send you some further details on "how to" Zoom. If you are unable to join us, we intend to put the recorded version on our website for you to view. **Registrations close Saturday 26th September at midday. If you've missed out please email yarravalleybeegroup@mail.tidyhq.com **Our monthly meetings will continue online on the last Sunday of the month.

Join us online on 30th August for our Yarra Valley Bee Group Meeting We'll start with Whats happening in my hive? - hosted by our President Phil Godman. Followed by our guest speaker Matt Lumalasi from Rooftop Honey With Spring nearly upon us, Matt will be talking to us all about swarms. He'll discuss why bees want to swarm; what to look out for and how to prevent it happening. Vanessa & Matt have been urban beekeepers for 10 years. Starting out with a hive in their garden, they have now expanded Rooftop Honey to over 130 hives in locations dotted across Melbourne’s CBD and suburbs. So, join Matt and the group online for this very relevant topic. A must for all newbees. With the COVID-19 forcing us to change the way we stay connected, we are now holding our meetings via Zoom. To join us you will need to get a Free Ticket by clicking the link below. The day before the meeting, we'll send you a link via email. On the day its as simple as clicking the link to join using your computer, ipad or phone. When you register we'll also send you some further details on "how to" Zoom. If you are unable to join us, we intend to put the recorded version on our website for you to view. ***Registrations close Saturday 29th August at midday. If you've missed out please email yarravalleybeegroup@mail.tidyhq.com **Our monthly meetings will continue online on the last Sunday of the month.

Your invited to the July online Yarra Valley Bee Group Meeting We'll start with Whats happening in my hive? - hosted by our President Phil Godman. Follwed by: Ben Moore - Beekeeping in Fiji Ben is an apiarist, environmentalist, father, food-lover and the owner of Ben’s Bees. Exposed to nature and farming from an early age, Ben has kept bees for over 26 years started Ben’s Bees over ten years ago. Since then, his company has expanded to include beekeeping, honey production, the safe rehoming of bee colonies, wasp removal, international mentoring, media and education. With a focus on ethical and natural beekeeping practices, Ben is committed to educating the community about bees and their vital connection to the environment and our everyday lives. Ben will be talking about his travels, with a focus on Fiji, and how those abroad keep their bees. With the COVID-19 forcing us to change the way we stay connected, we are now holding our meetings via Zoom. To join us you will need to get a Free Ticket by clicking the link below. The day before the meeting, we'll send you a link via email. On the day its as simple as clicking the link to join using your computer, ipad or phone. When you register we'll also send you some further details on "how to" Zoom. If you are unable to join us, we intend to put the recorded version on our website for you to view. **Our monthly meetings will continue online on the last Sunday of the month. Registrations end midday Saturday 25th July. If you missed out, please send us an email yarravalleybeegroup@mail.tidyhq.com.

1:30 - What's Hapening in my Hive? Followed by main meeting Craig Castree will be talking about edible gardening, companion planting and how to keep it bee friendly without the use of chemicals.  He is the author of ‘Edible Gardens A Practical Guide’ available from his website www.craigcastree.com.au With the COVID-19 forcing us to change the way we stay connected, we are now holding our meetings via Zoom. To join us you will need to get a Free Ticket by clicking the link below. The day before the meeting, we'll send you a link via email. On the day its as simple as clicking the link to join using your computer, ipad or phone. When you register we'll also send you some further details on "how to" Zoom. If you are unable to join us, we intend to put the recorded version on our website for you to view. **Our monthly meetings will continue online on the last Sunday of the month. Registrations end Friday 26th June midnight. If you missed out, please send us an email yarravalleybeegroup@mail.tidyhq.com.

Ally Driessen is one of the Bee Biosecurity Officers of the National Bee Biosecurity Program. In 2018 when the Varroa scare in Victoria occurred, Ally was inspired to make the change to a ‘bee-change’, in order to become part of the driving force helping to reduce the risks of exotic and established honey bee pests. Ally will be discussing the simple things every person can do to help keep the honey bees in Australia healthy. The honey bee industry, has developed the Australian Honey Bee Industry Biosecurity Code of Practice. The Code includes basic biosecurity practices that should be used by all beekeepers in Australia. These actions help to minimise the impact of pests and diseases on their own hives and those of other beekeepers. So, come along and hear Ally discuss this and more, including her dealings with the Almond pollination preparation.   With the COVID-19 forcing us to change the way we stay connected, we are now holding our meetings via Zoom. You are welcome to register your interest below and we'll send you a link to connect. On the day its as simple as clicking the link to join using your computer, ipad or phone. When you register we'll also send you some further details on "how to" Zoom. If you are unable to join us, we intend to put the recorded version on our website for you to view. **Our monthly meetings will continue online on the last Sunday of the month. Registrations end Friday 29th May midnight. If you missed out, please send us an email yarravalleybeegroup@mail.tidyhq.com.

With the COVID-19 forcing us to change the way we stay connected, we are trialling a virtual April meeting. You are welcome to register your interest below and we'll send you a link to connect on the day. On the day its as simple as clicking the link to join using your computer, ipad or phone. When you register we'll also send you some further details on "how to" Zoom. If you are unable to join us, we intend to put the recorded version on our website for you to view. **Our monthly meetings will continue online on the last Sunday of the month. Although Zoom has been questioned in the media lately, we believe it is the best platform for the April meeting. We'll include in our email some links to articles that you can read to make your own choices. Packing Down for Winter - Phil Godman Notwithstanding COVID-19 craziness, our responsibility to care for our bees continues. Our next seasonal task is preparing for Winter. We mustn't leave it too late as we can't guarantee good weather later on. In our April (online) meeting we will discuss Winter preparation.  Often referred to as 'Packdown'. We'll look at what should stay and what should go to leave hives in best possible shape to make it through to Spring. Send us your questions - Do you have any questions that you'd like to ask Phil about wintering your bees? Although you can type him questions on the day, send them to us now and Phil can come prepared to answer them. Please send to yarravalleybeegroup@mail.tidyhq.com Registrations end Thursday 23rd midnight. If you missed out, please send us an email yarravalleybeegroup@mail.tidyhq.com .

March Meeting has been cancelled due to COVID-19 health warnings.   Wild Honey:  Caring for Bees in a Divided Land  -  Movie & Discussion.   For more than a century, the island of Timor has been divided by a colonial border, which has displaced and separated the people of Lookeu, dividing their land, water & history.  This film is the outcome of a long-term collaboration between these researchers and the people of Lookeu in Timor. Associate Professor Lisa Palmer teaches and researches on indigenous environmental knowledge and focuses on south-east Asia and indigenous Australia and this is her first film.   Dr Balthasar Kehi is a researcher who lives in Melbourne and returns whenever he can to his homeland of Lookeu.   Come along and keep up to date with local conditions that effect your hive, connect with other beekeepers, share resources, improve your apiary skills and learn more about honeybee ecology. Monthly meetings are usually the last Sunday of the month. Meetings are held at ECOSS, 711 Old Warburton Road, Wesburn, in the newly renovated ‘Coop’ (past the old house, over the green, down the bottom).

This event has been cancelled due to the spread of Corona-virus. Ecotopia Earth Festival- Community Sustainability Festival Save the Date!  Sunday March 29th, 10am-4pm Yarra Junction Parklands. Prepare yourself for a plethora of great entertainment! All Free, All Accessible and Inclusive! YVBG will be holding a stall at this festival and would love your help to man it. Dont worry if you are new bee keeper, there will be others with you. If you are interested in volunteering, please email us.