Welcome to Sun Mountain Apiary 2025
Queen and her court
The past few years have put me on several journeys. Some have been very positive and some, not so much. Today I want to share with you the culmination of one of the positive ones. For a number of years, I toyed with the idea of becoming a Master Beekeeper. In 2023 I listened to Carmen Story and her daughter at Capital Area Beekeepers, discuss their experience in becoming Master Beekeepers through Cornell’s Master Beekeeping Program. It was the impetus for me to decide now or never.
I signed up in November of 2023 for the two-year program that Cornell offers. They are one of about five accrediting universities and organizations that offer such a program in the US. There is a limit of 35 students and in my class only about four were from NY. There were quite a few Canadians, a person from Australia, Tobago, and Trinidad with the rest being scattered across the US. A handful were large commercial beekeepers (>500 hives) and the rest a mix of sizes and experience although you need a minimum of three years’ experience to enroll. I both learned a great deal from the class and my fellow students and made some new friends I correspond with on occasion who bring unique perspectives from their country/region. After the final session this spring (most were about 5-6 weeks) it was time for finals. Not sure other’s experience with it, but it consumed a huge chunk of time this spring in preparation. There are three equal components to passing the finals. A field exam where you need to identify about three pages of information about a hive and diagnose any issues. An oral exam which is a combination of a research project and timed oral presentation. I did mine on “The Land, Water and People of NY and The Confluence That Created Honey Empires.” It basically covers how the Erie Canal and buckwheat allowed for three beekeepers in NY to become the world’s largest in the years 1825 to 1925. It was actually a very interesting project, and I had some great local resources to tap. Lastly was the written final exam. It is the most difficult of the three with only a 60% historical pass rate. Fortunately, I did well on my field exam and written exam and aced the oral exam. This past Friday I finally received my certificate! 
About the bees… The girls have made more honey in the past couple of weeks than they did the entire month of May. We are still WAY behind in terms of where they should be, but at least they are making progress. If the weather cooperates, I am hoping to open around August 1. At this point we could use a bit of rain and not quite so many 90+ temperatures to really help things along and promote some new blossoms. We lost much of the good blossoms/nectar flows in May with the cold and hard rains we experienced.
Upcoming Events Saturday July 12 10 am to 3pm 8th Annual “Lily Fest” in Schoharie NY. It is free and fun for the family. See attached flyers. At 10am I am doing an “audio only” version of the “Land, Water, and People the Confluence that Created Honey Empires” presentation I did for my certification. This year's theme for the Lily Fest is "Birds and Bees." The Mohawk Valley Beekeepers will also have an educational booth on site. August 23 10am - 4pm This year we are teaming up with the Mohawk Valley Beekeepers Club who will have an educational booth and demonstrations on site as well as our own displays and hive tours (weather permitting). This is a great outing for the family and Fox Creek Farms CSA is less than two miles away and also participating; this is a great fun and educational opportunity for all! Hope to see everyone at the store soon. Bee well! Bob 
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Speaking of items that are popular this time of year, if you get chapped hands and finger “splits,” then you should try Linda’s very popular lotion bars. These all natural beeswax based bars will heal your hands faster than most over-the-counter remedies. They are available in both unscented and lavender. I keep one in my pickup and one on my nightstand and use them regularly. They make great stocking stuffers too at only $6 each.
"I tried absolutely everything to help with my chronic chapped fingers. Your lotion bars have been the BEST BY FAR and one of the few products which actually helps! Thank you!" - K. Abbate, Colonie
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In 2020 we went through the testing and inspection process to become a “NY Grown and Certified Honey Producer.” While all claim their honey is pure, and bees are the best, we decided to back the claims up with the documentation and inspections that prove we have healthy hives, excellent sanitation in extraction, and nothing but pure, raw NY local honey.
Pure - Natural- Raw |
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