George Imirie’s PINK PAGES
PLANNING YOUR VACATION FOR 2000
Just like adding gasoline to your car before the gage is on E, or buying the 12 roll pack of “On-Sale” toilet paper before you run out, planning ahead is SMART.
The EAS meeting for the year 2000 will be held at the beautiful campus of Salisbury University on the Maryland Eastern Shore from July 31 through August 4 in 2000. Hmmpf, I thought I heard someone “mutter” the words “So What?” A person that has that much of a negative attitude either has never attended a recent EAS meeting, or is someone who is still buying new packages of bees every year or so because he keeps losing them
Years ago, recognizing the need for a VERY PROFESSIONAL and BROAD BASED school of instruction to upgrade beekeeper knowledge and beekeeping techniques and management, EAS divided the 5 day week into two different divisions, a 2 and a half day Short Course, followed by the 2 and a half day conference of talks, films, and workshops on many diverse subjects. You can attend either one or both. However, I will say the Short Course always has a limited number of open invitations in order to give each person some element of “personal instruction”, and hence one should apply early before all the open slots are filled. I have never missed attending the EAS Short Course, either as a student or an instructor, for 20 years, and I learn something new and valuable every year. Hence, even though I am stroke disabled, I will be there on my electric scooter and opening bee hives to locate a queen, find disease, setup a requeening method, or demonstrating the better ways of making a split.
One might say “What do I do with my wife and kids who are not interested in bees?” That is the great advantage of Salisbury: Ocean City and its beaches are just 25 miles away along with their golf courses, horse racing track, amusement park with ferris wheel and taffy. Or if you like Nature, there is Assateague Island National Sea Shore adjoining Ocean City. Crisfield, the heartland of Chesapeake Bay famous crabs is a mere 30 miles away plus there are pleasure boat trips to the Elizabethan speech still found on Tangier Island in the Bay. Of course, once in the driving vicinity, no American should ever miss seeing the ultra-famous Williamsburg, which is a 3 hour drive (170 miles) south; and as you pass through Norfolk on the way, you can stop and visit the largest U. S. Navy Yard in the country and find a tour of a aircraft carrier, battleship, or submarine.
Most important is “What are the facilities like at Salisbury University for you?” Everything is AIR CONDITIONED. I have seen many motel rooms that are far inferior to the classy rooms of Salisbury. The campus grounds are magnificent with their gardens and planting; and you will get fat from all the tremendous “goodies” of the campus restaurant.
That is enough for now; and I hope I have wetted your appetite for a Salisbury area vacation. As EAS President David Bernard molds the final program into shape, I will let you know more. Thank God, I was born in Maryland – the land of pleasant living!
George Imirie
Certified EAS Master Beekeeper