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5/28/06   “Living with Bees” Program - Sat. morning, June 10th

The public is invited to attend Ernie Bolduc’s presentation “Living with Bees” at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, June 10th at the Union Meetinghouse, 24 Belknap Mountain Road, in Gilford Village.

Thompson-Ames Historical Society is hosting this program with funding from the Samuel P. Pardoe Foundation.

This will be “a fun time for everyone as Ernie shares his personal experiences as a beekeeper -- following in his father’s footsteps,” is how the program description, given in T-AHS’s 2006 Programs & Events, begins. The description goes on to say, “Use of a bee-hive (but no bees!) and lots of paraphernalia will help us understand and appreciate bees.”

Growing up on the Bolduc Farm on Morrill Street in Gilford afforded Ernie Bolduc with the gamut of farm experiences, but bee-keeping has always had special appeal to him.

Springtime sees the on-going cycle of farm work changing focus from maple-sugaring season to the preparation of bee-hives.

This spring has been an opportunity to photograph Ernie’s efforts as he prepared the bee-hives for the bees and on into his close observation of the bees at work in the hives.

Donned in his bee-keeper’s veil and the other items of protective clothing, Ernie went about his bee-keeping duties of inspecting the bees and their work in a hive while the camera captured the moment. “Puffs of smoke from this smoker let the bees know that I am about to take a close look at their hive,” he stated as he lifted the top off the hive and proceeded with his close up look. He added, “The bees’ keen sense of smell enables them not only to find suitable flowers but also to identify me as a non-threat.”

Ernie looked carefully at the many bees and pointed out the drones and the workers, some of whom he identified as being only about 5-days old. On the day that I tagged along to take photos, the queen bee proved elusive in the hive but her work was evident.

As he goes about his task, whether working or making a presentation, Ernie Bolduc shares his first-hand experiences as well as the historic research about bees and honey that he has acquired over the years. -- Listening becomes a fascinating experience!

Do mark your calendar for Saturday morning, June 10th, so that you don’t miss Ernie Bolduc’s Gilford Village presentation “Living with Bees”.

For further information, call T-AHS at 507-9009.