Beekeeping

TATE FAIR ENTRY: There will be one entry per level per county. See Level Descriptions below.

NO MANUAL IS PROVIDED. Turn in completed General Record Sheet, 4-H 528, with your project.

Exhibit Introduction: Create an exhibit that shows the public what you learned in the beekeeping project this year. See pages 13 and 14 for poster requirements. Choose one of the topics listed below, appropriate for your grade in school, and use that topic for your exhibit title, so the judges know which activity you completed. You can also use a creative sub-title if you wish. Include a reference list indicating where information was obtained. A judge is not to discredit an exhibitor for the manner in which references are listed.

All posters, notebooks, and display boards must include a reference list indicating where information was obtained, giving credit to the original author, to complete the 4-H members exhibit. This reference list should/might include web site links, people and professionals interviewed, books, magazines, etc. It is recommended this reference list be attached to the back of a poster or display board, be the last page of a notebook, or included as part of the display visible to the public. A judge is not to discredit an exhibit for the manner in which references are listed.

Notes:

• There are no age specifications for beekeeping exhibits.
• No bee hives may be brought to the State Fair.
• Honey water content will be measured.
• Fill level: the honey should be filled to the jar shoulder, not over, nor under.
• Chunk honey should go in a wide-mouth jar, preferably one specially made for chunk honey (see beekeeping catalogs).
• Be careful to distinguish "chunk honey"(comb in jar) from "cut comb" (comb only in box).
• Honey (including chunk, cut comb and comb) must be collected since the previous county fair.

Level: Division 1: (may do 1 to 2 years) 4-H 571, One State Fair entry per county

Exhibit: Present one of the following topics on a poster, as specified above.

1. Flowers Used to Make Honey - display pressed flowers from 10 different Indiana plants that bees use for making honey.
2. Uses of Honey and Beeswax – display and describe/demonstrate uses of honey and beeswax.
3. Setting up a Bee Hive – display and describe/demonstrate how to set up a bee hive.
4. Safe Handling of Bees – display and describe/demonstrate the safe handling of bees.
5. Any other Beekeeping related topic

Level: Division 2: (may do 1 to 2 years) 4-H 586. There is no limit on the number of exhibits a county may enter in Division 2, but only one exhibit per 4-H member is allowed at the State Fair.

Exhibit one of the following:

1. Extracted honey - 2 one-pound jars, shown in glass or clear plastic, screw-top jars holding 1 pound of honey each.
2. Chunk honey (comb in jar)- 2 one-pound jars(>wide-mouth glass or clear plastic).
3. Cut-comb honey - 2 one- pound boxes (These are usually 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" in size)
4. Working with Honey Bees - Present a topic from your manual to teach fair goers about working with honey bees. Use your knowledge and creativity to display this information on a poster or in a notebook. Posters must follow the guidelines listed above.

Level: Division 3 and Above: (may do multiple years) 4-H 593. There is no limit to the number of exhibits a county may enter in Division 3 and above, but only one exhibit per member is allowed at the State Fair.

Exhibit two of the four kinds of honey listed below (#1-4) or prepare an educational display about honey bees or beekeeping (#5).

1. Extracted Honey - 2 one-pound jars (glass or clear plastic).
2. Chunk Honey (comb in jar) - 2 one-pound jars (wide-mouth - glass or clear plastic).
3. Cut-comb Honey - 2 one-pound boxes. Boxes are usually 4 1/2" x 4 1/2"
4. Comb Honey - 2 sections (honey built by bees in frames of wood commonly called "sections." Boxes are usually 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" in size).
5. Prepare an educational display about honey bees or beekeeping.

Level: Independent Study: Grades 9 - 12, one State Fair entry

Exhibit:

• Advanced topic - Learn all you can about a beekeeping topic and present it on a poster. Include a short manuscript, pictures, graphs, and list the works cited to describe what you did and what you learned. Title your poster, "Advanced Beekeeping - Independent Study."
• Mentoring - Exhibit a poster that shows how you mentored a younger 4-H member. Include your planning, the time you spent, the challenges and advantages of mentoring, and how the experience might be useful in your life. Photographs and other documentation are encouraged. Title your poster, "Advanced Beekeeping - Mentor."