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Bees Are Fascinating!

Published August 23, 2024. Written by Sally Hoger

Owner Carrie Gonzales and beekeeper Warren Walton graciously treated a group of visitors to a riveting talk about raising bees at Carrie’s Honey & More Store, 613 S 2nd St. The local Rotary Club scheduled the activity as an informative event for its members and the community.

During the presentation Walton explained that anyone can raise bees, but it does take an initial outlay of money to buy or construct the bee boxes and other equipment, such as a bee suit, and the cost of the bees unless a swarm is gathered. But the payoff can be many pounds of honey and the chance to enjoy beekeeping.

Where do you obtain bees?

Bees can be purchased as a “nuc” (nucleus) or “split”, a collection of frames with bees and a queen the hive has already accepted. Alternatively, it is very simple to collect a swarm, Walton explained that a swarm occurs when a colony of bees divides after a new queen is born or if the colony of bees has become too large. Swarms can be collected in a box during the Spring from a tree or under a bridge. Walton suggested that the beekeeper wear a bee suit when collecting a swarm. He also mentioned that it will be obvious if the queen did not make it into the collection box, because within minutes the workers will move out of the box and back where the swarm had been.

Jana Florsheim, one of the observers at the presentation, told the group that she was lucky enough to catch the swarm that occurred at Carrie’s store a couple years ago and continues to keep the hive.

New Queen

Carrie was excited to tell us about the birth of a new queen in the hive that lives inside the store. No one is sure exactly what happens to initiate the birth and development of a queen, but it has to do with the kind of royal jelly she receives as a larva – Carrie calls it “bee magic”. There is a hive in the Honey Store where the bees are able to freely leave and return to the hive. There are also many varieties of honeys for sale in the store and customers are encouraged to bring their own jar for Carrie to fill.

Do you have to feed the Bees?

Walton stated that there are different ways to think about this, such as “A fed bee is a lazy bee” meaning they won’t go collect as much nectar to make honey. However, Walton feeds his bees because he wants to give them every chance for success. He demonstrated how a quart jar can be filled with a mixture of half and half of water and sugar and placed in the hive. Pat Walsh, an experienced beekeeper who raised bees at Sugarite Canyon State Park for educational purposes, was on hand to explain that bees need sugar and water to live through the winter.

What is the Time Commitment?

After the colony is established, a beekeeper does not have to check on the bees very often. In fact, every time box is opened, about three hundred bees get killed. Once established, trays are added to the bee box where the honey can be collected. Walton checks his boxes every few weeks to make sure that the bees are thriving and to see if a new tray needs to be added. Walsh concurred, saying she checked her boxes about every two weeks.

The Raton Rotary Club provides opportunities to learn about our community through field trips to various businesses that has been followed by a social hour at the Gate City Craft Bar. The Rotarians have also provided many volunteer hours cleaning and sprucing up landscaping at the post office, the Arthur Johnson Memorial Library, and the sidewalk areas on Historic First Street. The Rotary meets at K-Bob’s Steakhouse and Restaurant at 1228 S. 2nd Street every Tuesday at noon.

Democrats Distribute Platform Postcards to the Public

August 9, 2024 – By Niko Ibanez

The Colfax County Democrat Party gathered this Friday to distribute postcards to local neighborhoods. Janet Warner from Wheeler Peak Indivisible provided the postcards, which outline the contrasting priorities and policy goals of both the Democratic and Republican parties. Wheeler Peak Indivisible, a grassroots organization, promotes civic engagement, advocates for progressive values, and holds elected officials accountable. Through community organizing, education, and activism, they empower individuals to participate in the democratic process and drive positive change at the local, state, and national levels.

Its members emphasized that, regardless of party affiliation, the fundamental act of voting sustains the representative democracy on which the United States is founded.

Volunteers Provide Landscaping Improvements

July 28, 2024 – By Patricia Walsh and Jari Thymian

Spruced-up landscaping now enhances Raton’s post office and library, thanks to recent efforts by the Raton Rotary Club and many local residents.

Longtime Rotary member Bill Allen sparked the initiatives this June by persuading club members to refurbish the outside of the post office. That project began June 22 and ended just over a month later, involving at least 16 volunteers donating nearly 70 person hours and more than $1,000 of donated supplies.

The area was weeded, handmade wooden planters were placed near the post office entrance, landscape timbers were installed around planted areas, bark mulch was added, and additional bricks were laid in a redesigned walkway.

“It is amazing how many people care deeply about our city and are so willing to volunteer their time, money and energy to keep Raton beautiful,” said Jari Thymian, who became president of the Raton Rotary Club on July 1. Efforts to improve the outside of the post office began in 2012. Area resident David Stafford, working with the non-profit GrowRaton, obtained a tree-planting grant through the New Mexico Forest Re-Leaf Program of the state’s Forestry Division.

Rotarians and local volunteers united again to restore the landscaping at the Arthur Johnson Memorial Library on July 20. Thirteen volunteers provided more than 32 person hours of work to weed and clean the library grounds.

“I was very pleased to arrive on Saturday morning to see all the volunteers working hard on cleaning our flowerbeds,” said Dennie Gum, director of the library. “I would like to thank each of them for giving their time and hard work to make the library property beautiful again.”

The following is a list of donors for the post office project:

John Johnson: $730 for landscape timbers
Bill Allen: $350 for wood for planter boxes, plants, and bark mulch
Pat Walsh and Al Frydryk: $90 for bark mulch
Greg Fischer and Jari Thymian: $60 for bark mulch
Steve Anderson: about 100 bricks

The following is a list of volunteers who worked on the post office project:

Bill Allen, Lisa Camp (designed wooden planter boxes), Tom Ferguson, Greg Fischer (built wooden planter boxes), Jana Florsheim, Al Frydryk, Josh Haaland, John Johnson, Donna Klassen, A.J. Reilly, Anna Marie Ryan, Cindy Scheafer, Jari Thymian, Pat Walsh, and Warren Walton.

The following is a list of donors on the library project:

Record’s Ace: about $70 of landscape rocks
Greg Fischer: about $66 of landscape rocks

The following is a list of volunteers on the library project:

Bill Allen, Lisa Camp, Mary Elder, Greg Fischer, Al Frydryk, Deni Hawk, Sally Hoger, Donna Klassen, Connie Martinez, Brad Mauger, A.J. Reilly, Jari Thymian, and Pat Walsh.Death on a Scorched Planet, by Jeff Goodell.

Photos by Jari Thymian

Lost & Found

Posted November 18, 2024.

Please Help! Lost at Raton Dollar General- a money clip with cash. The clip has sentimental value and is railroad themed. I’m hoping the finder is an honest person! Even if the clip is empty, please return. 575 445 3518 There’s a reward.

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