THE final meeting of Okehampton Beekeepers' winter programme was held on March 13 where Okehampton Show beekeeping secretary Malcolm Craig discussed the requirements for entering the different bee and honey classes at agricultural shows.

Janet Grist discussed the various cookery class entries, while Ray King spoke about presenting cut comb honey and brewing and presenting mead for entry. Louisa Mogford gave an account of her experience at last year's Okehampton Show, stewarding the honey judge Jack Mummery.

The purpose of the evening was to encourage more entries for Okehampton Show. The number of entries have been down for the last two years, and the branch is hoping to receive more than 100 entries for this year's show.

The beekeepers' next meeting will be the nosema testing day. held jointly with the Tavistock Beekeepers branch. at Meldon Village Hall on March 29. The annual branch dinner will be held at the Railway Inn in North Tawton on April 23.