Bonus – Introducing Stephanie Slater: Honey Shows and Judging

Bonus – Introducing Stephanie Slater: Honey Shows and Judging

Jeff Ott

Welcome to Beekeeping Today Podcast Shorts, your quick dive into the latest buzz in beekeeping.

Becky Masterman

In 20 minutes or less, we'll bring you one important story, keeping you informed and up to date.

Jeff Ott

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Becky Masterman

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Jeff Ott

Hey everybody, welcome to this special short. We have some fun Information to share with you.

Becky Masterman

It's not just fun information. This is like a this is like a gift to our listeners, I think. It's a long-term listener gift. especially those beekeepers who are excited about honey.

Jeff Ott

Yeah, we invited Stephanie on to talk to us about the new series she's going to be doing for us here on Beekeeping Today podcast

Stephanie Slater

Thank you, Jeff and Becky, for having me. I am so excited to have an opportunity to speak to your listeners once a month. about honey shows, judging, the art of exhibiting, and maybe some tips and tricks on how to avoid some of those sticky situations you can get into at honey shows.

Jeff Ott

Sticky situations. You've seen my my my jar entries then.

Stephanie Slater

Oh no. I may or may not have Jeff

Jeff Ott

Well this will be exciting. So we've had you on the show as a guest a couple of times talking about well at different shows and you were there judging or helping with the right thing. with a honey show. And we found that you know this is a topic that's really not discussed too often and you have a wealth of information experience. And not only on shows and judging, but you know, the preparing of the honey, but also you keep bees. And I think you there you have information that could help in that vein for the shows or for honey itself.

Stephanie Slater

I do. So I started keeping these about 10 years ago. And then I entered my first honey show in 2019 at the Wisconsin State Fair. I had no idea what I was doing, but with a little bit of dumb luck, I got a second place there. But I got feedback from the judge. And then I was able to improve an entry and a couple months later go and exhibit at my very first American Beekeeping Federation, American Honey Show. And I got a second place there. Again, major dumb luck, but then I was hooked, right? And so then I was just constantly looking for ways to improve or how to properly exhibit and how to make it look like I knew what I was doing. And so I've picked the brains of some of my fellow competitors, I've taken some training, I've gone to conferences just to check out their honey show sometimes, just so that I can improve as a competitor.

Becky Masterman

And you're not just a beekeeper, not just a competitor, but you are a judge. Which sounds scary, but it's really not, is it Stephanie?

Stephanie Slater

It's not scary at all. It's a ton of fun. And it's a whole new group of friends that I've met And so I can't remember a few years ago, I attended a conference that had an introductory judge training through the American Honey Show Training Council. And of course at that time my focus was, ooh, I bet I could learn some tricks on how to be a better competitor if I'm learning about being a judge. Well, by the end of the eight hour day I d I learned that there were no certified honey judges through the council in my state of Wisconsin. And if I were to finish, I would be the first. So challenge accepted And so in 2023, I did become the first certified honey judge through the American Honey Show Training Council in the state of Wisconsin.

Jeff Ott

The American Honey Show Council.

Stephanie Slater

American Honey Show Training Council.

Jeff Ott

Training Council I missed the training part.

Stephanie Slater

It's a mouthful, yes.

Jeff Ott

Is there is that associated with any international organization? So are you cross-certified? Could you go and judge in the UK say because they have the big national honey show

Stephanie Slater

So when the American Honey Show Training Council started, its roots come from the Welsh program that comes from Ireland And although I don't probably have any reciprocity, it might open a door for me to be able to go and maybe help with a honey show. somewhere else as a steward and maybe prove what I'm capable of and perhaps judge in the future. So it's it's not a reciprocity agreement per se, but I think it um might open some opportunities for me if if they came about.

Becky Masterman

Stephanie, what I remember most about our conversations about honey competitions and and the honey shows is one that It's really, I know you say it's easy, but there's a lot of preparation that goes into it. You don't say that it's easy, but you say that everybody can do it. I think that's that may be your message. But You're you've shared some amazing hints and suggestions in in just really the short period of time that we've talked to you over a few different episodes. And so Are you like what's your plan? Are you just going to share all of the secrets in in this series? Are you are you like really going to just put it all out there so everybody can do it? And it it we're gonna have like honey shows that are overwhelmingly filled with submissions. Is that the plan?

Stephanie Slater

I love that goal to have honey shows overwhelmed with submissions. So you're right. I do believe that everyone can do it. And if you want to do it, we as a whole, like all the honey show exhibitors, can help you achieve that. There is a lot of work and there is a lot of attention to detail, but so is beekeeping. So if that is something that motivates you, the competition, and believe me, it's more camaraderie. We're not cutthroat competitors. We talk to each other. We're friends. We congratulate each other when we do well, um then I would like to share some of that information with everyone so that if it's a if it's a goal of theirs to compete that they can walk in the door feeling confident about what they've brought and they can feel good about the results that they received at the show.

Jeff Ott

I was wondering for not only the competition for the the contestants, but will you be able to offer help for the clubs and the organizations? who are wanting to put on a better honey show, put on one that's exceptional, as opposed to a you know, your regular conference table with a white cloth on it and a bunch of jars scattered around on it. Is there a better way to present honey?

Stephanie Slater

I think that's a great suggestion, Jeff. And I've already added that to my to-do list and make sure that that is a future short topic on how to put on a good honey show. Thank you for the suggestion.

Becky Masterman

Stephanie, I okay, I've I'e never seen a happier beekeeper it from hobbyist to commercial beekeeper to than a beekeeper who's just received a blue ribbon or one of those other fancy ribbons that are awarded at the shows. So it it's a really fun, happy group of people. Are are there ways for people who are entering in honey shows, are there are there opportunities for them to connect and to talk other than actually at those honey shows? Is there any like online Facebook group or any kind of way for these beekeepers to ask questions, talk to each other, um, anything like that.

Stephanie Slater

The American Honey Show Training Council does have a Facebook group. It's called the Honey Show Discussion Group. And lots of people have joined that. And some of us might put out questions about, hey, how do you prepare this entry? I've never done it before. Or, hey, does anybody have the results from XYZ show? And so it really can cover a variety of discussion topics. based on who's in that particular group. So I encourage anyone to go ahead and join and interact more with your fellow competitors. Lots of us honey judges are on there too

Becky Masterman

Do you have to show proof of a previous w ribbon in order to get into that group?

Stephanie Slater

No, it's pretty easy to get in that group. I'm pretty sure if you ask me to go to the group. You may, Becky, you may, yes.

Becky Masterman

And then I have another question. What if a listener has a specific question for you? Is that something you'd be able to entertain in this series?

Stephanie Slater

I think that would be so much fun. And I would love to hear from listeners. I would love to receive questions. And there might be some opportunities for people to send in photographs of their great entries or their awards so that we can celebrate that.

Jeff Ott

Yeah, we can set up a page on the Beekeeping Today website and make it the Honey Show page or the Stephanie's page or something. We'll do something and you can re you can send people there for the their photos.

Stephanie Slater

That would be so great.

Jeff Ott

Stephanie, this is going to be a lot of fun. I look forward to hearing each episode. So how often and when will we be able to hear your episodes

Stephanie Slater

We will be doing a short once a month and you'll be able to hear it on the first Wednesday of each month.

Jeff Ott

Well, so the first one will come out April 1st.

Stephanie Slater

It will, April Fool's Day, how appropriate.

Becky Masterman

This isn't an April Fool's joke. This is for real.

Jeff Ott

This is for reals. No, that's fantastic, Stephanie. I look forward to hearing it and I know our listeners. will join you on a monthly basis. Do you have a name for your show yet?

Stephanie Slater

So I am brainstorming a few names and I promise by the first episode you will be able to the first Or second episode, you'll know what the name is.

Jeff Ott

Well, you know what? We can open it up to listeners too. If they have a great a great name for your show, we can open it up to them. to send it to you. And how can they get a hold of you?

Stephanie Slater

So my website is awardwinninghoney.com.

Jeff Ott

Excellent.

Stephanie Slater

I do have a Facebook page too. It's Jam Session Honey and Preserves.

Jeff Ott

Thank you, Stephanie. We'll be listening for you on April 1st.

Stephanie Slater

Thank you so much. Much for having me, I can't wait