Looking to start local NATURAL beekeeping group (Lakeland/Polk County, FL)

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I posted this on my local craigslist today.

I suppose it wouldn't hurt to post it here, either:

Looking to start local NATURAL beekeeping group (Lakeland/Polk County, FL)

http://lakeland.craigslist.org/grp/3098057184.html

I have been trying to find like-minded bee keepers (or bee guardians) in the Polk County area who share common views regarding
how bees should be treated - or NOT treated - for that matter. I have had no luck in finding such a group.

I am interested in forming (or helping to form) a group of minimalist bee keepers/bee guardians who have similar beliefs
as such trailblazers as Michael Bush, Corwin Bell, Dee Lusby, Phil Chandler, Kirk Anderson and many others.

There is a group in Los Angeles called 'Backwards Beekeepers' formed by Kirk Anderson of which I would consider the perfect
model to go by. http://www.backwardsbeekeepers.com/

If you are also interested in forming such a group which puts the bees first instead of perpetuating the outdated, large, commercial operations, then please contact me
and let's see if we can find more than 3 people in Polk County who also share similar beliefs.

I heard it put very well in a video I watched recently regarding 'urban bee keeping' of which a wise lady said the following:

"Instead of one bee keeper having 200,000 hives, we should shoot for 200,000 people having one hive."

Here are some inspiring videos and audio regarding this philosophy:

"America's only urban beekeeping store on rescuing honeybees"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiqWPjSC-dA

"Urban Beekeeping | Subculture Club - featuring Kirk Anderson of Backward Bee Keepers"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjiePi0_Nh4

"Short audio piece of Corwin Bell being interviewed concerning Bee Guardianship"
http://www.kvnf.org/news/news-archiv...ua-corwin-bell

PatBeek,
I'm a bit further north of you (St. Augustine) but I would enjoy trading advice and information with other natural beekeepers. My family has been keeping bees since the 1950's and has never relied too much on any chemicals, although I think I am the pioneer of the family in the I.P.M and completely chemical free beekeeping. I'd enjoy hearing what other methods people use, wish you luck in your endeavor.
Eric

I"m about 2 1/2 hrs away but if you started a group I'd like to visit at some point and I would work in a camping trip or something fun. Please contact me if you get a meeting started. Thanks.

Ramona and I will both be speaking at the conference in Ocala in Aug (the 18th I think) . Probably focusing on breeding, but perhaps a version of our "developing a treatment free northern apiary" geared towards.southern beeks.

Deknow

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Sounds great !!!

MAN, Florida is big.

As soon as we get three-or-more people meeting regularly, I'll contact you all and perhaps make it worth your whiles to make it down this way.

I'm not opposed to heading up that way on occasion, either.

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....you do know about the Northeast Treatment Free Beekeeping Conference next month? Dee Lusby, Michael Bush, Les.Crowder Kirk Webster, Sam Comfort,.Erik.Osterlund,.etc. 6 full days of programming and field.work.
HTTP://beeuntoothers.com/

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Originally Posted by deknow

....you do know about the Northeast Treatment Free Beekeeping Conference next month? Dee Lusby, Michael Bush, Les.Crowder Kirk Webster, Sam Comfort,.Erik.Osterlund,.etc. 6 full days of programming and field.work.
HTTP://beeuntoothers.com/

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I wish I could make that.

That - at this point - would be an automatic D-I-V-O-R-C-E.

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