Rusty, I have not looked into MI specific rules o this. I will do so.
Thanks
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Rusty, I have not looked into MI specific rules o this. I will do so.
Thanks
I would guess the only way you will ever find your hives is to go to court and put the real estate agent under oath. If you went through an eviction I can guess no one is in the mood to be helpful or cooperative.
Rusty, from what I was told by the apiary division you do not have to brand your woodenware here in Alabama...there's no requirement for it. When you register your apiary, though, you do apply for a brand and can brand your equipment if you want to. I have branded most everything I have...bottom boards, top covers, and boxes. I haven't branded frames, yet, though I do "write" my brand on them with a hard-tipped pen to the point of lightly "engraving" the top bars. I've been toying with ideas for a smaller branding iron to mark my frames with and tonight finally decided to cough the money for one of these from Rockler. I'm hoping they get it to me quicker than the 4-6 weeks that they mention.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rusty Hills Farm
Just makes me rest better knowing my hives are branded.
Ed
For all the other folks in MI: in michigan there is no inspection requirement and no need to mark hives. This was easily found with a search of "State of Michigan Apiary Inspection Law "
I do believe that I'll make a branding iron while I'm forging my hive tool. If the fire is burning, i might just as well use the heat.
It all started when the economy tanked and I saw the writing on the wall that the construction business would soon be in dire straits. So, my wife and I contacted Wells Fargo ( after they turned my 30yr fixed into a variable rate mortgage with a fraudulent note, robo signer and all. At the time we didn't know the had a forged note as evidence ) and asked for a loan modification. We had $300,000.00 in equity but at the time they weren't doing any refinances. They told us they would only give us a loan modification if we didn't make a payment for 3 months. We agreed to do that and were stupid enough to trust them. After jacking us around for a few months with the paperwork, saying they never got this or that piece of information, they foreclosed on us. We even told them we'd make payments but they said they wouldn't accept them once we were in the program. HSBC came forward and foreclosed on us. Colorado passed a law written by the owner of one of the largest foreclosure mills in Colorado where any bank or lender doesn't have to produce the note which is contrary to federal law. The foreclosing attorney just has to wave a paper at the judge certifying that they have all the pertinent paper work, which one of their own testified before the state legislature that 9 out of 10 times they don't have the paperwork. The judges never bother to actually ask them to produce it in the first place. They trust the lawyer to actually tell the truth.:lpf: Anyway it's a long story and 2 crappy lawyers later, here we are. We currently have a RICO action against them in state court.Quote:
Originally Posted by Haraga
Sorry, the bees are the insult to the injury.
Got that right!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Intheswamp
LOLOL I guess Alabama is as bad as everyone else, after all, when it comes to giving out accurate info! I was told it HAD to be marked or branded and couldn't be resold with bees unless it was branded (assuming nucs here?).
Here is the statute:
I always just assumed that if it has bees in it, it is considered "used" thus the required brand. Well, whichever it is, my stuff is branded. Better to err on the side of caution, I'm thinking.Quote:
Section 2-14-7
Owners, etc., to mark used hive-bodies and supers; marks, etc., to be approved by State Apiarist.
To adequately identify used bee equipment, the owner or other person in possession of such equipment shall be required to mark all hive-bodies and supers with an easily identified symbol, which symbol or identifiable mark must be approved by the State Apiarist.
(Acts 1965, No. 794, p. 1488, §6.)
:D
Rusty
A tip on marking wood that I don''t remember where I learned it or why. When marking don't only burn the wood. that can be sanded off. But compress the wood. this can also be sanded off but the mark can still be revealed due to wood fibers under the mark also having been altered.
This of course only helps if you can actually locate stolen equipment. The only idea I have sen on that note is to instal GPS locators in random hives. In many cases revealing the non visible part of a compressed mark is nothing more than rubbing a wood stain over the area. The compressed fibers take up the stain differently revealing the mark. You can also often moisten the wood over the area and the compressed fibers will expand and show the mark in raised letters.
Anyway just another tip in how to get things marked and keep them that way.
Sorry I can't help with the finding of the equipment part.
Wow that is too bad. I bet you have a lot of hindsight on what happened to you.
You are probably correct and I'm probably wrong in regards to the law. When I first started making my equipment I decided I was going to brand everything. Well, there was a snag when the application got locked up in a drawer in Montgomery over a couple of weeks during Christmas that year. :rolleyes: I was waiting to be sure that I was going to get the brand I had requested so that I could order a branding iron from a guy. As making the brand, shipping, actual branding of equipment would take time, by the first of the year I was antsy. After some emails with the state I tracked down what was happened that caused the delay. Talking with one of the inspectors he told me that they weren't requiring equipment to be branded anymore. I'm like you, I had read the section on branding and as a newbee was trying to "do things right". I think the "not required" is something that the inspectors simply don't enforce (and I think maybe rightfully so) but that can be helpful. The requirement wasn't why I was getting the iron, though, I was getting it to be more "secure". My weak point so far, though, has been the frames...I'm looking forward to checking out the small Rockler iron.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rusty Hills Farm
Ed
You must be making a very light burn...my hive body and super brands could just about be used for a hand grip. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Daniel Y
Ed
beardance, from what I can tell Gypsum has a population of maybe 7000 people and is around 100 miles from the burbs of Denver....kinda set apart from the large crowds. I would put some "ads" in the local "for sale" fliers/weeklies...list them in the farm, gardening, "homestead", or whatever categories. Print some fliers and post them around town at service stations, cafes,...anywhere they'll let you. A small reward noted on the fliers might be helpful.
7000 people is still a good many people, but people tend to remember who beekeepers are (they think they're kinda strange people ;)). Ask around...don't necessarily ask if someone has seen some stolen hives but rather "do you know any beekeepers around here" or "do you know somebody to call to get a swarm of bees out of a bush for me?" or simply "Do you know where I can get some local honey?" Some people are hesitant to get involved in something that could involve the law but will gladly share information otherwise just to show that they know something.:rolleyes: Also, go into the grocery stores and curb markets and check the shelves for "local" honey...if the beek that got your hives has some size to him he might be selling some of his honey through those outlets.
I'm curious as whether this is a local realtor or someone more distant? As someone mentioned, check with the state and see who all is at least registered in your area...that doesn't mean that's all the beeks around you but will give you some to maybe contact and give a "heads'up" to.
Just some ideas that you've probably already thought about... :)
Best wishes,
Ed
Link to Western Colorado swarm list including Eagle County and Gypsum at bottom of this page... http://coloradobeekeepers.org/colora...swarm-hotline/
Of course, you may very well already have this in hand, but just in case...
Ed
ETA: Another list of Colorado bee removers. The reason I would look at these types of lists is that if a realtor did not know a beekeeper personally then they would be do an internet search for someone to remove bees and these lists are what they would find.
http://www.beeremovalsource.com/bee-...list/colorado/
I was just out to CO to visit my Son in Colorado Springs. I did not take your beehives. Just wanted you to know.Quote:
Originally Posted by beardance
I hope you do get them back.
A raw deal for you, I'm sorry for the turmoil in your life right now. There is a Colorado Realtor Commission that would be interested in this type of activity. The State Attorney General might be interested as well. Get the complaint in writing and have a lawyer write a letter to your Attorney General, the Realtor's Broker, and the State Realtor's Comission outlining the illegal aspects of the eviction and disoposition of your property. Put a verified dollar value on the property and the damage and highlight that section of the law that gives you a grace period to vacate. Promise public legal action for the Broker and ask the Attorney General to get invoved. You will get results when the Broker does not want a public humiliation. Your results may vary, but Good luck :)
Beardance:
Do what Lee said (#36).
Then:
Take the realtor to small claims court.
Your real estate issues are not relevant to the issue of the beehives.
The realtor had physical possesion of your hives and disposed of them without your knowledge or consent.
Look up "bailment"; that's what your legal argument is based on.
If you left them there for several months without contacting the realtor, you won't win, but if it's a matter of a week or 3, you will kick his *ss.
And you should.
I don't know how to file where you are, but it will not be hard...might cost a hundred bucks or so, but it's well worth it.
Go the the courthouse, and find the clerk for small claims court.
She will be a wealth of information for you; if not, she will, at least, provide you with the forms.
PM me, and I can help you write a brief.
If you hire a lawyer, you're gonna get screwed, and it is cheaper and easier to let the hives go.
The system can work for the little guy, but you have to be ready.
As of now we are talking to the crime victims unit of the local sheriffs department, so an investigation is in progress. Thanks for everyones support, I appreciate it.
Im with oldtimer on this one!
The problem with that is I'd be in trouble with the law if I stole them back. I still haven't located them yet, but I 've got some ideas.Quote:
Originally Posted by sfisher