Average age of a beekeeper

[jim lyon]

[QUOTE=Ted Kretschmann;621511]Jim, you have seen as much change as I have---does that not make you feel like one of the ancients in this business??

No not really Ted but it does give me a little more confidence I know what I am talking about if you are challenged. I don't expect the younger guys to listen to me any more than I would listen to the older folks when I was their age (which wasnt very much). When asked for advice I usually say I can tell you a lot of things not to do and I can tell you what I do but there is no substitute for experience. Oh and by the way sometimes I actually pick up some new ideas from some of these folks. Of course they were things I had been planning to do all along.

[Barry]

just thought I'd make a case for old traditional beeks, living in the past

If this is truly the case for you, then you are a very privileged one! Everyone I know who is old enough to have had bees pre mite days are nowhere capable of keeping bees the way they did living in the past. They changed their management practices to include miticides, various drugs, etc. So for the rest of us who have to deal with mites and SHB and all the other maladies, some of us will do our best to help the bees survive these in as much a natural way as possible, without using chemicals and drugs.

[NasalSponge]

I guess for me the timing was perfect, I had bees in the pre-mite days, then due to a move gave up beeking before I had to deal with mites. Now back in it I am 100% a chemical/treatment/what-ever-else you want to call it free beek.....Oh and although I hate MMORPG's I have been playing FPS's and TPS's for many years...8)

[lcsdday]

39 here and not ready for 40 yet.

[Roland]

My dad, 89, who is no longer tecnically a beekeeper, but still looks in my hives.
My self, 54,
and My son, Christian(6th generation) ,24

I would like to take exception at the old timers not being able to handle the mites and CCD. Yes, I believe that there where MANY practices in the days pre mites, that can no londer be use. Not all pre mites and pre CCD practices where the same.
If anything, we have reverted to the more labor intense beeekeeping
practices of the 40's thru the 60's. More frequent inspections , like done in the past, allow you to nip any infections in the bud, before they become full blown, and can keep the mites under control with out the aplication of chemicals. Isolating disease control, as used in the days of AFB and burning, is still a viable option. Sterilization of equipment, like what Brother Adam, is also pertinant today.
Maybe it is those that strayed away from the conservative "german" approach of the past, are those that are strugling the most today.

Roland
Linden Apiary. Est. 1852

[TexasTim]

I am 47. I suspect the reason most beeks are older is simply because this is an expensive "hobby" to get into. My first year I spent about $5,000 for eqpt. alone. When I was 24 and had 5 kids, spending that sort of money would have been unthinkable. In addition to that, many young, potential beeks are city dwellers. It takes some years and money to just be able to buy a home place to even start.
So, unless you are "born" to a beekeeping family, being in your 20's and being a keeper of any size is unlikely. My newborn son stands a better chance of being a young beekeeper than I ever did (born to inner city chicago professors).
I guess the same can be said of ANY type of farming. Unless you are born into it, it is rare to find young people innvolved.
I guess what I am saying is that no, there are not tons of "young" people comming into beekeeping but plenty of 30-40-50 year olds starting all the time.

[jabbott]

My daughter has four hives. She is eleven.

[Merlyn Votaw]

I had my 72nd b day last Friday but I am going to down size. just can't do what I did a few years ago. I also have 39 fruit trees to trim and spray and hope to do a little fishing this yr

[jal_ut]

70 here. I have been keeping bees since 1957. I am a small hobby beekeeper. It is not my main occupation.

[BradW]

39 here, hit 40 in September. This is my 2nd year as a beekeeper. I've always been interested in it, as my great-grandfather who was a bit of a larger than life mountain man (gunsmith, farmer, beekeeper, faith healer, etc) kept around 35 hives. I tend to take after him with all my interests, but he passed away when I was only 3. I really enjoy working with them, and wish I'd plunged into it several years ago.

[beemanbob]

Turned 55 last July, been keeping bees for 13 years, and yes my back hurts.

[phil c]

I will turn 46 this year,just about the same time I am hoping to put the first supers on!

[valleyman]

Will be 67 in 5 days. Me and the bees made it thru another winter, well almost. Back hurts whether I'm caring for my bees or not. However the degenerative disc disease that I was diagnosed with 25 years ago limits the number of hives that I have, figure I'll limit out at 12, 15, or maybe 20. Depends on how much my boss, helper, sweetheart and wife helps me. ( All one and the same). I started keeping bees 10-11 years ago without much success. Didn't realize how much care they needed at just the right time. So my third time in, I'm going to make it, the good lord willing, and the bees stay alive. Oh, and with the help of Beesource.

[peacekeeperapiaries]

40 years young here

[Beaver Dam]

Few days past 60. Beek for 3 years now. Father had 50+ when I was 12

[Davisbees]

I am 52, started with bees in spring of 1978 and had 25 hives going into the winter of 1988. Come spring of 1989 they were all dead that is when the Tracheal mites hit hard in this area. Went 2 years without any bees and could not stand it any longer. Started over with 1 hive and built back up to 40 which is what I try to stay at. 33-2=31 years.

[Jim 134]

62 years old and I have been keeping bees since 1957.


BEE HAPPY Jim 134

[mrsl]

Will turn 45 this week; started beekeeping last year (wish I had started many years ago!).

[BoTBees]

thirteen here. been keeping bees for about a year now. got about 20 hives, that are mostly nucs. wish i would have started when i was 2.

[rob.bees]

43 here