Develop an FAQ/intro to Beekeeping, the Basics

[Barry]

I read this sort of statement here fairly often:

"Quite frankly I love this new hobby but am haveing difficulty sorting through this endless amount of info."

I believe a source of information such as a bulletin board can become quite overwhelming to the beginner beekeeper. Is there anyone interested in taking up the task of sifting through the archives and putting together an exhaustive document (FAQ sort of thing) that sticks to the basics of beekeeping that we could have posted here in a permanent spot? It could include links, photos, etc. I'm sure if we all gave input to it, we could really create a great piece of information. I don't have the time to pull this together, but perhaps one of you would like a project! Or it could be a collective projective where a rough draft is presented and then it is posted for all to add, tweak, change, etc.

[Dave W]

Great idea!

But . . . .

I've been "recording" the "basics" for several years now, and have a "computer full" of just basic stuff.

Where do you think "we" should begin?
How loooong should the FQO list be?
Who's ideas, links, info are we going to use?
How "basic"?

But . . . , I do think this is a good idea.

[Barry]

Where do you think "we" should begin?

Hi Dave -

The way I envision it, why not put this question to the membership? We could start a separate thread and ask for a list of topics that should be covered. I know there are books that cover this, but sometimes someone will start their journey into beekeeping right here. We could skim several books to get an outline and order of topics to cover. I think it needs to be the very basic, leaving out all the "custom" ideas and practices we all do. We could easily provide links to these within the document if one wants to get into them, but that should not be the primary goal here.

How loooong should the FQO list be?

I'd say put no limit on it at first. Once we got further down the road, it should become more obvious if editing and pruning is needed.

Who's ideas, links, info are we going to use?

I would hope we, as a collective mind, could come to an agreement on this. Perhaps I'm too optimistic, but I'm sure willing to give it a try.

[Dave W]

I still have lots of basic question

Let's "geterdone"

[Ski]

I can see getting into problems of philosophy of how to use items or setups of boxes or what to put in a smoker.
I am getting ready to leave town for a while but would be willing to help when I get back.
I would also expect people to do some reading on their own like Beekeeping for Dummies or Backyard Beekeeper.
But maybe something like this? Maybe whats covered in a basic beekeeping class?
Maybe not.
Maybe break it into sections:

Types of bees:
Italians
Russians

Types of hives:
Langstroff
Top bar


Woodenware:
Types of boxes - deep, med, shallow, 8 frame, 10 frame
Frames - How to assemble
Types of Bottom boards
Inner cover
Screened cover
Telescoping cover
Migratory cover

Tools:
Hive tools
smokers
Bee Vail's
Suits

Pests:
Mites
Wax Moths
Nosema

FAQ
What holds a hive(woodenware) together

[Sundance]

"I would hope we, as a collective mind,.."

Hey!!! Doesn't a political comment like that belong in Tailgater?

I am in total agreement on the FAQ and think the tread idea is the
way to start. It should be encompassing, without being overwhelming.

[sanders36051]

April will complete my first year keeping bees. I whole heartly agree with the idea. As a first year keeper most of my questions are what to look for when opening a hive were to get bees and equipment. The person who got me going said I needed to get this this and that from Walter Kelly and bees from Bolling bees. The bees never happened ( A member of this forum King Bee Apiries got me headed in the right direction ) I got equipment I did't need and needed stuff I did't get.

[peggjam]

Ok, instead of just one thread, how about a thread for each aspect of beekeeping, from protective clothing, to woodenware, to types of bees....each thread would cover the single aspect of a very complex hobby.

[Barry]

I also want to see us, wherever possible, to remain neutral and generic on issues. Some are into SC, other's TBH's, integrating ferals, by-the-book treatments, etc. I don't think a position should be "endorsed", for instance, in the area of treatments. The spectrum/options can be listed, but I'd hate to see the USDA recommendations as the place to start, or made to appear as the best options.

[Chef Isaac]

Maybe yoou could shell some topics out to other beekeepers to write about. For example, x topic will go to this person. I do like the idea of being neutral on the subject. That will be hard for people. Even beekeepers who write books tend to lean on one side or another.

[Chef Isaac]

Barry:

Another thing I forgot to add. I often refer people to Beesource. When newbees pop up and I am mentoring them, I will tell them about Beesource and I tell them to read a beginners book first, often refering them to Beekeepers for Dummies. Beesource is a wealth of info and I do remember when I first signed on that it was a lot of info to start.

You might also consider an opening letter to newbees who sign on.

[panubee]

Barry,

This is a great idea.

Although I just started beekeeping 2 years ago, my wife asked me to start collecting ideas to pass on to other new beekeepers we meet. I have collected a number of links on different topics of beekeeping.

Michael Palmer had a great description on BeeSource of how he starts and over-winters nucs each year.

Grant Gulliard (forgive me if I misspelled the name) had a great approach to getting on swarm lists which he posted to the Feral Bee list.

Michael Bush's website is his attempt to create a FAQ's sheet on issues he finds important.

Topics to consider:

Equipment needed
Building equipment
Races of bees and their various pros and cons
Setting up the first hive
Queen rearing
Seasonal management
Diseases and Pests
Conventional/chemical beekeeping
IPM techniques
"Natural" techniques
Seasonal management
Honey processing--extraction or crush and strain
Wax processing
Planting for bees

Just a starter list.

Mike

[Barry]

To add to Ski's list:

Brief description of beekeeping in all the different regions of the U.S.
(west, southwest, mountainous, plains, north central, northeast and southeast) oh yea, there's also that state of perpetual snow and ice!

Swarming
Nutrition (pollen & feeding)
Package bees & nucs
Hive management
Honey removal, processing and packing

[pamlico]

I too am completing my first year of beekeeping. Beesource was one of my valuable information sources. I would have benefited better by having this site more search friendly by subject matter. I am not as tech savy as some, and I had to read a lot of post before I found what I was looking for. Another point would be to list a beginner 123 FAQ by calander of bee activity. Someone wanting to begin beekeeping in December, needs to know information to December activity rather than complicated mite treatment procedures.

[Sundance]

Perhaps a FAQ with sections/subjects???

[Ben Brewcat]

Great idea Barry! I'll second the organized-by-subject thought, I think that would work well though being able to read it subject-by-subject would be helpful for the folks with time and newbie fever. BS members (in general or specifically) could be "invited" to write a section for review/comment so it all doesn't fall on one frozen guy . I'd be glad to be considered for contributing, I really enjoyed working up the meadmaking FAQ/intro.

I bet lots of folks here would kick in a subject's worth of prose. As long as they made an effort to include, as Barry said, dispassionate consideration of the reasonably-subscribed varying views it should keep most of the people happy most of the time (to paraphrase Abe ).

[kopeck]

This seems like a wiki waiting to happen.

I know I've heard s few rumblings about Bee wiki's, but I think if you started out with some good structure it would work pretty well.

K

[Sundance]

The Wiki is a good idea............ Can someone here develop
the structure?? Or is that farmed out at some cost?

[xC0000005]

Why not just adopt the abandoned wikimedia book on beekeeping? (I haven't seen any work on it in a while). The primary reason to have your own wiki would be to restrict participation to board members (and thus hopefully screen out the "honeybeezzzz suxors" edits that tend to happen with wikipedia.

[Ribster]

A recent thread makes me think that one of the biggest challenges will be making an introduction that serves the type of person that carefully reads first and the type that jumps in head first (or is thrown in by finding a swarm or inherits hives).

I think it would be best to create an introductory section that has only a few subtopics that cover the most basic info. and is separated from more detailed/opinionated information.

The complete beginner and the person who finds bees and wants to keep them need a concise set of information that will let them keep bees and keep them alive until they find the time to commit to a more serious study.

Searching the forums is a tough way for the beginner to clearly understand the more advanced topics and the commonly debated issues. Detailed explanations of pest treatment, queen rearing, honey processing, etc. could be placed in a more advanced FAQ section to make the most basic info. more easily accessible. I think it's important to summarize the debated issues and provide more advanced info. without requiring the newbee to search through piles of posts that argue or ramble off topic.