Affordable beekeeping

[Acebird]

http://beekeeping101.psu.edu/?utm_so...FUWo4AodbmQAVQ
With prices like these beesource will be growing leaps and bounds.

[westernbeekeeper]

Hmmmm....

[Splatt]

No thanks! I'll put that $189 toward another hive.

[snl]

Maybe part of the cost is to cover their recent legal fees and fines...............I dunno..

[GLOCK]

Beekeeping bubble.

[Splatt]

Beekeeping bubble.

You're not kidding. I definitely see the fad thing going on here. But classes through the local extension are $10!

[dirt road]

Granted, $189.00 is quite a bit of money, but this is one hobby that can get breathtakingly expensive in a hurry. Most people who become interested in bees, don't have a well equipped woodworking shop, or a suit or any of the varied tools that wind up in most beekeepers' tool box, and don't have any idea where a good spot is to set a swarm trap, if they had one. Add up a package of bees, a suit w/veil, and the beginners kit that the supply houses will almost always steer newbies toward, a couple of the books available everywhere, and you are going to be well north of 189 bucks before you get your first sting. It may not help that on all of the available forums, when a question is asked by anyone they will get 13 different opinions for every dozen responses. Certainly not for everyone, and I won't be spending the money to subscribe, but I think it might be an excellent resource for some, and well worth the price.

[BeeGhost]

For that price I could meet up with ODfrank and Charlie, buy their lunches and pick their brains for a wealth of hands on knowledge and still be money ahead.

[GLOCK]

Thats PENN STATE they try to cash in on anything they can. I own a business in state college{20years} and it's all about the campus and it's money.
If PENN STATE does not get a chunck it don't happen in STATE COLLEGE. But thank god for that college or i'd have to sell alot of honey to make what that town gives me.
Plus i do beleave they have a nice Department of Entomology and they are working to help the bee's but they are not getting any money from me i think 189.00 for the basic bee keeping knowledge is kinda steep . Join a bee club much cheaper and ya have some hands on . I say just buy 3 hives jump in and swim or drown and read all you can you'll get it and you'll know with in 2 years if beekeeeping is for you.

[Rusty Hills Farm]

By comparison the Minnesota course is only $25!

http://beelab.umn.edu/Education/Publ...Bees/index.htm

Rusty

[mac]

So for 189 bucks ya get to reed a bunch of stuff on line and watch a bunch of online videos?? Reed some books watch some u tube vids buy some bees and save some bucks.

[BeeCurious]

"affordable" is a relative term.

Some people buy from Bee-Commerce, they can afford to... http://bee-commerce.com

[StevenG]

I guess simply buying a beginner's book, a starter outfit from Dadant or Kelley's, then one of the "bibles" is passe' now... in this modern, technologically expensive age. Heck, I don't even own a bee suit.

[westernbeekeeper]

"affordable" is a relative term.

Some people buy from Bee-Commerce, they can afford to... http://bee-commerce.com

Bang! Those are some high prices! I have his "Dummies" book, but, wow I never saw his website. His book references himself for buying equipment, so maybe the book is right in being titled "Beekeeping for Dummies"! Nothing at all against the author (Mr. Howland Blackiston). Really a decent beginners book.

[Cleo C. Hogan Jr]

I am only going to make two comments, then back out of this discussion.

1. If newbees do not need education, then why would anyone go to college.

2. If you can learn everything by experimenting and reading, I really want to talk to my Doctor, the next time I visit him. How did he become qualified to diagonose and treat me.

cchoganjr

[mac]

Beekeeping and doctoring ain't the same thing. Ya need a collage course to keep chickens??? Grow a garden???

[Acebird]

1. If newbees do not need education,

Where did you get this idea from?

then why would anyone go to college.

To be initiated into the corporate world otherwise it is not necessary. Most of the learning of my profession had nothing to do with my formal education.

Most people learn better from books (a harmless jab at engineers!)

Apparently you don't know too many engineers. They predominantly learn from tinkering and failures more than any other profession.

Daniel explained how people learn. It is not the book that matters it is the written language that may or may not get passed on to the reader. Visual aids have always been used. In a book all you can illustrate is a still photo or a sketch. A book cannot compete with the internet that is capable of video illustration and sound when it comes to learning.

[sqkcrk]

I am only going to make two comments, then back out of this discussion.

1. If newbees do not need education, then why would anyone go to college.

2. If you can learn everything by experimenting and reading, I really want to talk to my Doctor, the next time I visit him. How did he become qualified to diagonose and treat me.

cchoganjr

College can give you an indication of serious intent. Once the Diploma is in hand the real education begins. Leastwise that's what I found out w/ my AAS in Commercial Beekeeping.

[trykonxlgold85]

All Beekeepers that I have meet so far have been more than happy to teach for free!

I'll second that. I would never put anyone down for trying to learn but why pay if you do not have to? Join a club you will find lot of teachers not just one opinion you will get from taking formal class. The club I belong to has one of only seven(I think 7) master beekeepers in PA and I have been out to his apiary and I have his number for any question I have

[trykonxlgold85]

Danial you are correct not everyone can learn by reading and not everyone is quilified to teach but I think no one is quilified to teach beekeeping except the bees just look how many opinions are out there who says that the class instructor's opinion is correct?