Another noninterventional beekeeper.....

[beemandan]

I was at a dinner last night. One of the other guests came up to me…here’s the basic conversation.

Guest: I understand that you are a beekeeper.
Me: Afraid so. Are you?
Guest: I’m getting some bees this spring.
Me: Where ya gettin’ ‘em?
Guest: I don’t know yet.
Me: Oh….what sort of hives do you plan to use?
Guest: Uhhhhh….the white wooden ones.
Me: Ya ever kept bees before?
Guest: Nope…but how hard can it be?

Ahhhh…doesn’t it just make your brain hurt?

[squarepeg]

sounds like the makings for another sarah mclachlan commercial,

("in the arms of an angel....")

[Rader Sidetrack]

Did you invite the newbee to join Beesource?





oh, yeah, I need an animated emoticon ....

[jim lyon]

Did you invite the newbee to join Beesource?

Or perhaps its someone already dispensing advice on here.

[ycitybz]

I wish it were that easy...
Similar situation a few weeks ago when I received a call from a man asking about keeping bees and wanting to get some equipment.. Long story short is the man is building a log home and wanted to put a bee box outside so the bees would go to the box and not come and live in the log home...
I guess Bill Engvall said it best " Here's Your Sign"

[Rader Sidetrack]

Long story short is the man is building a log home and wanted to put a bee box outside so the bees would go to the box and not come and live in the log home...

I can sympathize with with the man. I own a log style home, and carpenter bees are indeed a problem. But that has nothing to do with honeybees.

[beemandan]

Guest went on to ask if I was selling bees this spring.
I said….Nope.
After he walked away the host (a beekeeper) came up. I heard what you told Guest. I thought you were selling nucs this spring. I said….I am. I saw the light come on and he smiled and said….I understand.

[beemandan]

Or perhaps its someone already dispensing advice on here.

lol....could be.

[Lburou]

I have to confess that I was guilty of some of that optimism coming back to beekeeping this year after a twenty year hiatus. During 1975-6 to 1992 when I kept bees, beekeeping was easy. Small hive beetle and varroa mites have hugely increased complexity in the balance of the hive for a beekeeper. Bees (most notably the queens) were different then too.

[Adam Foster Collins]

Did you invite the newbee to join Beesource?...

Funny. If a new beekeeper needs clear guidance, I'd recommend a local mentor. If they want to spend a lot of time on research; weighing options, considering different approaches, sifting through theories and wading through arguments in order to dig our little nuggets of wisdom - then this forum is a great place.

To me, forums like this are the theoretical 'edge' of a subject. There's lots of basic information here too, but it's so convoluted with conflicting opinions that it easily gets overwhelming.

If a person is really in search of "the best way" -- meaning that they're really bent on seeing a wide variety of approaches and choosing one that suits them, that's one thing. But if they just want to keep bees, and not spend every moment of their day trying to improve, then there are a lot of people out there that can mentor, and a lot of books that will give you the basics.

I just think about my grandfather. His beekeeping was not complicated, and he didn't spend night and day reading about it like I do. He wasn't into swarm traps, or building hives, or tbh's or pollen sub recipes, or making things with beeswax -- he just kept a couple of hives of bees and harvested honey every fall.

Now, he didn't have mites either...

[jwbee]

I was at a dinner last night. One of the other guests came up to me…here’s the basic conversation.

Guest: I understand that you are a beekeeper.
Me: Afraid so. Are you?
Guest: I’m getting some bees this spring.
Me: Where ya gettin’ ‘em?
Guest: I don’t know yet.
Me: Oh….what sort of hives do you plan to use?
Guest: Uhhhhh….the white wooden ones.
Me: Ya ever kept bees before?
Guest: Nope…but how hard can it be?

Ahhhh…doesn’t it just make your brain hurt?

That could have been me (guest) speaking last winter , allthough I was lucky enought to have the same conversation with someone who was willing to share their knowledge with me and help with some reccomendations , not just dismiss me.

I would do the same if some potential beek approached me and wante to talk bees.

Due in part to his help , I did very well for a first year beek , 150 lbs. of honey and some healthy and happy bees.

When he said "how hard can it be ?" in my opinion , he was right , it's not rocket science , it's fairly easy if you're into it.

I think Adam had it right when he said:

"Funny. If a new beekeeper needs clear guidance, I'd recommend a local mentor. If they want to spend a lot of time on research; weighing options, considering different approaches, sifting through theories and wading through arguments in order to dig our little nuggets of wisdom - then this forum is a great place.

To me, forums like this are the theoretical 'edge' of a subject. There's lots of basic information here too, but it's so convoluted with conflicting opinions that it easily gets overwhelming."

[beemandan]

someone who was willing to share their knowledge with me and help with some reccomendations , not just dismiss me.

I guess since you weren’t there, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt.
This guy didn’t ask for any advice.
All the same, I told him about two separate classes starting in the next month. He was ‘busy’ for both times….didn’t even have to check his calendar. Sorry but yeah…I wasn’t willing to share my knowledge.

I had a friend of a friend one time ask if he could come out and observe when I was working bees. I said OK. So we agreed on a time and day….I arrived at the beeyard with an extra veil and started working bees. A couple of hours later I finished the yard…and he still didn’t show. A few days later he called…apologized and said he’d forgotten. We made another appointment. I was halfway through that yard when he called my cell phone and said he wasn’t feeling well. A few days later he called to make another appointment. I said….nope.
To my knowledge….that is the only time I have ever declined to help an interested, potential beekeeper.

[squarepeg]

i had a couple approach me about buying some of my bees.

they wanted them delivered, in the box, and set up on their property. they wanted bees so that they could enjoy watching them come and go, and feel good about adding to the bee population, (since the bees were in 'decline').

the point was that they did not want to have to do anything at all with the bees.

after some discussion about how if neglected, their bees could become a source of pests and disease which might harm other bees, they changed their minds.

good intentions sometimes have unintended and adverse consequences.

[Mr.Beeman]

I also had an individual ask me about bees since he knew I was a beekeeper. He also told me he liked to see them forage about, pollenate his wife's flowers and bring all their hard work back to the hive.
He also didn't want anything to do with the bees. Now I have another 40 acres to put as many hives as I want.
He can watch all he wants. lol

[matt1954]

I sell bees and Nucs and offer classes. This year Virginia has a Beekeeping Grant of $200.00 per hive. This has generated, IMO, the "add water and stir" beekeeper. I cant count how many times I have been told, "how hard can it be?" The problem with selling to these folks is that is always someone elses fault why the bees didnt make it. Even those who have gone through the classes sometimes cannot comprehend what is involved. I dont know yet if the Grant (which has been deferred) will have its intended benefit or not, but there has been a significant increase in interest this year.

[jwbee]

I guess since you weren’t there, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt.

.

Why , thank you so much danno , I feel much better now.

[JRG13]

I would have a hard enough time selling bees to someone knowledgable let alone someone who knows next to nothing and doesn't seem interested in doing so. I just want to know they'll be well taken care of.

[BeeGhost]

I would have a hard enough time selling bees to someone knowledgable let alone someone who knows next to nothing and doesn't seem interested in doing so. I just want to know they'll be well taken care of.

If its a hobby, i understand. I got into bees because I wanted to try something new. Here I am hook line and sinker. But I also understand how much time is needed and that I also need to bring in some cash flow to help pay for things. If a newbee wants to buy my nucs, I will give them all the information I know and tell them if there is a problem to call me for some advice and if I cant answer it I will ask someone who might. I grew up raising and selling livestock through 4-H, so I can litterally raise a bottle calf and sell it to someone who is going to slaughter it the next day, with no problem. I guess im jaded.

My point is this, I am willing to sell the bees and provide a nuc that I would be very happy with buying and if the people on the other end either dont take care of them or atleast pay some attention to them and the bees die off or leave...........thats their problem. ODfrank does very well on trapping those peoples bees. Those same people will be buying their bees back next year! Repeat customers are what drive the economy!!

I am willing to provide a very good product, but when it leaves my hands, its on the customer to hold up their end of the deal!

[JRG13]

You're right, repeat customers are good, but I figure the first timers will put some blame on your bees or try to get replacements at lower costs.

[BeeGhost]

That's why you take the time to show them the nuc they are purchasing, even remove a frame with either the queen on it or eggs to prove it is queen rite. They see the bees, proof there is a queen and nothing can come back on you! Also tell them when picking up the nuc not to just leave it in the car or back of the truck, that they need to get it home soon as possible, whether they install it that day or not. Also tell them that it is possible to lose the queen in transit and to take it easy!

From what I have read there are a lot of shady people selling crappy nucs, if you take a bit of time to discuss beekeeping and possible things that can happen, people appreciate that, I will take customer service over quality a lot of times, but if you have both, word of mouth will travel fast, next thing you know you can raise the price a bit and still have a waiting list!