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Another noninterventional beekeeper.....

10K views 29 replies 21 participants last post by  Nature Coast beek 
#1 ·
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?
 
#5 ·
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"
 
#7 ·
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.
 
#9 · (Edited)
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. :)
 
#11 · (Edited by Moderator)
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."
 
#12 · (Edited by Moderator)
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.
 
#13 · (Edited by Moderator)
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.
 
#15 ·
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.
 
#24 ·
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.
Finally something I agree with you on. I'm thrilled to get some help if the grant works, but not sure it was the best use of funds. I would have like to see it directed towards more advanced beekeeping education.
Class is not enough. We teach a 7-8 week class. We find that Mentoring is critical component and strive very hard to set every student up with a mentor.
 
#18 ·
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!
 
#21 ·
.... I just want to know they'll be well taken care of.
I agree this is not a realistic expectation. We all know there are a lot more "Bee-Havers" than Beekeepers. A lot of folks just want to have a hive but not to tend it. That's their prerogative.

I sold a hive to just such a person this spring. He called me all summer to get me to come look at it. I had been telling him all that time to check to see if it needed feeding since we had a record drought. By the time I made it over, the hive was a lost cause with 2 deep supers of empty combs and a single seem of bees. I recommended he protect the combs until next year, but he's not following through with that either.
Contrast this to another guy I sold a hive to that worked his hive well, got honey, is happy, and will be buying another from me in April.
 
#20 ·
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!
 
#23 ·
Sold 3 complete single med hives last year folks came to pick em up, had just finished a hop guard app on them they were strong showed them the queen they were happy showed them beetle traps and how to use them showed them what to use for mites and how to do a mite drop count. Told them they were going to have to super in a couple of weeks if they didn’t want them to swarm. They said they all had wooden ware and all supplies on order I told them how to feed in the winter. Never heard back hope it went well. I can say I sold great hives way too cheep and compared to the nukes I saw being sold by some commercial guys my bees beat them by a mile.
 
#26 ·
not a bad idea. this location would have been a little out of the way for me.

i'm having second thoughts about having an out yard after losing some hives in one. it's harder when you don't get to watch them on a daily basis.
 
#27 ·
Interesting thread. Most of my few customers are not first timers, though some are. Never had the sort who were totally ignorant about beekeeping. Most claim to have read all of my website and most of Michael Bush's. Of course mine doesn't contain its own library like his does. Most of my customers know what they are looking for and know that I'm the only one around who has it.
 
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