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Affordable beekeeping

30K views 96 replies 28 participants last post by  Acebird 
#1 ·
#7 ·
Re: Afordable beekeeping

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.
 
#9 ·
Re: Afordable beekeeping

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.
 
#11 ·
Re: Afordable beekeeping

It is a bit pricey, but, I believe the biggest factor in newbee dissatisfaction and failure, is "lack of knowledge" If you are just starting, beekeeping is a lot like any other new enterprise. There is so much more to beekeeping than just buying a veil and a smoker, and so much of beekeeping is very time sensitive. If it needs to be done, it needs to be done now to preclude additional damage.

It is pricey, but, get the knowledge somewhere, before you become discouraged and just give up on beekeeping, or spend a ton of money.

cchoganjr
 
#12 ·
Re: Afordable beekeeping

It is a bit pricey, but, I believe the biggest factor in newbie dissatisfaction and failure, is "lack of knowledge" If you are just starting, beekeeping is a lot like any other new enterprise.
A newbie doesn't need any knowledge that he/she has to pay for. All the newbie needs is determination and a small investment.
Here is my question to the forum pointed at commercial operations: Would you pay someone more that has taken this class or would you rather teach this person yourself starting at a lower wage? Once this question is answered then we can determine if the 189 bucks is worth it.
 
#13 ·
Re: Afordable beekeeping

The first thing I look for in an employee is honesty, then a strong work ethic, previous beekeeping experience, physical strength, pleasing personality, intelligence, drivers license, the flexibility to be away from home for up to a few weeks at a time..........hmmmm I haven't gotten to formal online bee education yet......it's way down there somewhere. Pay more? Yeah right.
 
#16 ·
Re: Afordable beekeeping

The first thing I look for in an employee is honesty, then a strong work ethic, previous beekeeping experience, physical strength, pleasing personality, intelligence, drivers license, the flexibility to be away from home for up to a few weeks at a time..
I now have a fall back plan! I rank high in your first three, a bit lower on the forth, 5th & 6th - you decide (heheh), in the same rank with the first three for 7, if timed right, my wife would welcome your last requirement. Am I hired?
 
#14 ·
Re: Afordable beekeeping

Shopping for an education is a lot like shopping for a car. Prices vary for a wide range of reasons. One example of cost of education is a course in Instrumental Insemination. U.C. Davis wants $950 for the entire course. II and Advanced II. Plus you provide your own instrument. Some students provide their own microscope. But where else are you going to get the training? And if you do get it somewhere else was it worth getting.

On the other hand. They need to do a lot more to support that their course is with a plug nickle. I want to see the results that are achieved by those that have taken the course. Do people come out of the course better than average beekeepers and if so is it $189 better?
 
#71 ·
Re: Afordable beekeeping

Shopping for an education is a lot like shopping for a car. Prices vary for a wide range of reasons. One example of cost of education is a course in Instrumental Insemination. U.C. Davis wants $950 for the entire course. II and Advanced II. Plus you provide your own instrument. Some students provide their own microscope. But where else are you going to get the training? And if you do get it somewhere else was it worth getting.

On the other hand. They need to do a lot more to support that their course is with a plug nickle. I want to see the results that are achieved by those that have taken the course. Do people come out of the course better than average beekeepers and if so is it $189 better?

Those prices weed out those who aren't serious about learning and using the knowledge.

Everybody pays for their education one way or the other. Some of us take longer to learn. Continuing education programs go on throughout one's life.
 
#17 ·
Re: Afordable beekeeping

I'm a great fan of education, but beekeeping is an art as well as a science.
I went for an afternoon session at a local apiary ($40), joined some beekeeping forums, and read all I could find.
The apiary afternoon gave me minimal hands on, but I became sure I wanted to get into it.

You don't get that through a correspondance course, and you have to keep abreast of news/trends/developments in the field anyway.
I'd rather take a more advanced course now that I have a couple of years in; I think my money would be better spent.
The art part comes from doing; the science through reading/study.
You need both.


PS I don't claim to be an artist, or scholar w/r/t bees. Getting a hive is more like a license to learn.
 
#21 · (Edited)
Re: Afordable beekeeping

I wouldn't compare a forum to an organized course.

Some people have the money and time to benefit from an online course and their questions could possibly be answered by Maryann Frazier. On a forum there's no telling who's responding to ones questions. Having read two or three books would help someone to muck out the good answers on a forum. My first beekeeping book was the one used in the University of Delaware's credited beekeeping course and their online course, Dewey Caron's "Beekeeping and Honey Bee Biology".

BOOKS are important in my opinion.

Attending a class in person is not an option for many so an online course is an affordable (with two f's) option.
 
#25 ·
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.
 
#24 ·
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. :popcorn:
 
#26 ·
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
 
#41 ·
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.
 
#29 ·
Can you keep bees, grow a garden or keep chickens without a college course? Sure. Can you do it better with a college course. Well that is questionable, But possible. Now go breed chickens with 12 inch saddle hackle that are dry fly quality. You ain't gonna do that with any trial and error. So a lot of it is what you consider good enough.
 
#31 ·
To be honest, before internet I would have bought a book to learn about beekeeping.............wait, I did buy a book, "beekeeping for dummies". I also got a book from the "first hive" package I got, it was a Dadant book. I read both of them cover to cover. Then I discovered this site and others and Youtube and they all opened my eyes and I learned everything that a person needs to know to keep bees in a basic way.

Now, if I wanted to learn specialty things like AI queens, I would take a course. If I wanted to turn beekeeping into a business as my sole income, I would take a business class AND work for a commercial guy for a year to learn short cuts and what I need and dont need.

Most people learn better from books (a harmless jab at engineers!) but I learn things a lot better from hands on experience whether I try myself, or learn from someone with experience.

Would I pay $189 for an online beekeeping course, no way!! Would I pay $189 to watch a commercial guy work his hives and solve issues........heck ya!! Again back to the hands on visual learning thing I have!!
 
#33 ·
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
 
#34 ·
Re: Afordable beekeeping

In the "beginning" I'm sure cavemen went to college to learn everything.
We (human race) learned from trial and error all along to educate ourselves. College is just a place to learn from those who receive a higher level of education than ourselves.
Trust me..... college professors can learn quite a bit from the old timers on this site. Hands on education you cannot learn from any book.
BTW, I'm starting an online class myself. For as little as $99.95 I will provide you with a link to this online site. lol
 
#35 ·
Re: Afordable beekeeping

I read a post just a while back from a member that had a mentor that gave them horrible advice at almost every turn. resulting in a disastrous first year. Eventually that mentor abandoned the beekeeper all together. For a while that person was at risk of giving up. Courses that are paid for improve both qualification of the teacher and accountability. Willingness to teach does not make you a teacher. Heck, having a teaching position does not make you a teacher either but at least then you can have them removed.

Reading works to a degree, but only for those that can read. not everyone can. not everyone's eyes put things together they same way. A dyslexic person eyes re arrange the order of the symbols used in writing. "A" is a symbol that represents a sound in speech. For many it may randomly look like V. an L will look like 7. a Y may very well look like h.

Vub ly3n il q3Is rea77 coufnsiuq.

How does it work for you? Yes the above says something and it is just a mild form of what a dyslexic person might see. It represents only two of three visual orientation issues they might have.
Then you have those that simply cannot learn from a book.
 
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