[iwombat]

So, driving off to work this morning I'm about to pass one of the neighbors from down the street who's out walking the dog. He sees me and flags me down to stop and talk. Now, this is someone I've never met and only seen out walking the dog, so I'm wondering what's going on. Anyway, he wants to know all about keeping bees. (My hives are visible from his dog-walking route) So, I let him know about my class in April. I think he'll be attending.

The local DCA is about to get more crowded.

 

[Walt B]

I've found many people are really interested in the bees. They see the hives and stop and want to know about them and watch them. Maybe it’s because they’re not all that common around here. People have cows, sheep, goats, chickens, but bees just seem “mystical” somehow.

I do like the reaction when they say, “And they don’t sting you?” and I reply, “Of course they sting me. It’s their way of telling me I did something stupid.” :no:

Walt

 

[iwombat]

Yep, I got my first sting of the season yesterday. One crawled up my pant leg and got a little upset about being in a pant leg. Not entirely stupid on my part, but probably not the best clothing choice to be working in the bee yard.

And around my neck of the woods, there's virtually nobody keeping bees, at least that you'd know of.

 

[dtompsett]

I'm the same way... lots of people I talk to in the area either knew a beekeeper, or knew a family member involved in beekeeping... but not anymore. And they are all excited to learn that I live just down the road and that I have bees.

 

[mrspock]

I reply, “Of course they sting me. It’s their way of telling me I did something stupid.” :no:

Walt

Brilliant. That just found a place in my permanent toolkit.

 

[KQ6AR]

So far, all of the neighbors I've spoken to about mine, are very interested in them.
The news about CCD, has done bees a lot of good.

 

[AmericasBeekeeper]

There are many people interested lately. The CCD is part of the interest as well as Africanized. Logic clicks in after a few years that nothing is that determined to die just to make our life uncomfortable for a moment. I have had students in my classes at USF in Tampa, FL from all over the state of Florida and as far away as New York. The age groups are mostly over 50 and under 25. I have a few families coming together with children. There are always a few college professors. I used to think it was "stump the teacher" until they write or keep coming. I get over 400 distinct new visitors to my two websites every month. They are 90 percent from the United States, but I have many foreign visitors, especially to my Spanish web pages.
http://americasbeekeeper.com/apicultor_de_americas.htm