When not to sell a nucleus

It's a funny one. Livestock should always be treated with care and respect but beginners have to learn somewhere. Doing a course is all well and good but many people can't afford what is just a handful of hours once a week for a few weeks. We didn't do proper inspections on my course. We were given a frame to look at and pass around while the 'teacher' inspected.

A bicycle shop wouldn't refuse a parent buying a bicycle for their child that does not know how to ride despite that being much more dangerous.

I think there is often a holier than thou superior attitude in some experienced craftsmen when scrutinising beginners who many were just as silly when they started. After a year or so, as the beginners gain experience the 'sillyness' disappears from individuals and is replaced by a new wave. And that triggers a new wave of self important smugness. It is all part of starting something new.

I've been reading my past history of threads lately to see what advice I followed and what advice I forgot. It was really amazing to see what I didn't know, even though it feels now as if I had always known.

Ely - well said

radman said:

Associations are ok however they need to have a positive attitude and realise that their main goal should be to futher beekeeping and offer as much help to beekeepers as they can wether that beekeeper is a member of their association or not.

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Ely said:

[...] We didn't do proper inspections on my course. We were given a frame to look at and pass around while the 'teacher' inspected. [...]

I think there is often a holier than thou superior attitude in some experienced craftsmen when scrutinising beginners who many were just as silly when they started.

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I think the above comments dovetail neatly together.

Some (not all) association officers limit practical learning experiences to the minimum contact time they can get away with, and then expect new beekeepers to be able to work their own bees with minimal support. They then criticise the same new beekeepers for making mistakes, for not knowing enough or for not having enough experience. They don't seem to realise that if they were more open, and more helpful, then the newest beekeepers would probably make fewer basic mistakes and would also be more satisfied with their training.

I agree that some associations fall into the "could do better" class in terms of hive side learning but I do see a move locally to improve this side of beekeeping education. Alongside associations, I am of the view that mentors are the important part of beekeeping education. Those who offer to mentor beginners (whether through an association or not) are the ones who have the desire and time to guide their mentees through the practicalities of beekeeping.
A tangible benefit of full membership of an association is the fact that the beekeeper gains the protection of public and product liability insurance. I am aware of several instances where individuals have been glad of this specialist protection. Farmers and landowners may already have such insurance in place and some home insurance may give some protection but not all beekeepers are farmers, landowners or homeowners!

Teemore said:

A tangible benefit of full membership of an association is the fact that the beekeeper gains the protection of public and product liability insurance. I am aware of several instances where individuals have been glad of this specialist protection. Farmers and landowners may already have such insurance in place and some home insurance may give some protection but not all beekeepers are farmers, landowners or homeowners!

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But the insurance will not cover anyone who does not carry out proper assessments and is not "qualified", to keep bees, (whatever satisfies that criterion). There is still a degree of personal responsibility. As I am sure most people will realise, insurers are unlikely to provide cover to anyone found to be reckless.

"But the insurance will not cover anyone who does not carry out proper assessments and is not "qualified", to keep bees,"
G'day bontbee - interested to know where you picked this up? Is this specific to association insurance? If so this could have implications for a huge number of beekeepers. At a guess, the greater number of beekeepers have no formal beekeeping accreditation to their names.

Anybody can form a club or association and give out certificates to people who have paid to learn about bees...or hairdessing or painting and decorating...welding...

What about only selling through a association or something like that, so most of the people will know what is involved ?

Nice idea... but I was advertising through an association!

jd101k2000 said:

So, I have started selling [bees] ... and started having mis-givings.

I have had a number of enquiries from people who do not know what a 14 x 12 is (or an eke), who 'don't want to keep bees for the honey', through to people who don't think you need to seal a nuke to put it in a car (but if it falls over you will have a car full of bees and you haven't brought a bee suit).

I have not made any of that up.

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jd101k2000 said:

... but I was advertising through an association!

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See my earlier post about in-club training. Kind of QED, I'd say!