- Joined
- Feb 24, 2011
- Messages
- 1,562
- Reaction score
- 26
- Location
- near King's Lynn
- Hive Type
- 14x12
- Number of Hives
- 50+. Double Std National & 14x12
Had my first encounter with a 'bare foot beekeeper' (her words) today.
She lives in the next village. Has kept bees for 10 years, between 2 and 6 colonies. Her numbers vary every year as the swarms often make it through but her resident colonies often die out over winter. Never treated for anything, doesn't feed at all, not on bee base never seen a bee inspector, no swarm control, when her boxes are full she just lets them go and find a nice home somewhere. She does harvest honey and sells it.
Its what natural beekeeping is all about, letting the bees do what nature intended, live, die, swarm, starve.
I asked her about joining the local association, not interested because we have differing viewpoints on what is best for the bees.
Just mailed the bee inspector and gave her location for a disease check, should go down well. That was probably wrong of me but I keep 50+ colonies, sell a few Nuc's and want to ensure there is no disease around.
She lives in the next village. Has kept bees for 10 years, between 2 and 6 colonies. Her numbers vary every year as the swarms often make it through but her resident colonies often die out over winter. Never treated for anything, doesn't feed at all, not on bee base never seen a bee inspector, no swarm control, when her boxes are full she just lets them go and find a nice home somewhere. She does harvest honey and sells it.
Its what natural beekeeping is all about, letting the bees do what nature intended, live, die, swarm, starve.
I asked her about joining the local association, not interested because we have differing viewpoints on what is best for the bees.
Just mailed the bee inspector and gave her location for a disease check, should go down well. That was probably wrong of me but I keep 50+ colonies, sell a few Nuc's and want to ensure there is no disease around.
