I quit now.......

[psafloyd]

Dont go, Finman. I'll miss you.

Seven Kings Apiary

 

[Tom Bick]

Considering the number of repeated questions I suggest having such a reference facility would be of great benefit. Quick answers without the tedium of all the back and forth brickbats and personal abuse would be wonderful.
It doesn't have to be instead of the forum but run in tandem with it. Moderation of the reference, once written, not required if it is set to read only.

Personally i dont have a problem about repeated questions it just how life is.

There are people out there who right now dont realise they are going to get into beekeeping but one day they will and as new beekeepers will have the same questions as we all had.

To ask a question is to me is someone with a problem needing help on a similar journey to me although be it a few years apart or someone who perhaps has an inquisitive mind and that is a good recipe to become a good beekeeper.

Its not wrong not knowing something its just that you have not learnt it yet.

In all our own walks of life away from beekeeping we are learning something new most of the time and beekeeping is no different to that.

I bet the experienced beekeeper and beefarmer who frequent this place from time to time have picked up on a gem or two that has helped them along the way.

This place has to be without doubt one of the best resources we have even with its ups and downs.

 

[Finman]

Its not wrong not knowing something its just that you have not learnt it yet.
.

Learning is connected the goals. If you are satisfied with with your achiements, you have no problems. You do well with your recent knowledge.

But if yout set a goal, like "I am extract honey next summer", then you have a problem: how to achieve skills to get that goal.


If a person does not have need to learn, it is same even if angels come and try to tell it.
But if you have a need to learn, you even steel the new knowledge



An example about rotten and perished beekeeper: How to get 160 kg from hive? Hive had allready 50 kg when I installed the balance.

Several days 6-7 kg a day.

http://koti.tnnet.fi/web144/vaakapesa/selaa.php?vuosi=2013&kunta=112

.
.



.

 

[PBee]

Because we are not the BBKA and the world is full of different people.
Tolerated is a good word for it.
I don't think tolerance is a bad thing nowadays.

Evenhanded tolerance is even better.

 

[pargyle]

Whenever I see a post with irrational views by an overly sensitive 'natural' beekeeper. I think to myself which would the bees prefer if they were capable of consious thought? Me, who takes their honey but is kind enough to leave them food and even removes pests and deseases, or....a bear. All of a sudden I get a warm feeling inside at my unnatural selfish honey stealing

Whichever way you keep bees we are all caring of the bees in our charge ... I have no issues with the way that anyone cares for their bees - as long as it makes sense from the evidence in front of them and achieves the objective they have set then who am I to suggest otherwise ?

The great thing about this forum is that you will get a variety of comments to any post ... not just from a completely like minded and narrow church, (which is seen elsewhere on other fora). Sorting out the replies to decide what you are going to do is an important learning process.

I am on the side of beekeeping which you (not me) refer to as 'natural' but I am not overly sensitive (witness the comments directed at me over the last few days and my responses) nor do I consider myself having irrational views. I welcome constructive comments (and leg pulling) in response to my posts.

I hark back to Admins post that there is a place for all views on here and his stance on tolerance. I try never to inflict any ideas I have upon others - or insist that there is only one way - I recommend this as a position for others.

There are a few fairly aggressive posters on here but that's what forums are like ... it may put a few people off but that's the price you have to pay on an open, light touch, forum. There is more useful content here than on any other beekeeping sites and the banter adds to it ... if you stick your neck out then be prepared for the consequences. There will be someone who disagrees with you ... live with or leave.

 

[Hachi]

Thats because we are a forum not a Wiki.

Should we start a Wiki with just answers ?
Any volunteers to moderate it ?
Is it really needed ?

No of course not but when you look at some posts frankly, they don't even attempt to answer the question. Perhaps if chat was reinstated it might reduce some of the angst?

I'm a moderator on another site and am happy to help out here, if that's whats needed and wanted.

People have different views, like most, I have many views on many topics so I'm no stranger but, I have worked out who to listen to on here and who not to. I go about this quietly and keep my own council and I don't feel the need to have a P***ing contest on an open forum to dis someone. They have their view you have yours simple....

 

[dpearce4]

It happens even if you do not have bees.

One day everything is new. New friends every morning. Pants smell like rotten.
No idea how to measure water to sugar. ... Thanks to heaven...forum...

Did you ask if you could use my passport picture to make a point Finman.

 

[BKF Admin]

Evenhanded tolerance is even better.

Do you think I am not evenhanded ?

 

[PBee]

I do.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Fret not, Mark.

You are highly respected for your tolerance, even-handedness and light touch.

And for providing such a stupendous resource, against all the odds.

Thank you.

Dusty

 

[beekeeping4you]

Evenhanded tolerance is even better.

Some here seem to believe that 'tolerance' includes 'laissez-faire', that's wrong, and even 'evenhanded tolerance' will not be able to neutralize the negative effects of a 'laissez-faire' attitude...

Regards
German (Reiner)

 

[Finman]

I bet the experienced beekeeper and beefarmer who frequent this place from time to time have picked up on a gem or two that has helped them along the way.
.

We have in this village 3 beekeepers. All have kept bees over 30 years.
Ages are 66, 66 and woman 68.

This year all's average yield is about 100 kg. One got 140 kg/hive.

- Our bees have same genepool
- we do not use excluders
- we use ladders
- difficulties to lift full langstroth boxes
- all have solid floors
- all give mere sugar to bees for winter
- mite treatment
- independent, self thinking people




Beekeepers will rotten? We do. It is sure. But we have hospital 10 miles away. .


When I have read those descriptions and hints about me, I could cry. But somehow I know, that none of those guys will achieve such results and skills what our old farts in this village have reached year after year.
Once we were young.

But you are great thinkers and good people.
- What is best in your thinking: The 2000 km distance .

Experience is not everything, before you change it to money.


Remember the average yield 15 kg versus 100 kg

.
.

 

[Finman]

.akjs

 

[Finman]

.
I tell a story about my beekeeping neighbour 600 meters away from my cottage.

We met 1981. His father had beehives and this guy did not yeat nursed bees, but he was very skillfull in nature affairs.
Then the dad died and he started beekeeping. Dad has "national type" small hives and mongrels inside. Normal yeidl was 20 kg.

I was 35 y old and he was 5 days younger. Were were not old rotten guys then.

I told him that you should make langstroth boxes and medium supers. Big hives and good queens.
I donated to him 12 good quality Italian queens.

It took 3 years and he started to get 70 kg average yields like me. Yes, we have been good friends even if we share same pastures. Every year we have had hives which get 120 kg or more. Some got only 40 kg.

But I learned then that we together have too much foraging bees on same pastures and I have to move my hives away from home yard for summer.

My friend used excluders as it is told by professionals. But then he threw them into willow bushes. Now he is really proud of his beekeeping. Old fart you know-


.

 

[drstitson]

Finman - yesterday you said "finish time 5:47 almost 6 am" - does that mean you've gone for good now?

(apologies for the subtle editing of the quote!!!!!)

 

[drstitson]

"Remember the average yield 15 kg versus 100 kg"

remember - you have relatively unspoilt countryside with beautiful meadow crops for your girls to forage.

we in the UK have vast tracts of arable or heavily grazed grassland.

For example - In the UK we have only an estimated 900ha (2250 acres) of true upland hay meadow remaining.

To put that in perspective - that is only 900x the area of my smallholding - and just 45x the area of meadow within a 500m, 90 degree East-south arc of my hives.

 

[Finman]

"Remember the average yield 15 kg versus 100 kg"

remember - you have relatively unspoilt countryside with beautiful meadow crops for your girls to .

you need not remind me anout anything. i notite things with my experience.

I have visited in England 6 times and accustomed with groung maintenance contract system and with street maintenance system. i know quite well what the country is. Good yield comes from good pastures. I have visited about in 15 towns. We drived across Wales too.

But to find good pastures is a basic skill in beekeeping.


We have very few bee flowers in field environment, and now necotioid debate made that turnip rape will be very rare.

But I have hudreds of hectares cutted forest areas where rasberry and fireweed give 100 kg yields in 3 weeks.

But remember, when you are superion in syrup making and feeding, I am quite good in honey harvestin. That is the difference.

I just mix sugar. I do not make it an intelligent issue. It is one of those dirty jobs what has to be done

.

 

[Finman]

.
By the way...

Actually I live in capital city and I bought a summer cottage according my honey bee hobby.

This place is 50 km from Russian border. Here are few houses and couple of beeekeepers.
I can choose here splended pastures where is no other hives.
Luckily my wife accepted my living style and she understood that I can make extra money with hobby.
She have never adviced me to stop beekeeping.

To drive car every weekend 300 km for "catch and release beekeeping" is nonsense.

Get a life. I have had such what I like.
.

 

[blackcavebees]

Fireweed

Good to see you're still here Finman

I've been watching the fireweed this year since I learned what it was. At what point do you move your hives to the fireweed? Just before it starts to flower, or once it is flowering? How long does it last for yielding? 3 weeks or longer? Any differences with altitude? For example, the place I was thinking on is about 350m above sea level

 

[user 6228]

All their sweetness is drawn and lavished upon their charges, so none left for the words given to others, bitter and cruel they lie upon the ear.