other beekeepers dead outs

[alldigging]

I thought that's what 'Basic' is: inspecting your colony in front of an assessor, and being asked a few questions. That's how I did mine. I think any new beekeeper will benefit from doing one.

It's someone else's colony.


http://adventuresinbeeland.com/2010/07/28/basic-beekeeping-assessment-exam/

(you never do the exam on your own hive)


Having someone come and look at how you run your hives would be a better indication of your long term beekeeping skills perhaps.

 

[Finman]

.
Basics of wintering

Try to get as big colony as possible before winter.
Cluster will be as big as brood area on late summer.
If hive is allowed to lay in one box, it doess not need 2 boxes to over winter.

When a beek gather honey for winterfood, perhaps queen has not enough room to lay winter brood. Perhaps result is half box cluster and two boxes honey.

And those mites will take their own from cluster brood.

Own queen rearing. ... When you start from emergency cell, in good case the queen starts to lay after a month. And then, 4 weeks, that new bees have emerged in numbers. Almost 2 months that colony is able to grow.

Small colonies in normal box, mesh floor open, no insulations...


I have read these stories from forum for years. Experinced beekeepers teach beginners to take big risks.
You winter is not bad, but it is long. A small cluster in a vast space means heat losses, condensation inside the hive and deglining healt of bees.

But I have been told, our climate is different. Nothing to learn from oversees. I have tried to teach how to get big colonies in short time. But you, many want to build up colonies as slow as possible. That is forum life.

 

[pargyle]

Or doing the basic on your own hive so your history of beekeeping is evident?

Or have basic plus (Like pass plus) as a separate thing where you inspect your own colony in front of someone.

Now that is a good idea ... It would serve several purposes .. demonstrate that you were a competent beekeeper in terms of manipulation, give you the opportunity to identify and possibly discuss HOW you keep YOUR bees and show, from the condition of the bees, that your system is working.

One of the things that puts me off the BBKA basic is that it is formulated on a very conventional way of keeping bees ... there's nothing wrong with this but it's not the way I do it. I don't need to demonstrate how to insert foundation into frames - I don't use it .. I mostly make my own frames so getting the nails in the 'right' place is not particularly relevant - I can light a smoker but never use it and so on ... whilst I am confident that I could 'pass' the basic by doing it 'the right way' ... I don't feel that it's anything other than a badge.

I would happily pay for someone with experience and an open mind to watch me tend my hives and question how I do it. However, if it became anything the Royal Yachting Association certification (which I view as essential to anyone who ventures out to sea in a pleasure craft) you are looking at nearly £200 just for the examination but ... that is usually for a full day of a Yachtmaster Examiner so perhaps it is relative.

I recognise that the General Husbandry examination is carried out at your own apiary ... but, its syllabus is far in excess of that required by most 'hobby' beekeepers certainly in their early years of beekeeping.

I can't see the BBKA changing anything and until another credible organisation comes up with an alternative qualification regime we are stuck with the problem (as I see it ....).

 

[wessexmario]

It's someone else's colony.
(you never do the exam on your own hive)

Having someone come and look at how you run your hives would be a better indication of your long term beekeeping skills perhaps.

If you want an assessment of proficiency, then both would be desirable.

The strange hive would show the beek's ability to recognise and react to something specific or unexpected, the state of the home hive would show the net result of the beekeeping to date.

 

[Finman]

.
But first, put your inspectors into test. Many of them are false prophets. Strange habits like Bailey frame changing. And killing brood to prevent bee diseases which are not even identified.

 

[Finman]

.

But exception is catch and release style: If a beekeeper promises, that he will not extract his honey yield, he may keep his hives as he will. And he is not allowed to catch his swarms.


( these ideas jus to keep your inspectors busy)

 

[Chris B]

The General Husbandry is the appropriate qualification - at least it should be. But it's a lottery as to whether your examiners really want to assess your beekeeping, or just set out wanting to find some pedantic reason to fail you.

 

[pargyle]

It remind me a lot of the coastal waters of Britain - although registration is not compulsory yet, there are loads out there who have done their day skipper/powerboat level 2 whatever, called into the chandler for their jaunty little 'skipper' hat then go out to sea shouting 'steam gives way to sail' which is a total fallacy BTW or ignoring each and every rule of the road because they have a certificate!

Yes ... to some extent I agree that the old Day Skipper was about as useful as a chocolate teapot but the Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster were more intensive tests and did take a fair amount of skills and knowledge to pass. Just the translation of the weather forecast into a weather map was a challenge in itself - without the morse exam !! The practical element covered a lot of seamanship as well as things like passage planning, tidal calculation, dead reckoning and boat management - as well as man overboard and 'disaster'. As well as doing my own tickets I did a lot of 'crewing' for other candidates and the look of panic when the Examiner said 'Your engine has just failed' when coming up to a mooring buoy under power was a joy to behold !!

It's some years since I took mine and I see from the current RYA site that there are more 'badges' than you can shake a stick at and I wonder whether the current certification has been dummed down ? Mind you, it's still not compulsory for ANY boating qualifications and from what I have seen in the Solent, at times, the only qualification some people have is a credit card or a big bank balance ... scary !

 

[wessexmario]

Yep - you can pass exams by learning the answers without needing to understand why the answer is the answer.

That's mirrored in many of the questions, and the responses to answers to them on this forum.
Unfortunately some people seem more concerned about "being told which rule to follow", rather than actually understanding "how the system works".

 

[Dishmop]

But I have been told, our climate is different.

and is it?

 

[Finman]

and is it?

In the middle on Finland we will have next night -25C.
Today we got new snow in Helsinki.

 

[Dishmop]

In the middle on Finland we will have next night -25C.
Today we got new snow in Helsinki.

And is that not the reason why keeping bees in your country must be different from this country?

its sunny where I am, about 12° and I can see my bees flying and bringing in pollen.
What are yours doing?

 

[Madge]

It's someone else's colony. ... (you never do the exam on your own hive)

Having someone come and look at how you run your hives would be a better indication of your long term beekeeping skills perhaps.

Now that is a good idea ...
...
One of the things that puts me off the BBKA basic is that it is formulated on a very conventional way of keeping bees ... I mostly make my own frames so getting the nails in the 'right' place is not particularly relevant ...

You can do the Basic exam in any appropriate apiary, Alldigging, including your own. That's where I did mine - in my apiary with my own colonies.

Why do you assume the examiners are nitwits, Pargyle? They're very likely to be open-minded as long as you show good knowledge. If they are anything like the woman who came to assess me, you will not only be assessed, but also be privileged to learn a lot from your assessor.

 

[Dishmop]

You can do the Basic exam in any appropriate apiary, Alldigging, including your own. That's where I did mine - in my apiary with my own colonies.

So you got your bees, and then, did the course about how to look after bees?

 

[Finman]

And is that not the reason why keeping bees in your country must be different from this country?

its sunny where I am, about 12° and I can see my bees flying and bringing in pollen.
What are yours doing?

My bees are in winter cluster. Willow starts blooming after a month.

Then I give to them advices, how to catch 100 kg honey/hive.

You have there too much beekeepers. There are not enough flowers to those beeks. I can say, that to cultivate honey flowers in road verges is a mad idea.

Your universities should make a reseach how your sheep eate wild flowers from bees.

 

[Madge]

So you got your bees, and then, did the course about how to look after bees?

Yes - I jumped in knowing nothing. I've not even attended an evening course but that's not what I recommend to new beekeepers. I urge them to do an evening course and, if possible, have a mentor nearby (I didn't even have that at the beginning), but I don't think you need to wait until you've passed a Basic before getting your bees.

I've just sat Module 7. Two more to go, as well as two practicals - and I enjoy learning, Jenkins!

(Thank you for the Welcome, Dishmop - but I've been posting here for quite some time now!)

 

[Dishmop]

I can say, that to cultivate honey flowers in road verges is a mad idea.

I dont know of anywhere that does.

 

[Dishmop]

Yes - I jumped in knowing nothing. I've not even attended an evening course but that's not what I recommend to new beekeepers.

Same here.
The "welcome" was for admitting to being one of the jump in at the deep end clan.

I have people ask me if its hard work.........but try not to get too carried away explaining all about bees...just the things that they might remember.

 

[itma]

...
Having someone come and look at how you run your hives would be a better indication of your long term beekeeping skills perhaps.

That is the exact basis of the General Husbandry assessment.

Somehow, the gap between it and The Basic has become a bit of a chasm - and if we were redesigning things, I'd be all in favour of narrowing that gap.


I don't understand why so many posters are writing these things off as "paper exams".
These are PRACTICAL assessments - watching how the candidate does things.
You could pass The Basic without even being able to write!

 

[Ely]

That's your opinion - from what I've seen of many of the BBKA paper holders it's not worth the paper it's printed on. We don't insist that any of our association members take the basic (although I'd help any who want to) and it's a sad sight to see all these people who obsess more about their modules than the bees themselves.
Let them keep taking their little exams if that pleases them and makes them feel more important - I'll just carry on keeping bees.

I agree. Joining an association of (successful) beekeepers or simply befriending an experienced (successful) beekeeper and working along side them and asking for help and advice would be infinitely more beneficial than any exam or assessment.