hmm, bees

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hmm, bees
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chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Mon Jul 14, 08 2:29 pm Post subject:

Mary-Jane wrote:

No wonder Gervase calls me his 'Queen Bee'

Just try to remember he know *nothing* about bees

Quail By Mail

Joined: 11 Apr 2008
Posts: 295
Location: Brixham, South Devon

Posted: Mon Jul 14, 08 2:35 pm Post subject:

Sort of off thread...But who are the 'bee people' on Downsizer?

I'm starting a bee course with my local Devon Beekeepers Association, Torbay branch next weekend.

I'm a complete and utter novice but my grandparents had a commercial pitstone fruit orchard in British Columbia and about 50 beehives scattered around the orchard. So I had 'access' to bee hives from a very early age so I have an 'instinct' for it. I've planted bee friendly shrubs and perennials and pruned an old buddleia to be more productive flower-wise and one of the neighbours has a huge flower garden so I'm itching for a hive.

Who's into bees? And what is the good and downside to beekeeping?

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Mon Jul 14, 08 2:37 pm Post subject:
I am a Devon Beekeeper, and I am a member of the North Devon Apairy, at Horstone.

joanne

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7100
Location: Morecambe, Lancashire

Posted: Mon Jul 14, 08 2:46 pm Post subject:
I'm a beekeeper in Lancashire and have just taken my BBKA Basic Beekeeping exam this weekend - I've had bee's for just over 12 months and can safely say I know the theory better than the reality! I'm the Webmaster for the Lancaster Beekeepers

Mrs Fiddlesticks

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 10460

Posted: Mon Jul 14, 08 3:00 pm Post subject:

beekeeper here with my husband. We've only being playing this game for a year but have recently teamed up with an experienced bee-keeper in the village and have set up a village apiary at the alloments with at the moment 3 hives in it

Members of Oxford BKA but are probably going to transfer to Newbury and vale when membership lapses to fit in with the other beekeepers in the village - t'will be more sociable that way

Quail By Mail

Joined: 11 Apr 2008
Posts: 295
Location: Brixham, South Devon

Posted: Mon Jul 14, 08 3:04 pm Post subject:
I assume trouble shooting with beekeeping (like Sally's query) is very similar to gardening questions except nobody tries to guess at beekeeping questions!!!!! In other words, can fellow beekeepers be the best source of help or can answers always be found in those bee books that only have a handful of photos?

Mrs Fiddlesticks

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 10460

Posted: Mon Jul 14, 08 3:10 pm Post subject:

Quail By Mail wrote:

In other words, can fellow beekeepers be the best source of help or can answers always be found in those bee books that only have a handful of photos?

both. It is said if you ask 3 bee-keepers a question you'll get 4 different answers as to what to do. And a fair few of us would scuttle off to the books first before answering you

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Mon Jul 14, 08 3:38 pm Post subject:
Definately agree Julie. I did my basic last year, and was going to do the next modual this year, but when I did my knee in the pain killers they gave me scrambled my brain too much when I was revising, so I didn't do it, but I will next year.

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Mon Jul 14, 08 3:49 pm Post subject:
I did a course this year at the same apiary as Alison in North Devon & hope to be getting my bees soon.

woodsprite

Joined: 20 Mar 2006
Posts: 2943
Location: North Herefordshire

Posted: Mon Jul 14, 08 4:04 pm Post subject:
In our house hubby is head beekeeper and I'm very much his assistant. We have had our bees for 12 months and are members of the Ludlow branch of BBKA. We currently have 2 hives, one nice queen and one nasty queen.

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Mon Jul 14, 08 5:57 pm Post subject:
We have four hives which we keep at Mochyn's. It looks like one is bad tempered . We've been keeping them for a couple of years - and like you, I grew up around them, with my Ma keeping them. We belong to the Montgomeryshire association. I'd look in the book before I answered you, too .

Lionheart

Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Posts: 427
Location: Cheshire

Posted: Mon Jul 14, 08 7:25 pm Post subject:
Wannabee beekeeper here....sat with an empty hive at the top of the garden and hoping that even at this late date it might get a visit from a passing swarm. I've been waiting for a nuc in the area for ages, but there's nothing about. At this rate it'll be next year before I have any! :-/

Citrine

Joined: 30 Apr 2008
Posts: 51
Location: Kent

Posted: Tue Jul 15, 08 7:22 am Post subject:
Hubby and I are new beekeepers - we're members of Kent BBKA, have done a couple of courses AND have an experienced mentor to hand - he's from a different association. I kept a diary of our experiences, so as to look back on how we progress. Good luck with it, it sounds like you have a good background!

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Tue Jul 15, 08 7:34 am Post subject:
Been keeping bees on & off for 20+ years, don't know of any downsides apart from the occasional stinging. Bees are unlike any other livestock in that they are completely wild so you have to learn to work with them not over them which makes it more interesting. Currently working with 3 colonies here in South Cornwall.

Sarah D

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 2584

Posted: Tue Jul 15, 08 7:37 am Post subject:
Bee keeper here. No downsides. Don't belong to anything.

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