BBKA Forum

British Beekeepers Association Official Forum 

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  • General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
 #9843  by Paulvfr
 23 Jan 2021, 17:22
Hi started bee keeping back July 2020 bough a 6 frame Nuc already made a hive as there wasn’t any courses to learn how to keep bees mainly used utube and bought Haynes bee keeping manual so far so good 🤞would be good to do a course but don’t think this will happen soon, was wondering if there is anyone local to my bees would like to mentor me ? Location is Thame Oxfordshire and they are kept on a allotment right by a pond
 #9850  by Patrick
 23 Jan 2021, 23:09
Hi Paul

Exciting times to start out indeed!

I know my local BBKA Division at least is running a beginners course via Zoom from now and has opened it up to anyone anywhere who wishes to enrol. Pm me if interested. Other associations have probably done the same. Physical in person mentoring I suspect is out for the foreseeable.

By all means put up any queries or issues in the beginners part of the Forum and you should get plenty of help.

You’ve obviously done fine so far between online vids and the Haynes book. If I was you, I would focus next on swarm control, with a single hive its probably the single biggest part of management to get your head round. You might not get swarming this year but assume you will and then you will be prepared if they try. Don’t assume because it’s your first full year it can’t happen yet surely .. :)
 #9855  by Alfred
 24 Jan 2021, 09:00
Patrick wrote:
23 Jan 2021, 23:09
You’ve obviously done fine so far between online vids and the Haynes
Here here.
I'm currently making and repairing kit ready for my third season having only that book,some Stuart Spinks you tube vids and this forum to learn with
Oh and a fair few stings too
I've done just fine

I went to a couple of local meetings when I first set out and to be fair they were rubbish- lots of valuable time I'm never going to get back.
They were oversubscribed so a good view of the fat chicks shoulders is mostly what I saw,and the soundtrack was a regurgitation of what Id already read- in some cases verbatim.
It's just the air of superiority I hadn't expected.
If you can gain something from a zoom session then that's fine,well done, but don't think for one second you're lacking something without someone else's input.
 #9856  by Steve 1972
 24 Jan 2021, 10:52
Do you actually need a mentor or need to do any courses..? ..i have been ticking over nicely now for six years with neither..don't get me wrong i have had my ups and down's but that is beekeeping for you and and even the most experienced are going to encounter new problems at some point..
Like you i started out by reading the Haynes manual and researching on the internet but i did that for around three years before taking the plunge .. i learned the best way imo which was trial and error and most importantly hands on experience but not without the help from some very good experienced forum members..my ways might not impress a so called Master Beekeeper but they work for me and my bees..
Keep popping on here and asking questions and you will be fine..but be warned it is a highly addictive hobby an deep pockets are essential when you first start out.. :D
 #9859  by AdamD
 24 Jan 2021, 13:51
Paulvfr,
Try your local beekeeping association who may help - you will probably have to join of course.
Some associations are good and some less so. Some have demonstrators with very dogmatic views.
Here's a good place to be!