BBKA Forum

British Beekeepers Association Official Forum 

  • Compulsory Registration - Can it be far off?

  • General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
 #9202  by huntsman.
 12 Oct 2020, 19:41
Nigel. why not define what you think a "proper beekeeper" is?

Okay!

Excluding those who have learned from parents/family. (However they should benefit from most of what's below.)

Those who;

Partake in a beginners course with their local beekeeping association. Accepts for now what they were taught and sat the association's primary exam.

Buy their bees from the association and ensure the seller will provide some mentor support.

Continues to read the 'heavier' books, attends meetings and meet other beekeepers who believe in 'better beekeeping by association.'

Progress to studying for the 'Intermediate Exams' regardless of being successful, they will learn an an awful lot regarding the scientific and practical side of beekeeping.

In two or three years time, help other mentors so they see many aperies other than their own.

In four or five years, produce nucs with a two month money back or replacement guarantee and offer mentoring.

Read these forums to learn who to listen to and know those who would be better off 'keeping their breath to cool their porridge.
 #9203  by Patrick
 12 Oct 2020, 19:51
Gents - I am not a member of many online forums, even though I have many interests aside from bees. That is because too often people use them to take personal swipes at those they disagree with and people who genuinely are interested in debating stuff just steer clear

Let’s not make this one another of those, life really is too short. It’s just about keeping some insects in boxes at the end of the day.
 #9204  by Cable_Fairy
 12 Oct 2020, 20:19
Patrick wrote:
12 Oct 2020, 19:51
Gents - I am not a member of many online forums, even though I have many interests aside from bees. That is because too often people use them to take personal swipes at those they disagree with and people who genuinely are interested in debating stuff just steer clear

Let’s not make this one another of those, life really is too short. It’s just about keeping some insects in boxes at the end of the day.
Well said
 #9205  by AndrewLD
 12 Oct 2020, 20:21
Patrick wrote:
12 Oct 2020, 19:51
Gents - I am not a member of many online forums, even though I have many interests aside from bees. That is because too often people use them to take personal swipes at those they disagree with and people who genuinely are interested in debating stuff just steer clear

Let’s not make this one another of those, life really is too short. It’s just about keeping some insects in boxes at the end of the day.
Patrick - your posts are usually so considered and well thought out; and I too don't want this forum to degenerate into personal issues etc.
But I cannot agree with your last sentence "It’s just about keeping some insects in boxes at the end of the day."
When I did my beginners course one of our instructors said "anyone can keep bees in a box but not anyone can be a beekeeper". I am not ashamed to say that I love my bees and it hurts when I think people are just treating bees as just insects. They are not, they are a super-organism that deserve better than some so called "beekeepers" treat them either through ignorance or just plain callousness.
I think that was something that just slipped out in an attempt to bring balance and order to a thread that has become ill-tempered and out of balance. I really hope and believe that you didn't mean it.
What would be a shame is if these personal inputs were to deflect us from the issue that I raised in the original post.
 #9206  by Bobbysbees
 12 Oct 2020, 22:52
Well said Patrick. I couldnt agree more. For now i will try and just "do me " and hope others can do the same. On the subject of the tread. I agree with registration in principal and the ideals behind the idea. But alas we live in an imperfect world where these things can not be easily policed.
With that said. Hooray to the fact that we still have some areas of our life free from prodnoses and would be do gooders where we Can exercise some level of freedom of choice. Even if it is only a few square yards of garden and in the shed at the bottom of it.
Long may it last.
 #9207  by AdamD
 13 Oct 2020, 09:55
I hope the unnecessary aggression and insults has ended guys; life's just too short. Patrick and I can delete or modify posts or ban members. However, unless Patrick disagrees with me, we can perhaps leave the posts as they are and in the cold light of day, those who wrote insults may reflect on their unnecessary words.
Andrew, I am sure that Patrick was trying to lighten the tone of the discussion and he cares for his bees as much as the rest of us. I still hate the crunch when a bee is inadvertently squashed, I am pretty sure we all do.

Bobbybees has a point that in the current climate we cannot mix socially so online learning has to occur. Just as Covid 19 has changed the way we shop and and accelerated the decline of retail, so it will be having a similar effect on beekeepers meetings. Will it accelerate the decline of associations and we all become online beekeepers perhaps? Should the BBKA have an online association for those that can't or won't attend meetings in person?
 #9209  by Patrick
 13 Oct 2020, 10:39
AndrewLD wrote: But I cannot agree with your last sentence "It’s just about keeping some insects in boxes at the end of the day."
Don't worry Andrew, piles of bee stuff all over the place, a fortune on books, countless hours sweating in a white romper suit, back pain and a periodically written off kitchen, still learning new stuff each and every year ( especially from others on here) are testament to me not believing it for a moment either :lol:
 #9210  by AndrewLD
 13 Oct 2020, 11:59
AdamD wrote:
13 Oct 2020, 09:55
Just as Covid 19 has changed the way we shop and and accelerated the decline of retail, so it will be having a similar effect on beekeepers meetings. Will it accelerate the decline of associations and we all become online beekeepers perhaps? Should the BBKA have an online association for those that can't or won't attend meetings in person?
Back on topic...
I think Roger's article and your reply is focused on the effect on associations whilst I am more concerned with where we will end up with unregistered beekeepers becoming a nuisance to the extent beekeeping gets a bad name, pollinators suffer and, as has happened on the continent, legislation follows. Let us never lose sight of the amount to which food production relies on pollination. I can't do much about wild pollinators but I can do my bit for honeybees.
I had forgotten that our association slipped in the requirement for members to agree to datasharing with the NBU as a condition of membership and to include the location of apiaries on the yearly application form - and No - it's not in the small print, it's out there in bold type.
I've had to get up to speed on WebEx and Zoom for my presentations and this thread reminds me to contact our beginners coordinator to see if we could do the Winter 2021 theory course via Zoom or similar. It won't be a straight shoe-in because whereas I am fully into PowerPoint, some others still have a marked preference for stand-up and talk to notes. Maybe COVID will swing it...... But I for one would not open these sessions to non-members or to those who have not paid to attend - with honey sales restricted to retail outlets and training apiaries to maintain, why should any association allow the world to take our income or IPR away and copy our work.
 #9214  by Bobbysbees
 13 Oct 2020, 20:11
I for one would be very interested in any form of online learning available in regards to beekeeping. I feel that the open and free exchange of information and learning can only be a beneficial thing.
I understand Andrew's thoughts behind not throwing the doors open to non members/any old person. Though as i said above an open and above all free, exchange of learning may be a better option. It would certainly allow more people to have a greater understanding of the pursuit that we all love. While at the same time help to enlighten those of us such as my self who are new to it.
On the topic of registration with Beebase.
I have, with the views of others on here and discussions with my family on the subject; decided to jump aboard and also see about doing a course with the Northumberland honey company or Kirklyhall agricultural college at the first opportunity next year.
For now though im relying on the good people here to try and keep me on track.
So thanks again and thanks in advance too. :D
 #9216  by Chrisbarlow
 13 Oct 2020, 20:59
@bobbybees

This is a good online learning resource from the the nbu. text heavy but sound material

http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/index.cfm?sectionid=70

http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/index.cfm?pageid=167

http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/public/beekeepingFaqs/index.cfm?
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