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Re: Please introduce yourself here ...

PostPosted:15 Nov 2018, 13:14
by deweyandrew
Mostly Varroa. Some wrapping & starvation issues. And yes it is cold here - most winters I reach -35F (-37C)

Re: Please introduce yourself here ...

PostPosted:15 Nov 2018, 22:15
by DianeBees
deweyandrew wrote:
13 Nov 2018, 22:34
What do you think is essential for new beekeepers to learn?
Do you find the BBKA Courses cover all that they ought to well?

(My first name is Andrew)
Hello Andrew!

We all seem to make our own beginners courses - there's not a standard one, but using the BBKA Basic assessment syllabus as a measure of what a beekeeper should know about by the end of their first year or two of beekeeping is a good thing to aim for.

I will start a thread on this in Education section though!

Re: Please introduce yourself here ...

PostPosted:15 Nov 2018, 23:01
by Patrick
- 35C eh? Yes I think we can all agree that certainly qualifies as cold!

Re: Please introduce yourself here ...

PostPosted:18 Nov 2018, 10:10
by Steve (The Drone)
Hi Andrew. I remember years ago listening to a talk by a very erudite American Bee Farmer. He was based up by the Canadian border and had amazing photos of his hives in deep, deep snow. When he began farming he had a contract to move his hives for the apple orchard polination. Possibly due to insecticide spays against the coddling moth he was getting unacceptable colony losses. When he switched to honey only production and kept his bees on meadows then his winter losses plummeted. He also bred all his own queens and would have nothing to do with ‘packaged bees’.
With regards training. We run a ‘Meet the Bees’ session, followed by ‘beginners, ‘improvers’ and then ‘revision’. Mentoring is most important. If any interesting manipulation is in hand at the apiary then it is advertised on the webpage and all are welcome.
Steve.
( would be interesting to here what tips our Scandinavian Chums get on).

Re: Please introduce yourself here ...

PostPosted:18 Nov 2018, 19:34
by NigelP
Steve (The Drone) wrote:
18 Nov 2018, 10:10
( would be interesting to here what tips our Scandinavian Chums get on).
Poly hives and reptile heaters for small nucs...

Re: Please introduce yourself here ...

PostPosted:09 Jan 2019, 09:20
by Jules59
Hi Im Jules

Started beekeeping in 2018 by joining the Nuneaton branch of Warwickshire Beekeepers Assoc. and subsequently purchased a 6 frame nuc.
Had a busier year than expected. Undertook swarm management but they swarmed anyway - into my apple tree. Collected the swarm into a nuc which I eventually sold as I didnt want 3 hives to look after in my first year.
Also collected 15kg of honey - which was nice.
Currently over-wintering two WBC hives (built from kits) at the end of my rural Warwickshire garden.
Its been a fascinating but steep learning curve.

Re: Please introduce yourself here ...

PostPosted:09 Jan 2019, 13:46
by AdamD
It's often a steep learning curve with bees and they don't always do as you expect, hence the expression "Bees don't read books" However it seems that you have survived your first season! Excellent!

Re: Please introduce yourself here ...

PostPosted:09 Jan 2019, 14:20
by Patrick
Hi Jules - collecting honey in your first season is no small feat.

Did 15kg better than I did when I started anyway!

Re: Please introduce yourself here ...

PostPosted:09 Jan 2019, 23:33
by Jules59
Thanks for your encouraging words. May 2019 be good to us all and our bees.

Re: Please introduce yourself here ...

PostPosted:28 May 2019, 18:15
by Chrisbarlow
Bump