BBKA education

[BKF Admin]

My apologies to members who have been brave enough to read this far after having to read my forum ping-pong diatribe..

I am suposed to set forum standards not lower them.

Sorry.
Mark.

 

[oliver90owner]

Nellie,

If I wanted to mention other websites I usually omit letters or describe the name in writing. I always put Th*rne for instance and include web sites as separate parts that must be put together by any interested parties; I always write 'epay', some write fleabag or similar but we all know what they mean, and if not, we ask the poster for more info. Simples.

I actually belong to my local BKA, otherwise I would not really want anything to do with an organisation that takes finance from pesticide manufacurers. Period.

My view on markets and certificates is the produce should be local(ish) and direct from the establishment selling the product. Good value and better for the carbon footprint as well as potentially healthier eating.

I might ask: if someone has a basic certificate does that make them honest and not sell other honey than their own? I think not. Honesty does not come from having a basic anything. It is often a way of life and a matter of trust (or contract).

Personally at 62 and been beekeeping for some ten years, the basic does nothing for me.

I have to have a CRB to make a living. It simply means I have not received any legal certificates in certain unsavoury pastimes. Good for me, and I have to put up with it. Now they have done it several times isn't it about time I got it at a discounted rate? Apparently not. I regard that as extracting money from me for nothing checked at all, or little at best.

The job needs doing, yes, but some charges are unrepresentative of the work carried out - not to protect me but to protect others. I might ask: why don't they pay? After all they not the beneficiaries of the system, not me. I am unlikely, at my age, to suddenly change from a basically law abiding citizen into the likes of some that got through the net so easily in the past.

I like the format of this forum and don't think it deserves any criticism from anyone.

RAB

 

[madasafish]

Where does one buy this sort of insurance? It would be unfortunate if a hobby ended up costing a LOT of money....would make selling a few jars of honey rather pointless.

Become a BBKA member.

http://tinyurl.com/34erjw2

 

[BKF Admin]

How many claims have been paid out to members in the last 50 years by BBKA insurance ?
I bet its less than zero..

 

[rae]

Can't read that link, it needs a password.

Being a member of the local association, I probably am a member. Is Beecraft the organ of the BBKA? If so, then I certainly am a member, as we get that delivered. Good to know that I am covered, I will have to check the small print.

 

[Nellie]

Insurance is always a waste of money until you need it.

Got no issue with blocking direct links to the forums, that's why I didn't link to them, it's consideredbad etiquette here which is why I linked either to the main page or to beekeeping related articles instead.

 

[madasafish]

Rae
Your membership card has your password on it..

I joined the BBKA for its local membership and the insurance.
Period..

 

[Brosville]

"I joined the BBKA for its local membership and the insurance" - sadly it also means you've added your name and tacit support to an association that in many people's opinion flies in the face of member's wishes, and does more for it's friends in the agrochemical industry than bees and beekeepers........
Which is why I'm NOT a member!

 

[Nellie]

Nellie,

If I wanted to mention other websites I usually omit letters or describe the name in writing.

Fair enough it's still petty to claim to be a beekeeping resource and actively block links to beekeeping resources and I'm not talking about creating "look at this forum: " posts either.

I actually belong to my local BKA, otherwise I would not really want anything to do with an organisation that takes finance from pesticide manufacurers. Period.

Fair enough I choose to use my membership to lobby for change on that front and to attempt to shape the organisation I'm a member of into one that fairly and accurately represents my interests rather than telling me what they are.

I might ask: if someone has a basic certificate does that make them honest and not sell other honey than their own? I think not. Honesty does not come from having a basic anything. It is often a way of life and a matter of trust (or contract).

Personally at 62 and been beekeeping for some ten years, the basic does nothing for me.

Nope, it supposedly demonstrates that you have a basic level of competence and understanding around the handling of bees and related subjects, nothing more.

If you don't want to do it, or see the value in it then that's fine by me. I'm 3 years into my beekeeping and intend to carry on for a while yet. I also live in a city where the council demands that allotment beekeepers have a Basic Certificate and more are following suit. As I don't know what the future holds it seemed reasonable to me to do it so I'm covered on that front. I'll also happily make the claim that I'm a better beekeeper as a result of the work I put into passing it.

I like the format of this forum and don't think it deserves any criticism from anyone.

RAB

Got nothing against the forum, just happy to hold it to the same standards that it apparently expects of others. That and I like calling bullpoo when I see it.

It bothers me not one bit if this place wants to position itself as being in "opposition" to the BBKA and biobees as a discussion forum.

I get that there are people on here who'll bash the BBKA no matter what, for the most part go for it, but dissuading people asking genuine questions about becoming better beekeepers is taking the vendetta too far. Criticise all you like but at least dish out honest advice.

[edit] take "you" to be generic you in this post rather than referring to any one person in particular.

 

[madasafish]

"I joined the BBKA for its local membership and the insurance" - sadly it also means you've added your name and tacit support to an association that in many people's opinion flies in the face of member's wishes, and does more for it's friends in the agrochemical industry than bees and beekeepers........
Which is why I'm NOT a member!

Each to their own.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

My apologies to members who have been brave enough to read this far after having to read my forum ping-pong diatribe..

I am suposed to set forum standards not lower them.

Sorry.
Mark.

No probs here, drifted off some while back! I blame Birchdale for mentioning the words "opinions" and "BBKA" in the same sentence in the original post

 

[BKF Admin]

Each to their own.

personally I think all new beekeepers should join a local association.
The practical help and advice you get is second to none.
Not joining due to politics is a little like cutting off your nose to spite your face.

I was a member for a few years when I started keepeing bees and even got my first nuc from a fellow member.

I still bump into members from time to time and chat but associations are not for me in the long term.

 

[madasafish]

personally I think all new beekeepers should join a local association.
The practical help and advice you get is second to none.
Not joining due to politics is a little like cutting off your nose to spite your face.

 

[victor meldrew]

Yes they have,it was during 1977.
The BBKA have selective memories over many past issues.

One of the reasons this forum was setup was to allow individuals to monitor the BBKA and report to others without being censored.
With your comments above I can see why its needed.

I joined this forum at it's inception ! nowhere was it suggested that it was to be the BBKAs' alter-ego !
I am well aware that like me you weren't happy with Rogers modus operandi .
Never did I believe it was to become a covert anti-establishment platform attracting and welcoming the disaffected ?
I shall be wary of posting anything that the 5th columnist could construe as being pro BBKA LOL

John Wilkinson

 

[broandy]

sheeeeeezzzzzzzzz I missed putting my boot in again Horbie you should have rang me

Its Hormbie's fault thats my pennys worth
I just love a scrap lol

 

[Vergilius]

It bothers me not one bit if this place wants to position itself as being in "opposition" to the BBKA and biobees as a discussion forum.

No it doesn't because it isn't. The forum isn't some rebel organization against the BBKA! Admin has set up a forum that is seperate from all governing bodies (like the BBKA) and therefore has complete freedom of speech- which is surely a good thing for a forum.

Personally, in my short time of being a member, I have found this forum a great source of info and advice and is a real credit to admin and all members of it.


Ben P

 

[Nellie]

One of the reasons this forum was setup was to allow individuals to monitor the BBKA and report to others without being censored.
With your comments above I can see why its needed.

I'll quote it again for you.

I'll grant you that I could be misinterpreting that statement as being in support or even just ambivalent of the BBKA but wanting an independent platform to discuss matters arising from their publications etc, but the tone and content of posts in any thread relating to the BBKA do not suggest that to me.

You can say what you like about the BBKA, its policies, the colour of its logo, who sits on the comittees whatever but I contend that putting people off persuing improving their beekeeping knowledge because you don't happen to like the only organisation that provides a programme is disingenuous at best.

[edit] Apostrophe catastrophe!

 

[Brosville]

"faux naif"?

- ho hum - just because an association runs courses that some people find useful is no reason to afford it "teflon" status. It's quite reasonable for people to make the choice to use the courses facility, but I hope that they are able to make an informed choice (with regards to the other things you have to "sign up to" as part of membership) - thanks to the openness with which matters are discussed here, they will at least stand a chance of actually knowing all that goes on, and are better equipped to make that informed decision.

This forum's strength is that it allows genuine free speech, and all shades of opinion.
As history shows us, one can look a bit of a plonker just noting that they have some jolly smart uniforms, and they made the trains run on time........

 

[Adam]

Please don't tar everyone, "you lot" with the same brush thank you very much.

I for one find it offensive.

PH

Apologies. I was (lazily) using at as a collective to refer to the group members who believe that the BBKA examination structure is clearly a subversive method to take over the entire beekeeping world.

Adam

 

[Adam]

Yes they have,it was during 1977.
The BBKA have selective memories over many past issues.

One of the reasons this forum was setup was to allow individuals to monitor the BBKA and report to others without being censored.

Blimey, there was me thinking this was a run-of-the-mill beekeeping forum (no insult implied, what I mean is I didn't realise until now it had such political leanings) with a general UK basis of members. As a general comment it does seem to be veering towards BBKA bashing rather than monitoring though, which rather degrades the overall quality of postings. Recently I'd say some postings were bordering on spiteful, posted by a relative minority which (IMHO) rather undermines the strength of the forum.

With your comments above I can see why its needed.

Jeez, shame on me for not remembering, given I was still in nappies. You're seriously holding that against them despite it being more than two decades ago? The world has moved on, and I'm amused you think they still have such an agenda, or that they have even as much weight as is suggested at political levels. Looking at the lack of clout they had to push the "pollinators" money in the direction of honeybees, I think indicates the relatively weaker position than you think they have.

Adam