Beeks not in Associations

[Curly green finger's]

I Agree I'm a member of Ludlow and tenbury.
But my prefs are with tenbury they are a good crowd.
Tenbury are more how can you say not so stiff and I've made some really good friends down there... Plus point would be meetings at one of the pubs.

I joined for the same reason as you murox to meet other beekeepers.

If it wasn't for the forum and the open mindedness and friendship on here I probably wouldn't be beekeeping.
Im sure there is others on here who feel the same.?

 

[Curly green finger's]

Insurance? Comes with membership. There is both good and bad but same as any organisation, you always find those who need to be in charge. Manage to ignore that type and you will find some decent people. I know quite a few who let membership lapse because the association offers nothing

Well when I was on the committee albiet a short time I still felt I wasn't heard with my ideas one of the reasons I left.

 

[peteinwilts]

If it wasn't for the forum and the open mindedness and friendship on here I probably wouldn't be beekeeping.
Im sure there is others on here who feel the same.?

I certainly feel the same. After tripping over the site in 2008 and asking some dumb questions, I was made to feel welcome with a 'do it' vibe.
I approached the local beekeeping association, and was treated with a frosty 'members of the public should not keep bees'.
I got my first bees from Hedgerow Pete, and with the support of this forum, now have 14 apiaries and far too many bees.

I have been accused of being 'a commercial beekeeper from outside the area spreading diseases' and 'it is not possible for them not to know about me with so many bees', despite not being commercial (at the time) and being under their noses for 8 years (at the time) I was treated with nothing but distain.
I continue to exist in a low key manner, but also help a large number of beekeepers to keep bees without assoc beekeepers looking down on them telling them it MUST be done in a particular way.... 'if you have not been trained by the bbka, you must be doing it wrong'.

I for one thank Mark for opening this site, but also those many members that helped me, particularly through the early years.
I do not hang around here as much as I used to, primarily due to a poisoning of attitude. Even on this thread there is talk of non-association members abandoning hives and spreading diseases. I am sure pound for pound, there are as many assoc members that do the same thing.

I often see 'I am right, and you are wrong', rather than helping those asking the questions. This frustrates me as sometimes they both may be right, and are just different ways of doing the same thing. The bees are what matter, and different manners of keeping bees are not necessarily wrong.
Not being part of an assoc is not wrong. With help and guidance, many beekeepers can be turned into a good beekeeper.
I was not trained, but learnt by this forum and reading tons of material.

I act by logic, and not what I am dictated to do. Consider the UKs history of varroa and how the associations failed to act. This alone tells me there is no such thing as a perfect beekeeper.

 

[Swarm]

Well when I was on the committee albiet a short time I still felt I wasn't heard with my ideas one of the reasons I left.

That's what I meant about those who need to be in charge. I offered ideas and they were ignored, I wrote articles, gave demos and talks. Everything vetted by the inner sanctum. I had one of them in a bunch of beginners at the training apiary a year or so later he reckoned I was just a novice beekeeper the same as him. I gave up training at the apiary when I found colonies that belonged in nucs in a brood and a half plus super and some clown giving beginners stupid advice.

 

[Apple]

That's what I meant about those who need to be in charge. I offered ideas and they were ignored, I wrote articles, gave demos and talks. Everything vetted by the inner sanctum. I had one of them in a bunch of beginners at the training apiary a year or so later he reckoned I was just a novice beekeeper the same as him. I gave up training at the apiary when I found colonies that belonged in nucs in a brood and a half plus super and some clown giving beginners stupid advice.

I expect that rings some bells with quite a few of us..... but I promised E1/2B to be nice!

Chons da

 

[Parsonage Bees]

I considered not rejoining this year as my branch hasn't even attempted to run Zoom sessions. How difficult can it be?

 

[user 819]

One reason I no longer or haven't attended local apiary meeting or winter meetings pre -covid for many 5 or 6 years, views other then the BBKA mantra set out aren't really welcomed and I think once I'm out of the way they are just poo-pooed. OAV is a total no no and the apiary team are 100% fixated with Maq's as indoctrined by their leader along with top feed hole venting, though I think now that has been partly cured with some transition to Paynes poly hive monstrosities.

 

[user 819]

The assoc I'm a member of does have some zoom meetings but mostly all is lead by the pied piper, most of the new age clique there dote on their every word. Tbh I feel I'm wasting my time joining them for discussion and applying an open mind approach. To some association's the BBKA mantra is the be all and end all.

Top insulation is one I try to promote with little success, said pied piper has always used wooden hives with feed hole open and bees always come thru winter, subject is dead in the water after his say so.

I re-joined for this year GKW, was thinking of not bothering but as has been said one looses contact with local beeks via What's up, again if not a member can't join in.

 

[Hachi]

I have been a member of several clubs over the years and I'm starting to think this will be my last in a association. They have done nothing for me, they have certainly not taught me how to manage bees. By and large they are run as little thiefdoms by even littler people. The BBKA in my mind should be disbanded as they are completely ineffectual but hey ho. The real people are those on here who whilst all too often are faceless in so far we'll never probably meet, have been a great help and support and its all free. Hoo rah

 

[HughMann]

well they're unlikely to share personal data with any old Tom, Dick or Harry

Certainly not on purpose, unfortunately data protection doesn't work on hopeful intent

 

[HughMann]

Insurance? Comes with membership. ......

Good point.
Anyone got any good alternative insurance routes?

 

[Erichalfbee]

The way I look at it attendance at my BKA meetings and apiary is not obligatory. My membership costs £20 for Stan and me and that I consider a fair price for my Insurance which is all I get from it.

 

[polymath]

Few associations demand beekeepers do anything in a certain way unless you are on their apiaries. What we really need is the government to make it a legal requirement to register on BeeBase so the NBU has a complete picture of where everyone is. Often when their are EFB outbreaks it is the unregistered, un inspected apiaries that allow a disease to persist in areas.

 

[user 20297]

What we really need is the government to make it a legal requirement to register on BeeBase so the NBU has a complete picture of where everyone is.

Referring to that very recent amendment regarding the reporting of varroa in the Scottish legislation, I think it is likely that registration will soon become compulsory. It looks likely that a Beebase account would be the required method for keeping the database updated.

 

[BigAshW]

Referring to that very recent amendment regarding the reporting of varroa in the Scottish legislation, I think it is likely that registration will soon become compulsory. It looks likely that a Beebase account would be the required method for keeping the database updated.

Problem would be actually policing this. Would be very easy for people to ignore this and if they have hives tucked out of the way nobody would know. The finances required to recruit enough enforcing officers to scour the country looking for hives would be prohibitive.

 

[user 20297]

Would be very easy for people to ignore this and if they have hives tucked out of the way nobody would know.

True; but I suspect that won't stop it soon becoming compulsory to register. The funny thing for me is, I'm completely disinterested in joining any association as I am just not a "club" man. But I registered with Beebase as soon as I started beekeeping.

 

[BigAshW]

True; but I suspect that won't stop it soon becoming compulsory to register. The funny thing for me is, I'm completely disinterested in joining any association as I am just not a "club" man. But I registered with Beebase as soon as I started beekeeping.

I'm on beebase as well and I am in my local association, however I don't attend much. It's more useful for the insurance and the opportunity to bulk buy jars and foundation with them.

 

[Murox]

somebody remind me, what benefit do I get from Beebase??

 

[user 6127]

I considered not rejoining this year as my branch hasn't even attempted to run Zoom sessions. How difficult can it be?

I think alot of members are either to old, or not interested enough to try anything over zoom.

My BKA did send out some links for lectures and things. I don't think they organised them. I think there was an attempt for a zoom meeting, but if I recall, the timing of these was always at a time when I'm still working, sorting the kids, eating etc. We don't have a Whatsapp group, facebook group, and the website still advertises the 2018 Christmas dinner.

If it wasn't for the insurance, I wouldn't renew. They've just had their big push to get everyone to renew. Don't think I will next year.

But, I think someone from my local BKA must read this forum. A little while ago I pointed out that their monthly newsletter was in comic sans. Reading it was like reading an update from the youngest childs nursery. But they've now changed it!

 

[user 20297]

somebody remind me, what benefit do I get from Beebase??

"BeeBase is the Animal and Plant Health Agency's (APHA) National Bee Unit website. It is designed for beekeepers and supports Defra, Welsh Government and Scotland's Bee Health Programmes. BeeBase supports the aims of Healthy Bees Plan 2030, which focus on protecting and sustaining our valuable national bee stocks. "