BFA membership

[jenkinsbrynmair]

not so sure - many moons ago SWMBO decided to accompany me on an inspection to take some 'action' photographs, she got suited up and joined me at the hive, it's only when I closed up and looked down I noticed her stylish high heeled slingback sandals!!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Maybe I might want to join one day. Do you think red stilettos might help?
Lordy. There was a time I could run for a bus in those without faltering.
I couldn’t balance in them nowadays !

 

[pargyle]

Maybe I might want to join one day. Do you think red stilettos might help?
Lordy. There was a time I could run for a bus in those without faltering.
I couldn’t balance in them nowadays !

Yes ... 'er indoors seems to spend more time in her wellies and flip flops than any stylish footwear these days ! Although she'd never make a beefarmer ... the nearest she gets to my bees is the honey in the jar !

 

[Murox]

Yes ... 'er indoors seems to spend more time in her wellies and flip flops than any stylish footwear these days ! Although she'd never make a beefarmer ... the nearest she gets to my bees is the honey in the jar !

Thats because she is THE FARM MANAGER !

 

[pargyle]

Thats because she is THE FARM MANAGER !

No it's because she has an intense dislike of flying insects and ones that sting are right at the top of her hate list ... she basks in the glory when she gives the hairdresser a jar and that's the nearest they get to being tolerated .... Not that mine have EVER stung her !!

 

[Wilco]

No it's because she has an intense dislike of flying insects and ones that sting are right at the top of her hate list ... she basks in the glory when she gives the hairdresser a jar and that's the nearest they get to being tolerated .... Not that mine have EVER stung her !!

Yes ... 'er indoors seems to spend more time in her wellies and flip flops than any stylish footwear these days ! Although she'd never make a beefarmer ... the nearest she gets to my bees is the honey in the jar !

So basically what I've learnt today is that my wife is mostly pretty awesome.

 

[pargyle]

So basically what I've learnt today is that my wife is mostly pretty awesome.

Yes ... so is mine ... but not with the bees !!!

 

[user 819]

Yes ... so is mine ... but not with the bees !!!

Or your wood turning muses !!!

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

Only on here could we go from discussing BFA membership to Red stilettos in six posts

Anyway, I was accepted at around the fifty colonies, but that was at associate level, which I think personally was a mistake to remove as it gives access to a wealth of knowledge to enable faster growth.
Only my opinion though.

 

[maddydog]

Only on here could we go from discussing BFA membership to Red stilettos in six posts

Anyway, I was accepted at around the fifty colonies, but that was at associate level, which I think personally was a mistake to remove as it gives access to a wealth of knowledge to enable faster growth.
Only my opinion though.

I was thinking just the same. Rapidly went downhill past Murray's contribution.
Must admit I don't use membership anywhere near as much as I should but there's been a lot going on.
The jump from 20 to 100+ cannot be underestimated and mistakes have very much been made There must be quite a few Beefarmers who fail at the transition stage.
I've reinvested every penny I've made plus a healthy chunk of savings whilst keeping a very close eye on overheads and yet it's still marginal.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Anyway, I was accepted at around the fifty colonies, but that was at associate level, which I think personally was a mistake to remove

Why? there is no lower limit of hives now - it all depends on your business case and all round credibility.

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

My own view only.

To work fifty colonies effectively takes a fair bit of work and a lot of commitment, and all the bigger mistakes should be made. Being an associate at this level should then make the jump to a hundred easier, especially having the BFA year book to fall back on, which is what I found.
The jump to two or three hundred is the difficult leap, bigger requirement for space, renting buildings etc, vehicles, then there is staff to consider.
For myself this is where the BFA and it's network has helped.

 

[Helen222]

Sounds a bit like the Institute of Civil Engineers, all I had to do was pay an annual subscription fee to receive a quarterly magazine and I could append MICE to my name, and I had barely done two terms at technical college at that time!
[/Q

Sounds a bit like the Institute of Civil Engineers, all I had to do was pay an annual subscription fee to receive a quarterly magazine and I could append MICE to my name, and I had barely done two terms at technical college at that time!

You did NOT obtain full membership of the INSTITUTION (M.I.C.E.) by the route you describe. The full entry requirements which I was required to meet and remain substantially unchanged are : A degree equivalent, two years site experience, one year design office experience, a completed design project, relevant qualified referees, a written examination and an interview by a board of senior Fellows of the INSITUTION

 

[Into the lions den]

Not in those shoes darling !

To quote the late great Kirsty McColl

'I doubt you'd survive!'

 

[Into the lions den]

Some discussion of associate membership of BFA here.

At the time we made the transition (stop laughing after the shoes thread!") from the old model to the modern version of the BFA the associate membership was introduced. Its intention was to provide an entry route for those who did not meet the criteria but were working towards it. There was a consensus (not set in stone) was that two years as an associate would be the time allowed to move forward...or not....so it was time limited.

However a few joined as associates and just wanted to sit there without progressing and the actual take up by potential bee farmers was actually pretty low. During a period while I was not on the board a collective decision was arrived at to abolish the status. Caused a lot of admin, not a lot of new full members generated, and was resented by some of our grouchier members.

As always there are a broad range of opinions about this in the BFA and it was a decision arrived at by a democratic process...of which I was not part at the time. I was off the board for a few years after my chairmanship (normal process for the past chairman to go so they are not even percieied to be hampering the judgement of the next chair).

There is still a significant minority in favour of having the associate route open, but the majority, and the cost of administering it, dictated otherwise.

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

Some discussion of associate membership of BFA here.

At the time we made the transition (stop laughing after the shoes thread!") from the old model to the modern version of the BFA the associate membership was introduced. Its intention was to provide an entry route for those who did not meet the criteria but were working towards it. There was a consensus (not set in stone) was that two years as an associate would be the time allowed to move forward...or not....so it was time limited.

However a few joined as associates and just wanted to sit there without progressing and the actual take up by potential bee farmers was actually pretty low. During a period while I was not on the board a collective decision was arrived at to abolish the status. Caused a lot of admin, not a lot of new full members generated, and was resented by some of our grouchier members.

As always there are a broad range of opinions about this in the BFA and it was a decision arrived at by a democratic process...of which I was not part at the time. I was off the board for a few years after my chairmanship (normal process for the past chairman to go so they are not even percieied to be hampering the judgement of the next chair).

There is still a significant minority in favour of having the associate route open, but the majority, and the cost of administering it, dictated otherwise.

Thanks for clearing the reasoning for the demise, it does make sense, especially streamlining Admin costs.

 

[Pembroke]

Just out of interest does membership of the bee farmers include those that produce large quantities of other things like Nucs, or hive products such as wax or pollen?

I guess the majority are honey farmers though.

 

[mbc]

Just out of interest does membership of the bee farmers include those that produce large quantities of other things like Nucs, or hive products such as wax or pollen?

I guess the majority are honey farmers though.

Yes to the nucs, I don't see how you'd produce wax and pollen without also producing honey.

 

[hallshoney]

My own view only.

To work fifty colonies effectively takes a fair bit of work and a lot of commitment, and all the bigger mistakes should be made. Being an associate at this level should then make the jump to a hundred easier, especially having the BFA year book to fall back on, which is what I found.
The jump to two or three hundred is the difficult leap, bigger requirement for space, renting buildings etc, vehicles, then there is staff to consider.
For myself this is where the BFA and it's network has helped.

My experience
I enquired at 40 hives but was encouraged to wait. so I reappliedthe following season at 70+ still had to get a reference, evidence to support numbers ect

 

[ericbeaumont]

evidence to support numbers

No need for alarm, Mark: a screenshot of your BeeBase apiary records will do.