Dave Cushman's Site

[itma]

Most things change under new management/ownership, i see no problem with it, i have become used to things changing over the years, some people obviously cannot stick change.

My difference is with those who think that ALL change MUST be a "change for the better".
It isn't.

 

[beeno]

The point being that THIS site is SUPPOSED to be a forum for exchanging opinions - whereas the value of the Cushman site has been about it being a repository of reliable factual INFORMATION, with personal opinion and preference taking a back seat.
As such, it had a different character and a special value.

That has, under the new management, changed.

Whether one agrees or disagrees with the opinions expressed, it is plain that the site is becoming another platform for Mr Patterson's personal opinions.

And IMHO, that is making it "just another beekeeper's hobbyhorse" rather than the authoritative source of factual information that Cushman worked so hard to create.

What was good about it was that it could be relied on (at least more so than any other beekeeping site that I know of) to be free of contentious opinions.

By failing to recognise the site's true asset, it is being devalued.


If Mr Patterson wanted to promote his own opinions, he could easily put them on his own website. Under his own 'brand name'.
As it is, he is simply promoting his own opinions, using the Cushman name (and IMHO thereby devaluing it).
This seems to be acting more like a Beneficiary of the estate than like a Trustee of the assets.
He may be perfectly entitled to do so, but it is nevertheless sad to see the site's value to the beekeeping community being diluted in this way.

Very well stated itma as always.

 

[Erichalfbee]

The point being that THIS site is SUPPOSED to be a forum for exchanging opinions - whereas the value of the Cushman site has been about it being a repository of reliable factual INFORMATION,

By failing to recognise the site's true asset, it is being devalued.

I agree....well put.

Here's a good example of the confusion which now exists :
http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/swarmconnuc.html

Is this a 'Dave Cushman' page - containing unbiased information which that guy collated during his lifetime, or is it a Roger Patterson page ? RP has his signature at the bottom of the page, therefore I assume it's the latter - but the banner at the page header says 'Dave Cushman'.

Slightly off topic......sorry.......I was going to try this (link in bold) instead of AS this year. Is there anything wrong with it, then?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Slightly off topic......sorry.......I was going to try this (link in bold) instead of AS this year. Is there anything wrong with it, then?

Used extensively in our neck of the woods, being discussed in the nursery at the moment

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=32355

The most important thing is to ensure the flying bees go back to the mother hive (the Q- bit) not stay with the nuc

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thanks JBM, I'll go have a look.

 

[farbee]

Roger P appears to me to be a very experienced beekeeper so I personally value his contribution & opinion.

 

[Pete D]

If it aint broke don't fix it

Change is good if its part of continuous improvement / evolvement

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I see he's changed the drawings for the national brood boxes as well - there's now little grooves to ensure your matsticks don't fall out onto the floor during inspections.

 

[masterBK]

JBM: what is this obsession you have that BBKA "push" the use of matchsticks? I have kept bees longer than many on this forum and have met and discussed beekeeping with most of the well known "names" in the BBKA over the last 40+ years yet have only come across a handfull of matchstick users (all small scale beekeeper ie one or two hives). I have served on the exams board for many years and have never seen matchsticks even mentioned in a marking scheme of a module 1 paper.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

JBM: what is this obsession you have that BBKA "push" the use of matchsticks?

Did I mention the BBKA?
do a google search and see the frequent of matchsticks in the BBKA news. If they're not sopportive of it, the have sh!te editorial control.

 

[Apple]

JBM: what is this obsession you have that BBKA "push" the use of matchsticks? I have kept bees longer than many on this forum and have met and discussed beekeeping with most of the well known "names" in the BBKA over the last 40+ years yet have only come across a handfull of matchstick users (all small scale beekeeper ie one or two hives). I have served on the exams board for many years and have never seen matchsticks even mentioned in a marking scheme of a module 1 paper.

Beekeeping Study Notes
for : BBKA Basic Certificate
SBKA Basic Beemaster Certificate
FIBKA Preliminary Certificate
J,D. & B.D. Yates 1999 Reprinted 2012
page 62 4.4 1.7 (c)
the crown board is raised about 1/8 inch (3mm) with matchsticks at each corner.

One has to achieve this level of BBKA beekeeping before one can attempt the "Modules"
Possibly this is the source of the BBKA's apparent obsession with matchsticks?



James




James

 

[richardbees]

I have served on the exams board for many years and have never seen matchsticks even mentioned in a marking scheme of a module 1 paper.

even so, I still use matchsticks under my glass crown board to prevent condensation drips.

 

[masterBK]

Beekeeping study notes were not produced by or for the BBKA. There are other more enlightened texts available not specifically written as crammers for the exams. I include JY in my short list of small scale beekeeping matchstick enthusiasts. His views (typical of the 1950's?) on many aspects of beekeeping are very dogmatic and inflexible in my opinion. Unfortunately many module candidates quote verbatim from his books.

 

[Apple]

Beekeeping study notes were not produced by or for the BBKA. There are other more enlightened texts available not specifically written as crammers for the exams. I include JY in my short list of small scale beekeeping matchstick enthusiasts. His views (typical of the 1950's?) on many aspects of beekeeping are very dogmatic and inflexible in my opinion. Unfortunately many module candidates quote verbatim from his books.

Thank you master BK!

I totally concur with you thoughts, I have seem this little book regularly recommended to beekeepers as the book to get going with keeping bees the BBKA way!

I thought it was worth mentioning as this is where may new beekeepers are getting the "facts", match sticks and all.

Bedtime, I have 25 little "Romans" in class tomorrow.

Toga anyone?


James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

, I have 25 little "Romans" in class tomorrow.

Toga anyone?


James

Surely the pupils should all wear Tunicae and bullae, unless some of your male pupils' parents are councillors then they could wear the toga praetexta.
and you as a pedagogue should sport a Pallium?

 

[MuswellMetro]

JBM: what is this obsession you have that BBKA "push" the use of matchsticks? I have kept bees longer than many on this forum and have met and discussed beekeeping with most of the well known "names" in the BBKA over the last 40+ years yet have only come across a handfull of matchstick users (all small scale beekeeper ie one or two hives). I have served on the exams board for many years and have never seen matchsticks even mentioned in a marking scheme of a module 1 paper.

go to BBKA news archives and check these sprt 2013 to nov 2014

page 376 http://www.-------------/files/library/bbka_news_221_nov_2014_1414754497.pdf

page 326 & Page 344

http://www.-------------/files/library/bbka_news_221_oct_2014_1414754503.pdf

page 44

http://www.-------------/files/library/bbka_news_220_dec_2013_1385401878.pdf

page 9

http://www.-------------/files/library/bbka_news_217_sept_2013_1380795710.pdf

just a quick sample of matchsticks in BBKA news over the last year, is there any counter approach discussed, hardly ever, perhpas once this last year but nowt in the years before that

i have no disagreement with an alternative approach to mine which is insulation on roof and open mesh floors with boards out above an empty super to prevent draughts but the BBKA news that my beginners read as their bible pushes matchstick without giving alternative approaches, things have changed since 1947 as hive now have a 40cm sq hole in the floor v

 

[Thymallus]

Beekeeping study notes were not produced by or for the BBKA.

Personally I find the books invaluable although exceedingly annoying with their constant pops at the BBKA. They do however, provide a valuable frame work to allow you to direct your further readings. As you say a crammer.

One criticism of the exams I have (apart from the occasional ambiguous question) is the timing of 90 minutes for a potential 100 marks. This is testing exam technique as much as a candidates knowledge.
Do the exam board want to test exam technique? If so why? Or do they want to give people a chance to show their knowledge? I know of many who have simply given up taking them because they were slow writers.
Last one I took we were given an additional 5 minutes to read paper before start. I still struggled to get the information down in the time allowed....
An extra thirty minutes would give all candidates a chance to shown what they have learnt, rather then the fortunate few who can combine exam technique and knowledge.
P.S I probably am one of the fortunate few with, credits in every exam to date, so queries are based on a quest to understand why the BBKA appears to want to test exam technique and what purpose it serves.

 

[roche]

Back to the original topic - I think, possibly due to the internet, people seem to be becoming much more prone to confusing opinion with fact. Dave Cushmans site was unreservedly fact based. To introduce opinion devalues it a lot and redirects it from its original intent. Even if the opinion pieces are identified, they can get an unjustified amount of gravitas from their location...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Back to the original topic - I think, possibly due to the internet, people seem to be becoming much more prone to confusing opinion with fact. Dave Cushmans site was unreservedly fact based. To introduce opinion devalues it a lot and redirects it from its original intent. Even if the opinion pieces are identified, they can get an unjustified amount of gravitas from their location...

 

[wessexmario]

I have served on the exams board for many years and have never seen matchsticks even mentioned in a marking scheme of a module 1 paper.

even so, I still use matchsticks under my glass crown board to prevent condensation drips.

that may work, but it's solving the symptoms rather than the cause.

Condensation is caused by the surface temperature of the glass being much lower than the air temperature inside the hive, and cooler air having a lower relative humidity than warmer air.
When the humid saturated air touches the glass, the air is cooled, the relative humidity falls, and the water vapour condenses out.

Introducing top ventilation then allows convection currents to flow, removing warm air from the hive, this has a number of effects:
- it reduces the temperature of the air inside the hive, this reduces both the water carrying capacity of the air and the temperature difference between the air and the glass, so reducing the condensation.
- the increased air flow also encourages evaporation, the rehumidified air escaping through convection/ventilation.

If the glass temperature was the same as the air temperature then there would be no condensation to begin with.
Q. How would we do that?
A. Lay a sheet of insulation on top of the glass.

With reduced conduction through the glass, the surface of the glass will warm and stabilise at a temperature much closer to that of the air inside the hive, rather than the outside temperature.
Result:
- little or no condensation on the glass
- no top ventilation needed
- more warmth available to keep the glass warm
- hive air temperature is not lost through ventilation

The two methods both work by reducing the temperature difference between the air inside the hive and the glass, which results in less condensation.
The matchstick method equalises the temperatures of the hive air and the glass by lowering the air temperature inside the hive to that of the glass.
The top insulation method equalises the temperatures of the hive air and the glass by raising the glass temperature to that of the hive air.


The mathematically challenged should look away now...

A matchstick is approximately 2mm in diameter, a national crownboard is 460mm square.
The ventilation area around the edges of a coverboard provided by a matchstick at each corner would be:
((460 - 2) x 4 x 2) = 3664 sq mm

That number probably doesn't mean much so if we provided the same ventilation using a mesh covered round hole in the centre of a coverboard, how big would it be?
The typical wire mesh used for hives has a open free area of approximately 80%, so the matchstick ventilation would be equivalent to a mesh covered circular hole of:
(((( 3664 x 100 / 80 ) / pi )**0.5 )* 2) = 76mm diameter
or in old money, a round hole of 3" diameter.