Future bee keeper

[Millet]

A combination of HSE and snowdrops -sorry snowflakes - are likely to make your comments impractical...

I don't care what anyone thinks or says..but what i do know is i have two Apiaries both in a stone throw from neighbors and foot paths with no problems at all..i also know of several other beekeepers in the same situation and also beekeepers who keep bees on allotments..but then again i is no snowflake..

 

[Erichalfbee]

The OP had said that there has been a three year fight to get the allotment committee overruled.
Does he really want to work on this allotment in the face of what appears to be some degree of antagonism?
It’s ok saying, prove it’s my bees that stung your child!” But is it a sensible way to enjoy your hobby?

 

[pargyle]

The OP had said that there has been a three year fight to get the allotment committee overruled.
Does he really want to work on this allotment in the face of what appears to be some degree of antagonism?
It’s ok saying, prove it’s my bees that stung your child!” But is it a sensible way to enjoy your hobby?

I had an empty hive on a allotment last year (bees were asked for by the committee). Three people were stung by my bees in the first week - and the committee had to ask me why I'd put bees on site before they had balloted members... they laughed when I took the lid off and showed them an empty box ... I removed the hive as suspected it was going to be more trouble than it was worth. If the OP goes down the allotment route I would suggest an empty hive first !

 

[Ian123]

I do not see all the mad panic about keeping bees on an allotment apart from theft and vandalism..also i see we have a fellow beek who has had bees for 40yrs and he keeps bees on the same plots and then we have the scenario that someone might be unlucky enough to get stung..how on gods Earth do we know who's bees stung who..my little niece was stung last year playing outside on the clover grass field..should i have went knocking on doors till i found someone with a beehive and then reported them to whoever..come on get real people..
Regarding the OP..go for it Axeman and ignore the negatives..while you are enjoying your allotment hives you can always go door knocking for spots if you decide to expand.

First off there is no panicking it’s just issues that arise when you come into contact with joe public and as I said in my previous post it’s often issues that as an experienced beek you can deal with. But how many times do you see on this forum a beginner with a stroppy hive they can’t deal with and not even another site to get them out the way ASAP. In just a situation that’s easily avoided with a tiny amount of thought.

 

[Axeman002]

I have managed to secure a site on the farm i went to all those years ago as a kid! It's a good 90 minute round drive which is a negative, but it's right on the edge of a heather moor, I think as suggested it might be best to start away from Joe public until I can handle a situation where it may upset the allotment folk or put folk at risk due to my inexperience, but I will add an empty hive eventually and as the reply suggests if someone complains I'll show an empty sealed hive lol

All replies are appreciated as its things I may not have thought about, I will eventually have them on my plot! Lol

Gary

 

[drex]

Good on you Axeman, apart from the distance you have to travel. I have kept bees on ( I thought) my allotment for over ten years. I did canvas the plot holders first and got them on board, before going to the council. I told council I had BBKA insurance and had been on local association course and was soon to sit the BBKA basic exam. They were all for it. Never had any complaints from fellow plot holders, only praise. However then the council decided to ban all livestock ( including bees) from the site. I appealed and got nowhere.
I had always thought my plot was an odd shape and after looking at the council's own site map it was obvious that the bees were outside the council's boundary, on farm land. The farmer is more than happy and says I can do what I like with this small bit of land as it is of no use to him.
My message is to get folks on board, not depend on the council and most importantly get some training and handling of bees before you get your own.
Enjoy your new hobby. Hope you have plenty of time and deep pockets.

 

[Beefriendly]

Not sure what beekeeping certificates they want, but the usual is the BBKA basic examination (it's quite basic but detailed). The catch 22 is (or was.... unless it's changed) you need to be keeping (or have kept) bees for a 12 months before you can take it...

 

[Beefriendly]

Just to let anyone who was planning to visit Wynyard Fartmers Market on Sunday it has been called off due to Storm Dennis's predicted high winds....so save your cash for next month.
Cheers
BF

 

[Millet]

Just to let anyone who was planning to visit Wynyard Fartmers Market on Sunday it has been called off due to Storm Dennis's predicted high winds....so save your cash for next month.
Cheers
BF

Cheers for the heads up..

 

[pargyle]

A combination of HSE and snowdrops -sorry snowflakes - are likely to make your comments impractical...

Yes .. totally agree. It's not just the other plot holders and their friends and families you have to contend with.. any houses in the vicinity who can see your hives will join in.

I know people generally love saying that they are keen on helping the bees ... it lasts, sometimes, as long as the first sting. Whilst they may not be able to prove it you can be sure that it is your bees that will get the blame.

Millets advice at Post #19 and #21 is flying in the face of general opinion on here and good common sense, best ignored.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes .. totally agree. It's not just the other plot holders and their friends and families you have to contend with.. any houses in the vicinity who can see your hives will join in.

I know people generally love saying that they are keen on helping the bees ... it lasts, sometimes, as long as the first sting. Whilst they may not be able to prove it you can be sure that it is your bees that will get the blame.

Millets advice at Post #19 and #21 is flying in the face of general opinion on here and good common sense, best ignored.

You see it all the time on FB. Neighbours get stung by bees kept in urban gardens , the beekeeper posts about it and the whole thread ends up describing ways to get back at your neighbours. Unbelievable! Have any of these twits ever been involved in a real neighbour dispute?

 

[pargyle]

You see it all the time on FB. Neighbours get stung by bees kept in urban gardens , the beekeeper posts about it and the whole thread ends up describing ways to get back at your neighbours. Unbelievable! Have any of these twits ever been involved in a real neighbour dispute?

My bees are in an urban garden BUT and it's a very BIG BUT .. my apiary is in an area that does not have immediate neighbours, we have trees on two sides, a 6 foot fence on one side, my workshop on another, a greenhouse on another and a 6 foot wall on the other. The bees inevitably fly in one direction and that is North, straight up the centre of our close and the only thing that they take any interest in is my wife's car ! She thinks the brown spots are caused by aphids in the trees .... long may that continue ... I'm lucky, the neighbours know they are there and I've never had a complaint of any sort. However, I have an alternative site ... you just never know !

 

[Erichalfbee]

My bees are in an urban garden BUT and it's a very BIG BUT .. my apiary is in an area that does not have immediate neighbours, we have trees on two sides, a 6 foot fence on one side, my workshop on another, a greenhouse on another and a 6 foot wall on the other. The bees inevitably fly in one direction and that is North, straight up the centre of our close and the only thing that they take any interest in is my wife's car ! She thinks the brown spots are caused by aphids in the trees .... long may that continue ... I'm lucky, the neighbours know they are there and I've never had a complaint of any sort. However, I have an alternative site ... you just never know !

Hi Philip
No I meant the reaction of some folk and their advice on what to do with complaining neighbours .... not the actual keeping if bees in your garden.
I agree it’s perfectly possible as long as you are sensible and do have a back up plan.

 

[pargyle]

Hi Philip
No I meant the reaction of some folk and their advice on what to do with complaining neighbours .... not the actual keeping if bees in your garden.
I agree it’s perfectly possible as long as you are sensible and do have a back up plan.

I know .. I'm really lucky .. I've seen people freak out about bee hives that have been sited in a very sensible location (on the edge of a graveyard and 50 yards from the nearest house) and the ensuing arguments, threats and unpleasantness - from both the people complaining about the possibility of getting stung and from the beekeeper who, frankly, didn't help the situation with his antipathy towards the 'neighbours'.

The worst was when one of the complainers had a swarm settle in their garden .. not, I would add, from the beekeepers bees - but... with council, police, a pest contrller, four other neighbours in attendance howling about the 'dangerous bees' and 'irresponsible beekeepers' it was not an experience that I would want to repeat. I collected the swarm and avoided involvement but everyone else lost the plot .. it was only the presence of the police that kept things under control.

 

[Swarm]

I think the advice of finding a quiet out apiary until the invariably new beekeeper gains experience is the most sensible. After a season or two in a tranquil location, free from disturbance and interruption, the allotment plot seems like a distant, faded memory. Just you and the bees .... lovely.

 

[Millet]

Hi Philip
No I meant the reaction of some folk and their advice on what to do with complaining neighbours .... not the actual keeping if bees in your garden.
I agree it’s perfectly possible as long as you are sensible and do have a back up plan.

Dani.. the crank is trying to bate me..he is on my ignore list for THAT reason..the quotes from pointless threads from the crank do my blood pressure little higher ..







..

 

[Erichalfbee]

Dani.. the crank is trying to bate me..he is on my ignore list for THAT reason..the quotes from pointless threads from the crank do my blood pressure little higher ..
..

I'm sure Philip means these from this thread

Regarding the OP..go for it Axeman and ignore the negatives..while you are enjoying your allotment hives you can always go door knocking for spots if you decide to expand.

I don't care what anyone thinks or says..but what i do know is i have two Apiaries both in a stone throw from neighbors and foot paths with no problems at all..i also know of several other beekeepers in the same situation and also beekeepers who keep bees on allotments..but then again i is no snowflake..

He happens to disagree with you as do a couple of others
I too think keeping bees on an allotment if you are a beginner is not the wisest course of action.

 

[Millet]

I'm sure Philip means these from this thread







He happens to disagree with you as do a couple of others
I too think keeping bees on an allotment if you are a beginner is not the wisest course of action.

For Gods sake Dani what are people turning into..

 

[pargyle]

Dani.. the crank is trying to bate me..he is on my ignore list for THAT reason..the quotes from pointless threads from the crank do my blood pressure little higher ..

.

If you read my post properly you would see that I actually pointed out the posts I was referring to: "Millets advice at Post #19 and #21 is flying in the face of general opinion on here and good common sense, best ignored."

If you can't take people not agreeing with you stop posting ... and please .. watch your mouth ... I don't appreciate being called a crank and I'm certainly not going to rise or stoop to retaliate.

 

[Beefriendly]

Philip, you are constantly and consistently trying to discrediting anything Millet posts.
Any hidden agendas we should be aware of???