Harper Adams BBKA convention

[masterBK]

Going to BBKA convention this saturday and sunday. Which lectures do people recommend others to go to?

 

[Hivemaker.]

The BFA apprenticeship scheme.

 

[Mellifera397]

How bees learn

It looks superbly interesting.

M

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Lectures! lectures! I thought the whole point of the convention was to pre order loads of stuff at reduced ' convention only' prices and then whinge that you have to pay to get in Pity I'm stuck out here - could have bought a load of the cheap leather gloves and occasional bee smocks that big T's usually sell to send out to my Basoto beekeepers (heck of a job getting reasonably priced leather gloves out here.)

 

[Hivemaker.]

(heck of a job getting reasonably priced leather gloves out here.)

Are there no Crocodiles,Rhinos or Elephants etc, you could dispatch and use the skins to make leather bee gloves.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

After seeing the pair of chemical handling gloves that people were expected to use in hives out here even rhino skin would feel like the best kid leather in comparison!
Nothing in Lesotho left worth hunting - well, maybe I could found the first lesotho pack of Jackal hunting hounds! I'm sure my hunt could donate a few couple of hounds to start them, seeing there's a rumour being spread we may not be allowed to hunt foxes before long

 

[victor meldrew]

Saturday only for me no lectures, I must have heard them all in triplicate
Vm


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[Dusty Rhodes]

Went today - only my second year, and the first time I've been on a Friday.
Also, I think, the first Friday that has held a trade day.

It was underwhelming, I'm afraid.
There were far fewer stalls - though to be fair, some were setting up later, for tomorrow.
The queue at the 13:00 start was also very small - but maybe that's to be expected.

But the mutterings were that a lot of interest had been drawn away by the Stoneleigh (forgive the spelling) event.
Certainly, I'd made a beeline(!) to one supplier, hoping to get some cheap, seconds gear - only to be told that most of it had gone to the earlier event.

So, is this another blow to any attempt to challenge the north-south divide?



Dusty

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

[QUOTE=victor meldrew;403212]

Saturday only for me no lectures, I must have heard them all in triplicate
Vm
[/QUOTE]

And while we're at it, why not offer one yourself, VM?

I'd love to hear your wisdom!

Dusty

 

[BeeJayBee]

I'd made a beeline(!) to one supplier, hoping to get some cheap, seconds gear - only to be told that most of it had gone to the earlier event.

So, is this another blow to any attempt to challenge the north-south divide?

In fairness, the distance between the two events isn't significant from 'the south' of the country, probably not from 'the north' either, as they're both in the Midlands area. Both are, for some people, too far to go for a full day and drive home again afterwards.

If traders can't make sure they have enough goods to sell (satisfy potential customers) at the trade fairs they attend, then it's poor stock management. Isn't it?

 

[susbees]

Went today - only my second year, and the first time I've been on a Friday.
Also, I think, the first Friday that has held a trade day.

It was underwhelming, I'm afraid.
There were far fewer stalls - though to be fair, some were setting up later, for tomorrow.
The queue at the 13:00 start was also very small - but maybe that's to be expected.

The trade show today was to allow BBKA members to collect goods, browse and converse when not attending the excellent and highly professional Insect Pollinators Initiative sessions. Alongside there were workshops and a couple of lecture streams. This is why most people go: to learn. True some traders will only be there tomorrow, providing them with the flexibility they asked for.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Fair enough, Susbees.


I probably posted too swiftly and so didn't explain myself fully.

I did attend a couple of really good lectures. And I'm pleased to acknowledge that. The education programme for the weekend as a whole looks excellent. I had hoped to stay overnight and attend the dinner - but it's not been possible. The BBKA does seem to have put together a good package. That was not my point.

As I said, it was my first Friday - but I was surprised how few people were there. And in nattering to other punters, there was a conversational thread which repeated itself, about how the Convention seemed to have been upstaged by the earlier event. Some who had been, commented favourably on the non-trade aspect of it. And how paying a fiver for that, compared badly with the - was it £18 or £16? - we paid for this one.

As for the Trade element, it did seem to me that there were fewer stalls arranged this year than last. The far end of B hall was virtually empty (even acknowledging that at least one exhibitor was only setting up stall there at 3:30 pm.). It felt weary and unfocused. One major exhibitor's stall, from whom I wanted to purchase something, was unpersoned for over half an hour, as they'd all wandered off for lunch.

And I'm not sure it's quite as simple as you say - that most people go to learn.
It's a whole mishmash of things, I think: to learn, yes - but also to socialise with others, the craic - and seeing what's happening in the beekeeping world, developments in gear, getting bargains, getting away from the Other Half................

I look forward to hearing others' experiences from Saturday and Sunday.
And I hope my fears that two 'conventions' are one too many, will be proved wrong. It's great to have a national event, which is not in the south east.

Dusty

 

[Walrus]

I went today for a 1pm & 3pm lecture then scurried back home in lovely Friday traffic. The lectures were good. Pity I couldn't do more but glad I went.


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[dancingbee]

Re: Spring Convention

I was there all day Friday and I enjoyed 2 excellent lectures and a great workshop on mounting anatomy slides. There seem to be lots of people here with some lectures needing to use overflow rooms with video links to get everyone in. It's true the trade area was quiet - i think there will be 3 or 4 extra stalls tomorrow, and Saturday has always been the main shopping day. I enjoyed it being quieter - allowed me time to browse and really look rather than fight through a scrum - and I can go back tomorrow. It is also quieter because many people now pre-order and collect from the van. The organisers seem to have spaced lectures and workshops out with more time in between, so again a more relaxed feel. I am looking forward to the rest of the weekend.

 

[victor meldrew]

Today , I found the trades hall sparsely peopled by both punters and traders .
Really disappointed. I overheard dozens of peeps complaining that they didn't manage to get a fraction of what they intended . I can echo those complaints .
£20 to shop in an empty mall!
VM


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[Chris B]

The Spring Convention has always been an excellent lecture and workshop event and seems to me to have improved year on year. If you go to all 3 days then it is by far and away the best value event around. Even if you just go for 1 day's lectures it's not bad. Unfortunately it's only good value because it's been subsidised by the trade event, with traders paying a hefty sum and also (in the past at least) many many beekeepers going just for the trade halls, or just going to the odd lecture. If the trade show dies the convention will either die or increase dramatically in price.

 

[victor meldrew]

Year on year since when?
Harper Adams can't hold a candle to the old days at Stone
Leigh .
I'm sure I caught a glimpse of Heidi of the Sun hive?
VM


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[Chris B]

I'm not talking about the venue Victor, only the quality, variety and quantity of lectures and workshops. I've been almost every year since 1999. It was only a single day effort back then with at most two talks that appealed to me.

 

[susbees]

Year on year since when?
Harper Adams can't hold a candle to the old days at Stone
Leigh .
I'm sure I caught a glimpse of Heidi of the Sun hive?
VM


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Indeed. Sharing the same space as the BBKA and offering a lecture about bees preferring roundness. I expect that's about as anthropomorphic as it gets. Cough...

 

[fatshark]

The trade event was open on the Friday evening (which was a very welcome development) but in chatting to several of the people running stands it was clear there was some concern about the impact BeeTradEx was having. I was also told that some stallholders were offered additional space for no increase in the fee.

It's not clear why punters didn't manage to get what they were after (unless the vendors simply weren't there) … stocks looked good late on Friday. The guys on the Mann Lake stand were saying that Friday had been excellent and they might be running short, but were also considering doing an overnight run back to the warehouse (Canterbury?). They were friendly and enthusiastic and it was good to see them at the event. On Friday they were dispensing hive tools for email addresses …