Has the bubble burst?

[For want of a better word]

Had a conversation with a wealthy hobby beekeeper who lives in the Padstein area of Kernow who said she was spending over £700 on new frames & foundation and 3 nucs of bees... expected end of June!
All her 3 colonies ( purchased previous season) had died over winter.
Advice given was to burn all the frames and scorch out the hives to kill disease and start over with new bees!

How the other half live!

For some it must be said... that would keep their family in food for 3 months ( if they had a hive or 3 and an allotment!)

 

[alanf]

I think that is how most associations started. But then some bright spark had the idea of a committee.

Probably the case. Many suburban associations started early 20th century along with allotment, gardening and other local groups as the suburbs were populated. Most other groups don't actually look to any national organisation for co-ordination although they exist for allotments.

Not possible to ignore the local association for all activities everywhere though. One of the drives in modern life is for regularisation, and that can appear as the local council refusing to talk to individual beekeepers. They insist all bees on allotments for instance are held by members of the association, it's a convenient way to pass on calls about swarms and any other complaints.

 

[For want of a better word]

Probably the case. Many suburban associations started early 20th century along with allotment, gardening and other local groups as the suburbs were populated. Most other groups don't actually look to any national organisation for co-ordination although they exist for allotments.

Not possible to ignore the local association for all activities everywhere though. One of the drives in modern life is for regularisation, and that can appear as the local council refusing to talk to individual beekeepers. They insist all bees on allotments for instance are held by members of the association, it's a convenient way to pass on calls about swarms and any other complaints.

All very well until the lunatics take over running the asylum !

​

 

[user 6228]

All very well until the lunatics take over running the asylum !

​

Given that most beekeepers are either in, or about to enter, the "dementia zone"
that could be taken as either very funny or sick... I will take it as very funny

 

[itma]

Just been reading my local association newsletter and they say that 100 people have not renewed their membership. ...
S

A truly responsive and concerned organisation would be making serious enquiries to discover EXACTLY what was going on.

Internet speculation is all very well, but its not a substitute for a proper investigation.

However, perhaps the powers that be aren't too bothered because it wasn't their pals/votes that have left?

 

[Gilberdyke John]

All very well until the lunatics take over running the asylum !

​

The "wrong" lunatics are the ones doing the running more likely

 

[thorn]

Everyone can make there own kit if they put their mind and some dedication into it.

Nonsense.

 

[For want of a better word]

Everyone can make there own kit if they put their mind and some dedication into it.

Very William Morris !​

​

 

[Cazza]

Enrico

I think that is how most associations started. But then some bright spark had the idea of a committee.

We have a committee but we are fairly relaxed, just not affiliated to the BBKA.
Cazza

 

[Dadnlad]

We have a committee but we are fairly relaxed, just not affiliated to the BBKA.
Cazza

I could be remembering wrongly, but aren't there entire counties not affiliated with the BBKA ?

 

[pargyle]

Hmm ......accuracy and TBHs are not synonymous - as far as my building is concerned..

Yep ... my TBH's are very much 'one design' and the measurements tend to reflect the bits of timber I have lying around or have wombled ... but there are a lot of people on here who are 'frame' oriented and once you start with frames, unless the bee space is right at the sides, then there will be a right mess ensuing.

Personally, I prefer the randomness of TBH and the flexibility of construction that it allows but I know that an awful lot of new beeks are sent off down the 'standard hives' route and it is these people who then find it immensely expensive to get started.

 

[pargyle]

Nonsense.

No it's not ... people THINK they can't saw and screw a few bits of timber together but the reality is, that as long as you have the strength and mobility, someone to show you how to do it properly and sharp tools ANYONE can do it. It's a mindset.

Even if you don't like the idea of sawing by hand most timber suppliers will cut to size for a small fee and then the job becomes that much easier.

I, however, CANNOT wash up or make beds .... like I said - it's a mind set !

 

[Merlin]

Yes Leicestershire and Rutland not affiliated as I understand it. Certainly no access concessions to the Spring convention as a LRBKA member.

 

[Stiffy]

A truly responsive and concerned organisation would be making serious enquiries to discover EXACTLY what was going on.

Internet speculation is all very well, but its not a substitute for a proper investigation.

However, perhaps the powers that be aren't too bothered because it wasn't their pals/votes that have left?

As Chairman of another non beek wildlife group which takes a lot of my 'spare? ' time I have cannot attend my local association and class myself as a very poor member. I don't know what the response will be but agree that it should be looked into.
S

 

[beekim]

good luck with the new queen lets all hope for a better summer

 

[sipa]

Beekeepers in the UK are exploited by the equipment suppliers, it's a big profitable business.
In truth you don't have to spend very much at all, make your own kit, even if it doesn't look very pretty. Bees will live quite happily in almost any container.

And don't get caught up in the " I must have this piece of kit to achieve this outcome".

As an analogy, when I was a kid I went fishing with an old split cane rod and a crappy old reel, caught loads of fish !
You see fishermen today with barrow loads of kit and they catch bugger all !!

 

[alanf]

Yes Leicestershire and Rutland not affiliated as I understand it. Certainly no access concessions to the Spring convention as a LRBKA member.

The British Beekeeping Association long ago discovered that they were not doing things the way the Scottish, Welsh or Irish associations agreed with.

The Leicester and Rutland Association has a long standing separation from BBKA as I understand it. However I did notice that there is now a Rutland BKA affiliated to the BBKA. That does rather complicate things when there is overlap and opens all sorts of ethical problems if BBKA resources were seen to be encouraging a 'poaching' operation.

I suspect if many local associations offered BBKA affiliation as an optional extra, as some offer Beecraft subscriptions for instance, the BBKA could see those subs decline. In the past, when BBKA had no record of individuals it was a practical necessity to affiliate whole associations to the national umbrella organisation. Constitutionally, that could still be a requirement but with individual BBKA membership administration for websites and magazine posting it's no longer needed. The moves over the years to grow the centre may backfire. What I mean is that the BBKA seems intent on growing into something more like the RSPB or National Trust which always had national membership with local groups as informal supporters. They have reduced the local association autonomy and have tread on the toes of other long standing players such as Beecraft by making the BBKA newsletter an alternative. Not everything they do is calculated to win friends.

 

[goodbobby]

Bubble bursting?

I don't think the so called bubble has burst yet as recent publicity has given it a bit of a gee-up.However, I do believe the over-pricing of equipment and supplies for the hobby beekeeper will have a detrimental effect once the eco-effect has started to wane.

I personally would have given up ages ago had it not been for the fact that I make a lot of my own equipment, trade in surplus wax, seek out bargains when I can and have a loyal market for my honey production.Even so my beekeeping hobby only just "washes its face" BUT I enjoy it!

However, one only has to read through the big suppliers catalogues to see the level of greedy pricing and dodgy delivery charges evident because of the "near" monopoly of supply that persists! When you first start beekeeping the steep learning curve means that the ongoing costs and the required wide range of necessary longer term kit are not always immediately evident. It amazes me how some beeks who, for whatever reason, have to buy all their kit from such suppliers can justify to themselves paying such transparently inflated prices over the longer term. Perhaps this may well prove a factor in any future decline in beekeeper numbers?

I personally don't think a downturn in demand will do much to change the prices of equipment and consumables in the short term. My own experiences with the big companies has suggested a shortsighted level of complacency about their service levels and high prices. Also providing genuine value for money products has never been on the agenda while demand was rising!

And I didn't mention one BIG suppliers name!

 

[madasafish]

Frankly I am amazed that anyone takes up beekeeping at all given the costs of using wooden national hives. I would never contemplate the investments involved..

It costs enough as a hobby beekeeper making one's own hives, selling the odd nuc and having to feed in bad years. I use pallets for most hives but even so the cost - including fixings etc - is still around £25-£30 (I did a proper costing once) and I point blank refuse to invest money in woodworking equipment beyond a sub £20 jigsaw.

Despite such a parsimonious approach - I was brought up in Scotland - I still reckon it costs £200/year incl BBKA fees, travel, etc etc...

I suppose it's cheap compared to cycling but I also do yoga and £200 buys a lot of yoga classes... more than I attend.

The good thing is that smoker fuel is free and my bee jacket is longlasting... and there is a steady demand for TBH nucs. (and my supply of raw materials for varroa thymol treatments costing £15 will last for at least a decade.)

 

[thorn]

No it's not ... people THINK they can't saw and screw a few bits of timber together but the reality is, that as long as you have the strength and mobility, someone to show you how to do it properly and sharp tools ANYONE can do it. It's a mindset.

Even if you don't like the idea of sawing by hand most timber suppliers will cut to size for a small fee and then the job becomes that much easier.

I, however, CANNOT wash up or make beds .... like I said - it's a mind set !

At my secondary school we had three years of compulsory woodwork. In the first year we had to do four basic exercises to the satisfaction of the teacher. We could then undertake projects. By the end of the third year I had almost finished the third of the first year's projects. The teacher constantly showed me what to do,but when left to do it, I ended up with a result he had to reject.
If it requires accurate sawing, knocking nails in straight or likewise with screws then I mess it up. I can put IKEA furniture together, because everything is precut and pre drilled.
I have no manual dexterity, and I'm not alone in this. Those of you who find woodwork easy can't understand our problems. Believe me, they're very real, and cannot be overcome.
I suspect that in my case my clumsiness is because I'm mix handed, right handed in some things and left handed in others.