Is it normal practise

[For want of a better word]

I would not buy a swarm of bees... or give it away.
Swarms that I have collected are hived in an out quarantine apiary, checked for health and only if then the colony is OK is requeened with one reared from our own non swarmy colonies before ( and after any old drones have gone) being brought into the queen rearing facility.

Part of bee improvement.
Swarms are a good way to increase... but a bane to the new beekeeper !

 

[REDWOOD]

It seems to me that a lot of business type people are slowly getting their claws into beekeeping and trying to make a few bucks, my beekeeping course cost me £10 and if I get a swarm call my association gets the bees for new members in return, I hear of some associations charging a lot more for these courses and £150 for a swarm that could swarm again is unacceptable. If it is your business fair enough but keep it away from beekeepers associations

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Too many merchant bankers getting involved

 

[Beanwood]

My local association'n not too bad...

My association do a 'Free Bees' scheme. Basically you can get a National hive with supers, frames and a Nuc of bees, and a mentor for 12 months - and pay nothing for a year! (Do I sound like I'm selling sofas) If you then decide beekeeping is for you, pay up (£150 IIRC) If it's not for you - hand it all back.

These aren't swarms either BTW, but Nucs from members own colonies. Nuc's on their own are about £50.

The 10 week course in a case from BBKA costs £100, and that also goes towards club funds.

Overall, I think in the scheme of things, it's all good value.

 

[wightbees]

Well are you sat down....a 2 day course cost One hundred and fifty pounds.
Hmmm

 

[jackbee]

Well are you sat down....a 2 day course cost One hundred and fifty pounds.
Hmmm

blimey, that's steep, mine was about 60 for 5 full days.

sounds like that assoc has character issues!!

is it the only assoc on the IOW - maybe lack of competition has warped the outlook

 

[hiveabee]

I have a mentor who is in the same branch as Me. When I started I bought my 1st nuc from a local "breeder" which cost £120 and it turned out to be a strong colony by the end of last season, but for some reason it was queenless come spring. Now, my mentor gave me loads of free advice kept me calm and asked me along to a few swarm collections. He has given me one of his surplus queens, and she is doing well. He let me have a small cast swarm to play with which I have in a 5 frame nuc. if it survives all well and good if not at least I tried. He also put me on to a swarm near to were I live and I went to collect it. The Lady who owned the property where the swarm was located was over the moon at my prompt attention to Her problem and rang my mentor to tell Him the same.

In my opinion thats how we should all treat new keepers and try not to profit from there inexperience. Yes branches need to be solvent but there are other ways of balancing the books.

 

[wightbees]

Yes the only association on the Iow.

 

[blackcavebees]

I thought our BKAs were not for profit organisations. I did a 10 week course last year in Mid Antrim BKA, did the FIBKA exam and the association got me a grant from the Co-op which got us new beeks a nuc and even refunded our course fee. The help from the old association members was just great. It fosters a good helpful attitude in the new beeks which hopeful we will be able to pass on when we are the old timers. Keep the bankers out of BKAs, I say!

 

[hiveabee]

I thought our BKAs were not for profit organisations. I did a 10 week course last year in Mid Antrim BKA, did the FIBKA exam and the association got me a grant from the Co-op which got us new beeks a nuc and even refunded our course fee. The help from the old association members was just great. It fosters a good helpful attitude in the new beeks which hopeful we will be able to pass on when we are the old timers. Keep the bankers out of BKAs, I say!

 

[REDWOOD]

Yes the only association on the Iow.

Start your own association, why not, by the way my great grandmother had a pub on the IOW

 

[The Cumbrian]

Are any of the executive committee likely to be reading the forum?

Would you describe what they are doing as "substantial permanent trading activities"?

 

[alanf]

I guess it's up to the local association how they want to run things. If they want the status of an educational charity there are rules about what business you can conduct. If they decide to raise money through courses and swarms but, for instance, reduce the annual membership fee I see it as their choice. Raise it at the AGM if you want support to change it.

 

[Easy Beesy]

we collect, hive, treat, re-queen, and make sure there is brood in all stages before selling on to members on waiting list. I've known 'beekeepers' take nuc from association for £50 and sell it on immediately for £150 - that's not right either!

 

[mark s]

Ther would be all out war over here if you tried to set up an other association,im told off frequently by a certain member on where i aquire my bees from,he thinks its a disgrace what with me being an islander and all lol. Bless em !!!!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Ther would be all out war over here if you tried to set up an other association,im told off frequently by a certain member on where i aquire my bees from,he thinks its a disgrace what with me being an islander and all lol. Bless em !!!!

I think I'd be telling him to something 'off' as well by the looks of it

 

[mbc]

Ther would be all out war over here if you tried to set up an other association,im told off frequently by a certain member on where i aquire my bees from,he thinks its a disgrace what with me being an islander and all lol. Bless em !!!!

People living on an island encouraging people to source their bees from within that island !?

 

[RoseCottage]

Superficially it sounds like a closed shop ... an association trying to control the many for the benefit of the few...

There must be more to it than that...No doubt IoW BKA must have expanded its membership in recent years. With all those fully formed, internet connected, adults a closed shop would have been challenged and dismantled by now.

It would be good to hear from an association leader on their pricing policy

Sam

 

[REDWOOD]

I think the word monopolization come to mind here and Is surely against the law, just because it is an island does not make it exempt from British law

 

[wightbees]

Redwood what pub was it ?

Mark s is right about some of them with regards
to where bees come from. They also got a lotto grant not long ago.
But there is the odd bad apple for sure.
Another association, hmmm dare I