Maisie's Sale

[mbc]

Strange as it may seem, my landowner has some hives and I've seen super stacks cleared with not a single bee left in them through not only Porter escapes but ordinary boards with no eke.
Found quite a few bees still left in supers with rhombus boards (with eke) and one colony where I resorted to a board between each super in the end.

Rapid clearers for me all through the season until the final harvest, the last round goes on porter escapes which means I have no anxiety leaving them a while if the weather turns or other commitments get in the way. They work fine, even the cheap 50p ones with plastic springs.

 

[Wilco]

That's the brexit bonus - Jon warned us a little while ago that the next shipment he'd be getting would increase substantially in price.

Is that not more likely a reflection of increased shipping and haulage costs linked to covid?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Is that not more likely a reflection of increased shipping and haulage costs linked to covid?

Nope, it's more a reflection of fewer low paid European drivers. Just been chatting to my Brother in law about it (he's in the haulage trade) Fewer drivers, more demand for haulage.
We were warned of this price hike long before Covid appeared to further cloud the issue.

 

[Wilco]

Nope, it's more a reflection of fewer low paid European drivers. Just been chatting to my Brother in law about it (he's in the haulage trade) Fewer drivers, more demand for haulage.
We were warned of this price hike long before Covid appeared to further cloud the issue.

Good to know WRT haulage... Although fewer lower paid drivers and now increases in wages suggests there was some merit in the argument some put forward that wages had been depressed by cheap labour from elsewhere? (although obviously the correction of this is... painful).

Out of curiosity I've also heard there is a shortage of HGV drivers in the EU. Don't suppose your BIL can confirm whether this is true.

Significantly increased shipping costs are linked to covid though from what I've heard.

 

[Boston Bees]

BBC More or Less did a good piece on the actual numbers behind this shortage. It's a complex picture, and certainly not possible to say "x caused the shortage"

Go to 11m30s for the piece

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000z6cd

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Out of curiosity I've also heard there is a shortage of HGV drivers in the EU. Don't suppose your BIL can confirm whether this is true.

I meant to ask him and forgot, His firm (local, set up by a good friend of my grandfather who helped him on his way with a few delivery jobs as he was stores manager at an engineering company) has a European branch, may be some truth in it though as my delivery of invert took two weeks to come from Belgium and it was a combination of haulage issues both sides of the channel. But the difference for us is, now, drivers in Europe are getting good wages on the continent, and even though they have now been 'allowed' to work in the UK again, they don't want to thanks to the hostile xenophobic environment which has developed over the last few years, and also as lorry drivers here are treated like dirt by the majority of the population.

 

[GuyNir]

Out of curiosity I've also heard there is a shortage of HGV drivers in the EU. Don't suppose your BIL can confirm whether this is true.

10,000’s HGV drivers required in Europe also (Germany, Poland etc’). For some, anything negative is Brexit related. Not saying all is well and bright after Brexit, but it’s usually more complex.
There was also a strike Acton at the DVLA in Swansea, which no one talks about.
Longer term, relying on UK drivers with better wages and better conditions isn’t a bad thing.

 

[Angry_Mob]

The problem of the lack of drivers existed before Brexit and along with covid has been a catalyst for what's happening now. The RHA was talking about the lack of drivers several years ago but was ignored by government.

The poor facilities for drivers, overpriced motorway services circa £35 to park a lorry for one night in a London service to maybe get your diesel stole or trailer curtains slit with overpriced food and shoddy facilities to go with it.

That's if you can find a parking spot; in some areas its difficult particularly Kent.
Causing you to drive over your time to find a lay by. When you are next pullled over by the DVSA they then give you a hefty fine for that along with other minor discrepancies on your tachograph card.

I think one of the biggest problems though is the RDCs and warehouses were drivers tip. In some but not all the staff just don't care. I've heard of drivers arriving early for their booking slots, the warehouse not being busy and refusing to off load and told to come back. They come back later and the place is busy and in some cases miss their booking slots and told to come back the following day.

Last week I had a driver sit from Thursday mid morning to Friday evening waiting to get unloaded. That's so frustrating for drivers who are being held back from doing their jobs.

 

[Ian123]

There’s a shortage of drivers worldwide atm, also in the EU with Germany struggling in particular. The US is also having its own issues.

 

[Stiffy]

On going sales. I’m wondering if anyone buy beekeeping equipment (high value items) these days not during a sale. I know I don’t.

I went to a local general household auction last week who were also selling some beekeeping kit and couldn't believe the prices being paid for out of date fondant, syrup and mis-matched frames. There was a also poly hive close to the end of the auction, goodness knows what this fetched as after wasting my day watching silly prices being paid, I left.
Nice little earner for the seller though and I know where to go when I have some 'Tat' to get rid of.

 

[user 819]

Yep surprising what folks pay for old stuff or tat. A late beek of some 60 odd years once put her old smoker in the wsbka auction, she got more for it then the cost of a new one. As she said the mind boggles.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Yep surprising what folks pay for old stuff or tat. A late beek of some 60 odd years once put her old smoker in the wsbka auction, she got more for it then the cost of a new one. As she said the mind boggles.

I have to admit I've got carried away at the WSBKA auction.
And I've seen normally very sensible beeks put in bids for a bee suit that was £5 cheaper new on line!!!

 

[David1976]

.

 

[David1976]

How would you pay for the EU Army?

Bin trident
Stop wasting money on the hs2 tory wet dream
Stop giving billions to mates and donors
Ensure the loopholes to tax free accounts were closed

 

[gmonag]

Repeal Barnett.

 

[GuyNir]

Bin trident
Stop wasting money on the hs2 tory wet dream
Stop giving billions to mates and donors
Ensure the loopholes to tax free accounts were closed

Don’t disagree on those.

 

[pargyle]

Steady Boys ... this is drifting to the cupboard under the stairs ....let's stop now before it deteriorates ... Back to Maisies Sale please ... if you want to debate politics you know where the cupboard is - start your thread there and you can do what you like ....

 

[drdrday]

Back to the sale...
Put my order in this morning
I'm sure the family will be delighted, when for yet another year, they get handed a load more boxes of 'lumps of wood', as my nieces put it, to wrap up for me for Christmas. I might be pushing my luck if I try it again next year

 

[Hachi]

Back to the sale...
Put my order in this morning
I'm sure the family will be delighted, when for yet another year, they get handed a load more boxes of 'lumps of wood', as my nieces put it, to wrap up for me for Christmas. I might be pushing my luck if I try it again next year

Infinitely better than the socks, aftershave, hanky trinity that's still alive and very much kicking