New book,by John Harding.

[RoofTops]

If any author could have benefited from an editor it was this one. For me the message was drowned out by the style but it has its place in beekeeping literature for sure. I had Ron Brown's booklet on managing mini-nucs delivered at the same time and the contrast in styles between the two writers is striking. Ron B's little book was packed with facts and observations and down to earth practical advice. Unfortunately, the John H book is written in a style that annoyed me intensly. I found it patronising and the writer's huge ego jumps out on almost every page.

I am not going to comment further on John H's beliefs. People can make up their own mind on these but if he ever wants to write a sequel I hope he submits it first to a sympathetic editor.

 

[MrB]

I found it an interesting read, too.

Agreed, with Storm (and the author), not the best planned/written/organised/etc book I have seen. But it was worth the eleven quid (about 4 pints of beer, now?) for the snippets that make one think more deeply about one's beekeeping.

The dowsing seems to be able to work for me, but needs a bit more testing than running the tap and checking the run of the drains!

The N-S bit about comb building needs some references for checking the absolute validity (as with a few more items in the text), but I am thinking my Dartingtons are a*se about face, Langstroth hives are obviously more correct than the average National with 'warm way' frames, etc, if the facts are confirmed (any references anyone?).

The floors simply confirm the OMF facts. I do partially close mine for some colonies, in the winter. What is more, I can give some of my old solid floors a whirl, for no cost apart from effort from me. Just plain common sense beekeeping really, when one actually considers the arguments/reasoning behind the development of the original ideas.

There are several (no, many) snippets to pick up on. Unfortunately a vast majority of readers will at least miss some of them due to the book layout, experience, etc!

A very worthwhile read for those that are willing to read it carefully. John obviously has a broad basic knowledge of beekeeping stretching back over many years. This book fills in some of the details not found in basic beekeeping tomes.

Not a jot of use for those that want to learn the basics of beekeeping, but 'oh-so' useful for those that think, or wish to progress from the beginnings of the craft without making all the same original mistakes as many who have gone before.

Buy it, is my recommendation to all the potential improvers in the craft and also for the 'naysayers' who can try to disprove it. Just don't dismiss the book out of hand.

Regards, RAB

Having now got and read the book I would certainly agree with all the above!

Now, where did i put those coat hangers!!

 

[tberni]

I have now read the book a couple of times and I found it very interesting. I thought the actual presentation of the book was quite endearing and I did not find it patronising. I actually quite liked it when Mr Harding claimed many many times how his discoveries work, are unique, that he discovered it and that everyone should go out and try it in order to get rid of varroa. How many authors of a text book are brave enough to do that time and time again?
Being a teacher, I get fed up of reading text books that read the same, look the same and can be a little boring. I think Mr Harding presented his book exactly how he wanted to be presented. And no one can blame him for that.

I for one will give his ideas a go.

 

[madasafish]

I have now read the book a couple of times and I found it very interesting. I thought the actual presentation of the book was quite endearing and I did not find it patronising. I actually quite liked it when Mr Harding claimed many many times how his discoveries work, are unique, that he discovered it and that everyone should go out and try it in order to get rid of varroa. How many authors of a text book are brave enough to do that time and time again?
Being a teacher, I get fed up of reading text books that read the same, look the same and can be a little boring. I think Mr Harding presented his book exactly how he wanted to be presented. And no one can blame him for that.

I for one will give his ideas a go.

 

[Storm™]

Johns book is making the rounds. Drstitson has finished it. It's making it's way to Skibee this morning. If anyone else wishes to borrow it please notify Skibee to be next. Or post you request here. As already posted by others it is an unusual approach but the book is worth a read so please feel free to keep the book on it's rounds.

 

[SkiBee]

Hi, can whoever is next on the list to read the book please give me their address please? I will be finished in a couple of days. Thanks. SKB

 

[Beeline]

Just found this old thread in the archives and was hoping we could have some feedback from those who may have put John's theories to the test this year. Has Varroa dropped, increased yield etc.

It's something that interests me greatly.

If that book is still in circulation..... please.

BL

 

[Headnavigator]

Just found this old thread in the archives and was hoping we could have some feedback from those who may have put John's theories to the test this year. Has Varroa dropped, increased yield etc.

BL

Can't offer much info but this is my experience, having read John's book.
First year, two colonies, very different bees, from different sources, both on GSLs, one on an intersection of 2 GSLs, according to my dowsing beforehand.
I've had all sorts of problems, but varroa is not one of them. Have done a 24 and sometimes 48 varroa drop check after each inspection, the highest count was four, usually none, one or two. Have also forked out drone brood for checking as I couldn't quite believe the results, and found no mites at all. I shall leave the hives where they are and see what happens in the future. There must be someone with a much larger apiary who can offer some comparison between hives situated on and off GSLs?

 

[Excession]

Love the bit on Ley Lines and vibrations.

Complete nonsense, but whatever floats your boat.

 

[pargyle]

Love the bit on Ley Lines and vibrations.

Complete nonsense, but whatever floats your boat.

Well ... it's something that is difficult to prove but don't you find it intriguing that swarms are often found in the same locations year after year ... and 'bee trees' were a common occurrence in history.

So ... I did a bit of dowsing when I sited my hive, total cost nothing - two pieces of copper coated rod which I had laying about in the shed and an afternoon 'learning' how to use them. I don't know if it is has contributed to my incredibly well mannered and seemingly varroa free bees but it cost nothing and the apocryphal evidence is that it works for those who do it ... nothing to hate in my book, no chemicals in it and nothing that will affect the bees except for the magnetic influence or lack of geopathic stress !

Try it, you might find it helps ....

 

[Headnavigator]

Can only agree, Pargyle.
Dowsed for my apiary site as you can see in my earlier post on this thread. The colony in the best position are still varroa free, the other had a very minimal drop (maybe fifty total over three weeks) when I treated them this Autumn. Can't prove the effectiveness of John Harding's theories but there doesn't seem to be a lot of evidence being presented against it.
Unless someone out there knows better?

 

[sunhivebee]

New Book by John Harding

I hope John Harding will get the recognition he deserves for his untiring efforts to find better ways to keep his bees and establish independence from the offerings of companies whose concern for their profits might exceed that for bee welfare.
As he said himself in a post earlier in this thread, he does not consider himself a writer. Hence comments on the style of writing would appear unwarranted, as none of us has a need to assert their own superior style of writing.
That he is a passionate beekeeper who holds his bees in high regard, and has amassed a wealth of experience on his long journey of "swimming against the stream" will be beyond any doubt to anyone who has read his book.

As for his findings, I find them most interesting and having employed an experienced dowser many years ago to examine all the locations in my apiary which are predominantly chosen by swarms, I can confirm that these are locations where it is most opportune to site a hive - with good prospects of long-lived and varroa-tolerant, if not varroa free colonies. Of course, this is not an option available to many, but giving some unorthodox ideas the benefit of the doubt, definitely is, and whether one thinks that dowsing is bonkers or not, will ultimately depend on the information one has access to about this time-honoured ability. It has very many uses in numerous fields of life, and is as such perfectly established.

Finally, how marvellous that Jerry B. of Northern Bee Books espuses such an eclectic mix of publications. Well done.

 

[Polyanwood]

I grew up in the North-East in an area where there are a lot of Roman remains and earned pocket money helping out on digs. As a teenager I was taught to dowse... apparently it is easier to learn if you are younger. Few of the adults were able to do it. We used knitting needles bent at 90 degrees. I don't know if we could find ley lines, but we could find buildings or underground water sources through dowsing. I might have a go around the apiaries and see what happens.

 

[pargyle]

I watched Tony Robinson on TV tonight walking the routes through the various prehistoric monuments in Wiltshire, many of which are sited on Ley Lines, Tony, the inveterate sceptic, having stated that he was a sceptic was given a pair of dowsng rods to find a Ley line and ... they worked for him. Just shows, you may not believe but the Rods believe in you ...

Open your minds ... Great to hear the Head Navigator and Heidi are both believers ... there's a few more out there I would think !!

 

[mbc]

I have worked with several builders who routinely used dowsing as a means of discovering pipes and drains, quite matter of fact, nothing out of the ordinary and generally very accurate. I'm not much cop at it myself though, unfortunately

 

[sunhivebee]

Angela, the point you make about young children makes so much sense; they are more open and haven't got a load of rigid concepts standing in the way. It will be interesting to hear what you find in your own apiary. If one gives it the benefit of the doubt, it can be quite shocking to realise that a load of hives are in the "wrong" place Try telling a farmer who allocates you a godforsaken corner in some field that your bees need a spot thirty yards away. I am fortunate, so far, to be able to site my hives where I want, and many of the places are favourites with cats, as well, who are reputed to seek for the same kind of conditions.
Winter is coming, so at least some of us will be able to move their colonies without too much hassle, if they want to test John Harding's theories.

 

[Itchy]

Book arrived down the chimney yesterday....yes, bonkers!

But....worth a go with the lines and re siting the hives that make it through winter.

I will test each site I collect swarms from this coming season, also log the location and comb orientation of wild colonies I remove.

(I'm actually surprised this isn't done nationally anyway )

My scepticism is dampened by observing two different swarms pass over our property along exactly the same line - one travelled East - West, the other West- East, about 3 weeks apart. A swarm was also found in a tree along the same route. Why?

Will post findings

 

[madasafish]

No ley lines found but I cannot dowse to save myself..

My bees are largely varroa free with minimal drops. I have never used OA. so ley lines suggested as a cause of low varroa must surely be a coincidence only..

 

[victor meldrew]

Why would Ley lines attract bees whilst dissuading Varroa mites when one is dependant ont'other?
VM




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Itchy]

Just finished the book.....
Rest of it would have benefitted from lots and lots of diagrams. I'm sure there are gems in there somewhere, but it comes over (to a beginner) as very confused and over complicated.

I like the idea of a bottom entrance to my nuc hives, but am none the wiser as to how it is constructed....think it may involve 22mm plumbing pipe somehow.

Still, it provokes thought.