Off-season poll

[mjt68]

Like all good ideas, this one came to me in the bath. Simply fill in the blanks to educate us about your beekeeping philosophy and to help out any lurking newbeeks.

"It's hard to have enough ...."

".... is/are a waste of time/money"

".... is/are severely underestimated and everyone should use them"

"If I started again I would ...."

I try to be a nice guy so this is a safe space where (hopefully) no one will have a go, but vigorous discussion welcome!

 

[mjt68]

To get the ball rolling,

It's hard to have enough nucs

Inspection boards are a waste of time (I have several friendly families of earwigs along with ants, ladybirds and an unidentified mammal which love to clean the trays and munch the edges). Trail cam is up to catch the culprits!

Crush and strain extraction is severely underrated. Beeswax is a fantastic crop in its own right! You can also be finished and washed-up before the uncapping would be done. But I do now use an extractor too.

If I started again I would use proper hive stands from the get-go

 

[BeeBeeKa]

"It's hard to have enough money"

"time/money is/are a waste of time/money"

"Money is/are severely underestimated and everyone should use them"

"If I started again I would start with money"

No money, no honey

End of story

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Inspection boards are a waste of time (I have several friendly families of earwigs along with ants, ladybirds and an unidentified mammal which love to clean the trays and munch the edges). Trail cam is up to catch the culprits!

Only if you use them for a purpose they are not intended - i.e. leave them in all the time.

 

[BeeJayBee]

It's hard to have enough spare equipment when starting out.

Small bee sheds are a waste of time/money.

Poly hives .... is/are severely underrated, or dismissed as a fad, by some "experienced" beekeepers.

If I started again I would .... buy a bigger shed

 

[mjt68]

Only if you use them for a purpose they are not intended - i.e. leave them in all the time.

One week in four, promise! YMMV...

 

[REDWOOD]

"It's hard to have enough........ Hair at my age

Shopping.... is/are a waste of time/money"

" birth Control .... is/are severely underestimated and everyone should use them"

"If I started again I would ....be a lot younger"

 

[Chriszog]

To get the ball rolling,



If I started again I would use proper hive stands from the get-go

When you say this do you mean home made?

 

[Finman]

" birth Control .... is/are severely underestimated and everyone should use them"

To change wife more often.. Like Clint Eastwood, 7 children with 5 different women. Youngest child in 75 y age.

 

[mjt68]

When you say this do you mean home made?

Any kind of proper stand rather than breeze blocks, bread/milk crates etc. Rearranging apiary much easier now.

 

[Chriszog]

Any kind of proper stand rather than breeze blocks, bread/milk crates etc. Rearranging apiary much easier now.

What do you use now? any pictures?

 

[mbc]

It's hard to have enough supers.
Reinventing the wheel is a waste of time and money.
Good native bees are underrated and everybody should use them.
If I started again I would probably go poly.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It's hard to have enough crown boards"
It's hard to have enough supers"

"playing a hairdryer over foundation is/ a waste of time and money"

"vegetarians and atheists are a waste of time/oxygen"

"underfloor entrances are severely underestimated and everyone should use them"

"If I started again I would never buy a rampin"

 

[pargyle]

"It's hard to have enough hives and frames.."

"Most beekeeping gadgets are a waste of time/money"

"Clear crown boards and lots of insulation are severely underestimated and everyone should use them"

"If I started again I would start earlier in life and with more money"

 

[bpmurray]

"It's hard to have enough faith that the bees know what they're doing"

"Interfering with the hives is a waste of time/money"

"Clear crown boards are severely underestimated and everyone should use them"

"If I started again I would not kill the queen two days after I received my first bees"

 

[wessexmario]

It's hard to have enough hives and apiary sites.

Heated uncapping knives and religions are a waste of time/money.

Warm insulated hives are severely underestimated and everyone should use them.

If I started again I would have used a one-size box hive system.

 

[For want of a better word]

"It's hard to have enough time & money for beekeeping if working in a full time job to pay off a huge mortgage...."

".Quail... and many other things begining with the letter Q are a waste of time/money"

"Stainless steel hooked hive tools.. are severely underestimated and everyone should use them"

"If I started again I would buy all new kit and use polly hives.... run a mile and hide if anyone suggested investing a lot of hard found time and effort in a communal apiary or a honey co-operative"

Being a Green Man requires drinking a lot of mulled cider! Wassail!!

Yeghes da