Seperate new beekeepers forum section ?

[Frithgar]

I think we should leave things as they are, I've been a member for several months now and it's been invaluable. Having been a member of other forums in the past on unrelated subjects, you do tend to find that ones that have a dedicated newbie area are generally more unfriendly in the general atmosphere. If someone asks a question that others think should be common knowledge there tends to be more flaming because it's not in the newbie area and less constructive help/criticism
Frith

 

[justme]

There are things that you know you don't know and there are things that you don't know you don't know (if you know what I mean!).

A new beekeepers forum section would address the former. However, regular use/reading of the general forum covers both. I have picked a mass of knowledge while just reading the general forum threads.

If you divert the new beekeeper to thier own section, then yes they will get answers to their questions, but I think a chance to get lot of good peripheral knowledge will be missed.

Hence, I like the way things are at present.

Precisley, first unconsciously incompetent.then consciouscly incompetent, next consciously competent, eventually, if we live long enough, unconsciously competent. .

 

[louiseww]

New beeks

I only joined in July and am relatively new to beekeeping. It has been really great getting a selection of answers and it is easy to see at a glance which people are the most experienced with the most hives etc. So no, don't change a thing, if you did I expect the boffins would ignore it!

 

[johnandyrob]

I think its great the way it is and quite often when points or questions are raised more than once some one puts up a link or points people in that direction.

 

[Skyhook]

Precisley, first unconsciously incompetent.then consciouscly incompetent, next consciously competent, eventually, if we live long enough, unconsciously competent. .

Hurray, I've reached stage 2!

 

[freethorpe bees]

It's great as it is. I don't mind asking daft questions as there is usually someone who will answer me! Those who give me the sarcastic treatment I just ignore - there's always the off button!

 

[daveandtara]

Hi,
I'm brand new and this is my first post.
Someone earlier in this thread asked what is the difference between a book and a forum?
Well I think they are very different!
Books don't make little jokes, tell you it's happened to them, reassure that it wasn't something you did or tell you off for being stupid!
I've read through loads of pages on here and can already see that there different styles of bee management, some I'd like to follow....others, maybe not so much! I think I would have to read hundreds of books to get such a variety of information!
Then, when advice on here conflicts (as two books might) the advice givers have a little 'discussion' and us newbies find we identify more with person than the other and therefore know which way to go.

I've read lots of books, I've joined my local bee club and completed a ten week (1 theory lesson and 1 practical session a week) course.
It's still scarey when stuff happens in my own hive that I don't understand or don't know how to deal with.
Books are great, but the human aspect of an online conversation is far better!
Tara.

 

[Heather]

And if a newbee wants to go into a chat room to ask advice- then private message someone with post dated time to suit both - and be there.

If it aint broke- dont mend it....

 

[*ZhG*StGeorge]

I voted no on this and I am new. I have been reading the posts from new and old and I would worry that new beeks would not get the benefit of the sage advice available because some experienced members might ignore that section.

I have one proviso on this, sometimes I have seen experienced members comment on the knowledge of new beeks and in no uncertain terms call them 'stupid'. Not very helpful or nice, we all have to learn and expecting new beeks to know it all is ridiculous.

There may the occasional 'stupid question' but if someone doesn't know and is asking advice on our forum they deserve an answer they can understand not abuse.

 

[BEEBEGIN]

Yes as I am a very new bee keeper but we are learning very fast from your expert keepers that have given us great advice and put us right on a lot of mistakes.
So that would be a great big yes from me.
As my forum name applies???
BEEBEGIN

 

[TBRNoTB]

I see your point RAB.
I don't read it as being exclusive but rather as a haven for newbies who Should find 'Virtual Mentors' as it were ?
Anyone using the facility without being helpful ie. "here we go again ", "Read previous posts" "Get a Bee Book" should politely reminded that , this one section is designed as a place where all questions are to be answered with regard to the newness of the questioner and not designed as a stage for superior knowledge , ego trips and down right rudeness but rather to foster the newbie , encourage the newbie.
Not forgetting this is a place where newbies can discuss their failures and successes , where they can over enthuse !! sympathise with each other without attracting posts containing the rolling eyes icon!
Kaz , your number of posts lass, suggests that temerity isn't in your vocabulary
Newbies seeing the way you've grabbed the hobby with both hands, asked questions, replied with" thank you" and questioned the answers (just to be sure)make you an ideal candidate to make full use of such facility if it comes about .

John Wilkinson

Good on yer

 

[Gardenbees]

No-one seems to have mentioned one point about sharing knowledge: one of the best ways to learn about a subject is to try and teach it! As a once-experienced beek who hasn't kept bees for a long time and has now acquired a couple of hives again, I have learned a lot from *both* the new and experienced beekeepers on the forum.

Being experienced still doesn't provides all the answers, and doesn't always mean you know best. It can "trap" you in old and long-since-replaced ways of doing things. By having just the one main forum, we all get the benefit of everyone's experience, even if it's very new. Repeat questions can seem a drag, especially if someone clearly hasn't done any background reading at all ("What's brood?!?"). But there's the pleasure of seeing others' response to familiar bee behaviour ("Wow!!! I just got my first honey! It tastes better than anything! Why are the bees following me up the garden and into my kitchen??").

I think it would be a shame to lose out on the benefits of pooling everyone's experience by roping off newbees in a separate discussion list. Perhaps the answer is to flag up the FAQs as much as possible, and have some quick-and-easy links to key issues (e.g., if someone mentions a test frame, have a link to a FAQ about exactly what that is and how to use it - a link which can quickly be inserted into a message, like a smiley). This would cut down on unnecessary duplication (and sarky comments too!).

 

[Hombre]

I have to agree with Gardenbees that having to teach a subject really is a super learning experience too, as you have to ensure that you are at least a fortnight ahead of your students and have covered all the bases.

Just witnessing the change in varroa treatments available in the last two years brings home the fact that a bee keeper of only five years experience may have learned techniques that are now becoming depricated. Obviously some areas are faster moving than others and the snake oil salesmen are exploiting the uncertainty principle to the best of their advantage just for good measure.

 

[spytek]

I think a newbee questions section would be helpful. I feel that the main section is there for beekeepers to discuss more advanced topics in beekeeping and I get the impression that a newbee asking a question seems out of place in the main discussion area. Also several newbees might be asking the same question and it gets repeated and can make the forum 'untidy' so its better to have the questions in a seperate section.

Also something that newbees might find useful are guides, walkthorughs and faqs written by experienced bee keepers on basic things such as looking after a nucleus of bees and helping it grow to a strong colony or a list of routine things that a newbee should do with the colony and things to look out for or topics on protective wear.. what to use and what to avoid etc.. I was close to purchasing some leather gloves but came across a topic on gloves and found out that leather gloves alone are not really ideal for bee keeping. These a just a few examples of what newbees might need help with.

I know that some of the info is already covered in various posts but it would be useful to bring it all together in one section where newbees can go and read up and ask questions.

Rob

 

[biggles]

I think this poll really says something when most (not all) newbies are saying it a good idea and the more experienced beeks are saying no!

Pete

 

[sueb]

I have only today joined this forum!

As a new beekeeper last year, I quickly discovered that the bees don't read books or magazines so the suggestions of experienced beekeepers is invaluable. I have had lots of help from my association mentor.

Now I have found this forum I will use it as an additional way of gathering information and ideas. It is useful to see all the posts, and I would be unhappy to have a 'new beekeepers' forum as it would make me reluctant to post to the main one in case I was asking a silly question.

I must just also say that the first time I found this forum through a google search, the tone of the posts was such that I did not wish to join. However, having seen more good ones, I have now joined!

Sue

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Welcome Sue - yes some of the posts can get a tad fractious, but there is a lot of invaluable information here and most posters are on the whole pretty friendly - even if they do frequently disagree

Quick suggestion that you may want to be more specific about your location - this will be the first thing picked on if you ever post a question as the climate, and thus bee behaviour in Cornwall can be considerably different from Scotland (or even Finland!)

 

[Poly Hive]

I thought Admin had removed the UK option? If not then it might be a good idea to do so.

PH

 

[For want of a better word]

I thought Admin had removed the UK option? If not then it might be a good idea to do so.

PH

If you ask two beekeepers the same question you would get three different answers!

Lets keep things as they are..... I have pretty quickly got a handle on the pompous stuffy ones who post on this forum with a blinkered view on every thing beewise, and it would seem on most everything else!!!!!

Every year I explain to year 6 at the primary school bee club that baby bees are called brood .... and every year the little ones refer to the brood as bay bees.
I have to draw the line when Honey is reffered to as bee~spit tho!!!!

Year 6 are better on computers than I will ever bee....... and they read this forum!!!

where is the spell checkker?

 

[Skyhook]

Just a thought- one of the things that makes the forum interesting is that it has momentum- I can get home tonight, log on, and know that several discussions will have progressed, and probably some new ones started. To do this needs a certain number of active posters (about 10% of membership?), and I can see a danger that by hiving off (sorry) the newbees, you effectively end up with 2 fora, neither of which achieves critical mass. I'm not sure how many times I would log on and find no changes, before I got bored and gave up.