Weald Farm Orders

[Rotor1947]

We have, today, written to our William outlining our complaints and sent a copy to his local trading standards. Can I suggest everyone else who has a complaint does the same - hopefully Trading Standards will then recognise the problem and have a little word with him.

 

[Rotor1947]

The address of his local trading standards office is:-

Essex County Coundil
Trading Standards
2 Beaufort Road
Dukes Park Industrial Estate
Chelmsford
Essex
CM2 6PS

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

He's now selling his correx nucs on fleabay!! obviously got a few spare then

 

[johna]

He's now selling his correx nucs on fleabay!! obviously got a few spare then

Yes and with extra ventilation holes - perhaps to let the stink of his bu----t out.Perhaps somebody ought to warn fleabay /.

 

[nosmoking]

Yes and with extra ventilation holes - perhaps to let the stink of his bu----t out.Perhaps somebody ought to warn fleabay /.

Fleabay won't give a damn as long as they get their money! Trading standards is the way to go. Glad I didn't get caught out beeing a newbee!

 

[the worker and the drone]

Any news anyone?

 

[Haughton Honey]

No, Chris, my BS meter has been on since I saw the first article on this guy. Anyone who says they are setting up a business from scratch in a field in which they are inexperienced is setting themselves up for failure.......

Like Omlet, n'est pas?!

 

[the worker and the drone]

I can see what folk have been saying about WFP bbut I saw a mates hive of bees today (from WPF) and they were doing really well, very strong colony, masses of eggs, I was very impressed, anyone else had a good experience?

 

[Nellie]

So they do occasionally manage to deliver what you'd expect from a nuc then?

Look at it this way, nobody ever posts "Hey guys I bought a car today and the wheels didn't fall off nor did it catch fire, how good is that?"

I know we like a good pile on here, but there's been a distinct lack of people suggesting they've had even a reasonable experience, let alone a good one so far.

 

[Tom Bick]

I can see what folk have been saying about WFP bbut I saw a mates hive of bees today (from WPF) and they were doing really well, very strong colony, masses of eggs, I was very impressed, anyone else had a good experience?

I don’t know when your mate got his bees from WFB but bees have a great ability to survive, I suspect its down to the bees why they look good today.

 

[Winker]

I can see what folk have been saying about WFP bbut I saw a mates hive of bees today (from WPF) and they were doing really well, very strong colony, masses of eggs, I was very impressed, anyone else had a good experience?

got my Bees on time 18th of April, over winter colony too. They are going really strong, I have had 0 varroa mite drop since i got them. Nice bees, very good temper.


He even sent out one of his workers to me the very next day, with some spacers for the frames as i had Hofmin frames and his Nuc came with plastic spacers. 100 mile round journey, all in the name of good customer service.

To top it off, he answered every call i made to him and still does. I was on the phone to him the other day

 

[Nat1]

The nuc’s were sold by Weald Farm Bees as being 6 frames headed by laying queens at a cost of £190 each to a novice.

Nucleus 1

i. A 4 frame nuc at best.
ii. Queenless, no sign of eggs and few sealed cells.
iii. Queen cells present (4/5) but in my opinion extremely poor ones.
iv. Very old frames, some being Hoffman and others on Yorkshire spacers. One frame even has Gales name branded on the top bar and how long ago is it since they kept bees?
v. Old combs, extremely black and probably quite a few years old and should have been replaced long ago.
vi. The other two frames are new but foundation only and as yet not drawn out.
vii. Very little pollen,
viii. Honey stores very low though George was advised to feed the nuc’s.

Nucleus 2

A stronger and marginally better colony than 1 but still inadequate.

i. A 4 frame nuc at best.
ii. Brood at all stages.
iii. Queen not seen but eggs present, certainly not marked.
iv. Very old frames, some being Hoffman and others on Yorkshire spacers.
vi. Very old combs, again very black and should have been replaced long ago.
vii. Again as Nuc 1 the other two frames are new but foundation only and as yet not drawn out.
viii. Pollen levels low.
ix. Stores OK.

Perhaps you would be well advised to avoid this company

 

[Nightynight]

The nuc’s were sold by Weald Farm Bees as being 6 frames headed by laying queens at a cost of £190 each to a novice.

Nucleus 1

i. A 4 frame nuc at best.
ii. Queenless, no sign of eggs and few sealed cells.
iii. Queen cells present (4/5) but in my opinion extremely poor ones.
iv. Very old frames, some being Hoffman and others on Yorkshire spacers. One frame even has Gales name branded on the top bar and how long ago is it since they kept bees?
v. Old combs, extremely black and probably quite a few years old and should have been replaced long ago.
vi. The other two frames are new but foundation only and as yet not drawn out.
vii. Very little pollen,
viii. Honey stores very low though George was advised to feed the nuc’s.

Nucleus 2

A stronger and marginally better colony than 1 but still inadequate.

i. A 4 frame nuc at best.
ii. Brood at all stages.
iii. Queen not seen but eggs present, certainly not marked.
iv. Very old frames, some being Hoffman and others on Yorkshire spacers.
vi. Very old combs, again very black and should have been replaced long ago.
vii. Again as Nuc 1 the other two frames are new but foundation only and as yet not drawn out.
viii. Pollen levels low.
ix. Stores OK.

Perhaps you would be well advised to avoid this company

I concur with the above, I have visited said WFP and the list above represents the 'quality' WFP are producing. Second to that I spoke with said William and he told me he has a deal with "a beekeeper/Bee seller in Glos" and by the description from William I actually know this Glos character, who is also known to provide dubious quality Nuc's.

The deal between them according to WFP owner, he buys at knocked down price all the Glos guys imported queens at the end of august each year, by then they are out on 3 frame nucs and these are brought and sold on as over wintered nuc's... I think its safe to assume these hives are split where ever possible to increase stock and hence the random frame type and 'actual' number of full frames.

Now basically the guy in Glos imports a huge amount of queens from Oz or/& eastern europe, splits his year old hives and adds the queens and sells them on asap, Now, what I assume and from what I've heard, is the Glos guy keeps the best for restock/splitting on mass the following year and keeps splitting/drawing frames as he brings in new imports between May to August.

Basiclly WFP is selling on someone else's rejected stock and then spilt and split thereby selling weak colonies to boot.

 

[Hombre]

The deal between them according to WFP owner, he buys at knocked down price all the Glos guys imported queens at the end of august each year . . .

So that will have been a one off then . . .

 

[oldtimer]

i had the same problem kept getting fob off should have got them earlie may but got them on 9 june i got some one to look at them hes been keeping bee for about 30 years 1 nuc had no queen very old frames one had gales on the top bar the combs where black and that old 2 nuc was a bit better had queen but not marked old frames some where hoffman others where yokshire frames i have ritten to him and claimin half my money back and i think trading standing are cto get in volved if u have any ordered off him dont get them u will not be happy with them

 

[the worker and the drone]

I see these comments about 'poor quality' nucs but surely when you pick them up you have a look?? I don't ever buy any farm animal with out seeing it, is it not a bit nieve? perhaps am I old fashioned!

Oh - now the wife has chipped in - 'buyer beware'!

 

[oldtimer]

when i picked them up he said that i wasnt able to c them as they would get upset for traveling one nuc was ready the other one he made up while i waited im the one that the post by nat1 is about

 

[Nightynight]

I think there is a number of suppliers now who have seen the money that can be made by producing a number of hives, split them and sell them to newbies. WFP isd probably the worst or most obvious of the lot

 

[jimbeekeeper]

I see these comments about 'poor quality' nucs but surely when you pick them up you have a look?? I don't ever buy any farm animal with out seeing it, is it not a bit nieve? perhaps am I old fashioned!

Oh - now the wife has chipped in - 'buyer beware'!

Regardless of the weather or time of day a nuc (or even hive) can be opened IF required.

ALL of my sales start with an inspection, only then do people have to take it. But then it is still "sold as seen"

 

[Bates]

The deal between them according to WFP owner, he buys at knocked down price all the Glos guys imported queens at the end of august each year, by then they are out on 3 frame nucs and these are brought and sold on as over wintered nuc's... I think its safe to assume these hives are split where ever possible to increase stock and hence the random frame type and 'actual' number of full frames.

Now basically the guy in Glos imports a huge amount of queens from Oz or/& eastern europe, splits his year old hives and adds the queens and sells them on asap, Now, what I assume and from what I've heard, is the Glos guy keeps the best for restock/splitting on mass the following year and keeps splitting/drawing frames as he brings in new imports between May to August.

If you are refering to who I think you are in Gloucester you are highly mistaken, there is no deal with WPF.