What is your 'buzz' about keeping bees?

[victor meldrew]

Tried to pack them in this year .
Now July . bees still here . What does that say ?
VM

 

[BeeBus]

... plus the wonderfull smell of smoke/wax combination in my car,

Definitely don't agree with that one - well not after my experience of approx 53 weeks ago!!! (look back to June 25)

How do I search that one??

 

[Queens59]

I should also say that with a lifelong illness - bees make me feel alive, and that I can make a difference and ignore all those who say ill people are skivers and not suffering

 

[Erichalfbee]

How do I search that one??

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=11756

 

[SixFooter]

All in the list except 7 plus other beekeepers. If you can ignore their right-wing extremist politics, they are very likeable, friendly, helpul people in the main.

 

[jackbee]

I have a daughter with Aspergers. When I am with the bees I am not thinking about anything else other than the bees. It's an escape. After inspecting, I sit on the grass in front of my hive and watch them. Thoroughly absorbing.

I should also say that with a lifelong illness - bees make me feel alive, and that I can make a difference and ignore all those who say ill people are skivers and not suffering

It's good to find an escape, and bees certainly provide a great one, we all need that from time to time

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

For me, it's definitely the Beekeeping Forum.

The camaraderie, the crack, the wisdom and charity.

Yes, definitely that.



Dusty.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

My grandfather kept bees but packed it in long before I can remember (I just have a faint memory of it) He gave me JD Digges' book to read when i was nine or ten - i was fascinated and ever since then I've wanted to keep bees but life got in the way until a couple of years ago when i said Bu**er it i'm getting bees.
It's not the honey ( I hardly ever eat it although i do like it)
Nor the wax
Nor the pollination
Yes the biology/physiology etc.
I had a shed, and tools (though I didn't use them very often)
Finally at 46 I've realised I should have ignored my fathers dying wish to not remain in the carpentry trade ( was 15 at the time) because fiddling with wood has saved my sanity the last year - next project I think is to build a shed to house all the nucs, hive stands floors etc i've made and am still making!!
Spend most of my time out of the house anyway
Suit - nah!
Environmental aspect - no - this tree hugging save the planet global warming tofu munching sandal wearing dmeat is murder mullarkey makes me cringe
Watching and listening to the bees - yes!

now need more bees to fill up all the kit i've got

 

[BeeBus]

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=11756

Blimey, you should make that into a film, actionpacked.

 

[Dunbarrover]

All of the above.

For me increasingly the science/biology/social structure aspect. Wish I had the time to delve deeper into that. A foray into queen raising is on the agenda for next year.

All in the list except 7 plus other beekeepers. If you can ignore their right-wing extremist politics, they are very likeable, friendly, helpul people in the main.

Agree with you about needing to ignore the politics! But yes, generally, friendly and happy to help and a delightfully eclectic mix of people.

 

[beeno]

Hi all,
For me it's part of a great plan of moving to the West Country and pretend to be a smallholder (a very small, smallholing) to satify my hunter gatherer instincts. A small orchard, to make my own apple juice, pears in wine, ditto with cherries, cassis, blackberries, potatoes, beans, strawberries etc. etc. Some animals a couple of pigs, a few sheep, chickens and bees. I have started trying things out with a small veg. plot, a couple of chickens and my bees and I am doing it now just in case it never happens. My favourite part of keeping bees is the smell of brood comb and honey on a hot, blustery summers day and watching all the different coloured pollen arriving in a steady stream at the hive entrance. An hour of that and I feel totally de-stressed and rejuvinated.

 

[Chris Luck]

It's one of only a couple of things you can do in France that bring in an income that don't require paying out huge sums of money every month to the system and without having to deal with endless demands for information and form filling, simple on line declaration once a year and one box to tick on a tax form.

...and of course keeping bees is simply fun.

Chris

 

[jackbee]

My favourite part of keeping bees is the smell of brood comb and honey on a hot, blustery summers day and watching all the different coloured pollen arriving in a steady stream at the hive entrance. An hour of that and I feel totally de-stressed and rejuvinated.

bliss isn't it

 

[Greatbigchicken]

Before I had my bees it would have had to be the honey and making candles etc.

Now it's the challenge trying to work out what the **** they are up to and how to persuade them to do what I want, and also the slightly smug feeling I get when things are going to plan (not very often yet).

If I get enough honey to sell to a few jars people that would be a bonus.

 

[Pete D]

My brother has watched my bee keeping over the last 15 months from a slight distance, lots of questions but not really wanting to get involved.
On Tuesday of this week he rang me as the local school (to him) had a swarm settle on a bush in the grounds. I picked him up on route and got him to put my spare suit on when we arrived. It was a small cast swarm and I explained to him how to knock it into my box, then transfer it into the nuc box, add the last 3 frames, crown board and roof. He did this and was pleased with his efforts. It was about 6pm and within a few minutes the heavens opened and ten minutes later there were no stragglers left they were all in the nuc. I strapped the box after foaming the entrance and it was then that he said what happens to them now..............
So 10 minutes later they were sited in his garden and off I went.
He called me the next day as he was laying (on wet grass) by the entrance watching them come and go and told me they were taking pollen in.......
I could hear in his voice me from 15 months ago............... ha ha welcome aboard little brother, I knew it would get you

Pete D

 

[margob99]

I started out thinking I'd do some (entirely anecdotal) research on myself, on the claims about local honey and hayfever, and beestings and arthritis.

I've ended up taking an amazing journey; learning just how impractical I am when it comes to carpentry and crafting. Learning more about the flora and fauna related to bees than I ever thought possible. Discovering how important is the network of beekeepers helping each other.

And becoming completely engrossed by the biology of the hive as a "super-organism", the pollination process in nature and macro photography.

And there is nothing more wonderful, relaxing and magical than lying under the bees' flight path, watching them come and go from the hive.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Oh bugger - if it goes anything like Peter D's ten year plan they'll be taking over the world next

 

[Luminos]

For me, it's definitely the Beekeeping Forum.

The camaraderie, the crack, the wisdom and charity.

Yes, definitely that.



Dusty.

Ah, that explains everything, Dusty Rhodes...

 

[jackbee]

And becoming completely engrossed by the biology of the hive as a "super-organism", the pollination process in nature and macro photography.

And there is nothing more wonderful, relaxing and magical than lying under the bees' flight path, watching them come and go from the hive.

Macro photography is beckoning me but that means more spend - cheapest macro lens for my G1 is £400, can't afford that so am even thinking of changing camera lol

I have a chair at the end when they turn into hives - fantastic sitting there watching them bomb down towards me and then turn at last minute into hive

 

[ebee]

Has to be queen rearing. The next one out might be perfect!