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Subject: Orange County, NC Beekeepers

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  • From: Randall Austin <ra41717 AT gmail.com>
  • To: John Friedrick <friedjf AT verizon.net>, ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [ocba] Dear Abbee, my whoas are many!
  • Date: Fri, 05 Sep 2014 13:26:27 -0400

John,

One of my favorite philosophers, Barney Fife, had this to say about the key to success, which I think it generalizable to beekeeping:
"Now here at "The Rock" we have two basic rules. Memorize them so that you can say them in your sleep. The first rule is... Obey all rules. Secondly, do not write on the walls, as it takes a lot of work to erase writing off of walls."

A little closer to the point, one of my favorite dead beekeeping authors, C.C. Miller, said, "I can't tell you the best way to keep bees, only what has worked for me."

The answer to your question, "How do you beekeepers solve these complex equations?", is simple: Usually "we" don't. The truth is, when given prophylactic care against varroa mites and feeding when necessary, honey bees are pretty robust and resilient and usually solve their own problems. Beekeepers often get in the way rather than help... at least that's the challenge in my bee yard! An important strategy is to keep at least 2 hives so that you can use one to recover from issues that develop in the other.

Read good books, study information on university websites, stay away from the huge amount of you-tube & internet advice by no-nothing chuckle heads, attend local bee club meetings, make friends with the state bee inspectors, and then just jump in. You'll develop confidence and competence in a short time.

Most important, keep all of this in perspective. This is supposed to be fun. Don't take it too seriously. The two hives in your urban backyard are not saving the bees or preventing worldwide famine, any more than your half-dozen tomato plants are solving the problem of malnutrition. However they are a gateway to a fascinating world that can be personally rewarding in many ways.

Also remember that nobody is keeping score. You don't lose the game if your bees swarm or die. You just enjoy the experience and try again. We learn from failures, not successes.

Randall Austin



On 9/5/2014 9:37 AM, John Friedrick wrote:
Dear Abbee:
My wife and I decided to learn about beekeeping (before getting bee hives) by taking the class, joining OCBA, hosting events like the honey extraction, helping with the hives of others, attending field events and OCBA meetings and reading all the listserv posts to analyze how to solve each keeper’s problems. Now, 10 months later, I’ve got “hives” just reading Brian and Lanette’s problems with their bees. I have no idea where to even start in solving their problem. There are so many variables. It’s like Algebra 2... with most of the polynomials being B’s, some squared and some all the way to the sixth power. How do you beekeepers solve these complex equations?
 
I don’t want to just dive in with a hive and then “bumble” through. I feel no closer to getting our hives than before all this. How do I get past this buzzing headache?
Signed,
Johnny Bee Good




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