How many of you are beekeepers?

[Not Anyone To Care For]

I am a beekeeper and I can't help but notice that a lot of beekeepers give off a INTP vibe. How many of you beekeep?

 

[Deleted member 1424]

Captain Ersatz used to keep bees, but he's the only one that I know.

 

[Rook]

I've recently been toying with starting it as a form of income, need the knowledge, funds and resources though. Also the right land, most farmers around here spray and most wildlands are cordoned off, must be a co-operative venture.

Just for curiosity's sake, do you have relevant informational resources on the business of bees?

 

[Not Anyone To Care For]

Captain Ersatz used to keep bees, but he's the only one that I know.

Ah ok. I honestly thought their would be a abundance of beekeepers here.

 

[Not Anyone To Care For]

I've recently been toying with starting it as a form of income, need the knowledge, funds and resources though. Also the right land, most farmers around here spray and most wildlands are cordoned off, must be a co-operative venture.

Just for curiosity's sake, do you have relevant informational resources on the business of bees?

Yeah it can be tough, I live in a more rural part of NY so it's not as such a problem for me.

And no I don't have any business knowledge, I'm a hobbyist beekeeper and I only plan on selling honey to local stores and what not. Im also below the age of 18 so I can't make enough money to start a actual business anyways. If you want more knowledgeable information I would go to this forum http://www.beekeepingforums.com and ask them, there are a lot of commercial beekeepers/hobbyists on and they are very helpful.

Goodluck with the bees by the way

P.S. Do a lot of research it will help out a lot in the long run

 

[Rook]

Ah , thank you, looks interesting >.<

Most probably not going into a business straight away, starting small and selling locally the planned introduction if I ever do enter. Surrounded by commercial and resort farms, the nearest town is a tourist trap with a few others in a 100km radius, so the markets are there...hmm, one organic farm I know about...tangent.

But right now it's all a pipe dream, one that has somehow nipped at my neurons for the past few months.

 

[Not Anyone To Care For]

Ah , thank you, looks interesting >.<

Most probably not going into a business straight away, starting small and selling locally the planned introduction if I ever do enter. Surrounded by commercial and resort farms, the nearest town is a tourist trap with a few others in a 100km radius, so the markets are there...hmm, one organic farm I know about...tangent.

But right now it's all a pipe dream, one that has somehow nipped at my neurons for the past few months.

It's very interesting, I was attracted to it because the bees biology is complex and there is just so much to learn and it keeps me occupied.

Yeah you want your hobby to pay for itself first before you jump into the business . If you have farmer markets in your area then that is probably the best place to sell your harvest, otherwise your local stores are a good place to start.

Dreams can always come true

 

[Rook]

Don't know if you're aware of this bird: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeyguide

Quite interesting, have heard them a scant few times but never found a hive under their guidance.

 

[Not Anyone To Care For]

Don't know if you're aware of this bird: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeyguide

Quite interesting, have heard them a scant few times but never found a hive under their guidance.

Hmmm interesting

I have never seen one of these birds hanging around my hives (maybe I'm not looking hard enough ). I don't think the would be able to get to the honey/wax anyways because the entrance is pretty small? Who knows. The hives also have 3/4 inch of wood and metal around the whole thing so good luck pecking into it ha.

Thanks for the share it kept me occupied for a few minutes

 

[Ex-User (13503)]

There's lots of beekeeping potential in this community; potential for other organisms too, and for symbiosis and other things. Just needs unlocked somehow. I've thought about beekeeping as a component of a larger system, but like most things nowadays I lose interest in the idea because I can already imagine what it would be like and actually doing it then seems boring. In a way, learning about agency and game theory destroyed any prospect of ever enjoying it. All that remain are the smaller facets and discrete internal structures. Anyway, the point of this tangent is to convey that you should consider expanding your horizons. Hymenopterans are interesting, but there are plenty of other organisms and hidden/meta structures out there that should excite you for a long time.

Also, random, but there's been a yellowjacket nest in the mirror of my driver side door for a few months. I always manage to close it before getting stung () and they seem to have gotten used to the travel aspect, though that will likely wipe them out in the end as they eventually leave the nest as I'm driving. Still, they're adaptable, and I like that.

 

[∴∴∴]

Not a beekeeper yet, but I volunteered with some for as long as I could (before moving cities, away from this particular community), and very much would like to get back into it.

Part of my problem is I am very squeamish about using pesticides and yet I've heard in some places (with different weather, levels of pest-population, etc.) you just have to or the hive will keep dying.
And the potential for pesticide/herbicide/complexorganicmoleculesdesignedtokillshit spread into my bees and their produce by way of what is sprayed on other people's land, as was brought up by Rook.

The rest of my problem with beginning is that I really don't know much, am probably too broke to beekeep alone, and don't quite trust myself with additional longer-term commitments yet.

What experiences do you all who beekeep think have been particularly instructive for you or other beekeepers you know? Common misconceptions among those who don't beekeep about beekeepery? Best bee bio facts in your opinion?

 

[Helvete]

I wonder how feasable it would be in an area primarily used for cattle farming. My family own a small farm in rural Australia which is pretty much all cattle county so I would assume there is less risk from neighbouring pesticide use.

 

[Pyropyro]

I wonder how feasable it would be in an area primarily used for cattle farming. My family own a small farm in rural Australia which is pretty much all cattle county so I would assume there is less risk from neighbouring pesticide use.

I think if an area isn't affected too much by extreme weather (typhoons, droughts etc.) then the area is suited for beekeeping.

By the way, the area should have different types of flowers. Bees, like us humans, need a variety of food sources to have a healthy diet.

 

[Helvete]

I think if an area isn't affected too much by extreme weather (typhoons, droughts etc.) then the area is suited for beekeeping.

By the way, the area should have different types of flowers. Bees, like us humans, need a variety of food sources to have a healthy diet.

OK that's a no go then. Droughts are quite a problem throughout that region.

Flowers do quite well (when not in drought) and there are a few impressive gardens although I'm pretty sure aside from these few installation's that there isn't much naturally occurring.

 

[ZenRaiden]

Just a hobby> I work with my father and we have six beehives. Its fun, but sometimes it gets boring and takes long time to do it all the right way. So you either just work quickly and just get it over with or you work slow and look at everything and examine all the frames and bees etc. I like it and I love honey. I dont use suggar at all. I cant stand sugar. Bees are amazing and incredibely sophisticated creature. We have bees that dont sting that much so the work is extremely pleasant as we dont have to have any masks on in the summer heat. Its also great way to relax. You almost go into a zen mode and just stand there and pick the beehive apart and look at the bees working.

 

[Artsu Tharaz]

i have 8 of them

 

[Yellow]

My father (ENTJ) is a beekeeper, and I probably will be once I'm enough of a grownup to own land and whatnot. I helped him establish and stabilize his hives using best practices from a biology-point-of-view, which conflicts with a few commercial practices (the bee issue really isn't a mystery, guys).

He's actually got it thriving enough now to go up and down the West Coast and make a small profit (it's just a retirement hobby for him).

We tried to keep bumblebees once. We had to built a modified hive to account for the size differences and their preference for being underground. They really seemed to do well at first, but then we found out that they die out each year, and most workers only live about a month. No honey to speak of.

I'd like to imagine, though, that those little bumblebees produced the rootinest, tootinest queens for the next year.

 

[Not Anyone To Care For]

Just a hobby> I work with my father and we have six beehives. Its fun, but sometimes it gets boring and takes long time to do it all the right way. So you either just work quickly and just get it over with or you work slow and look at everything and examine all the frames and bees etc. I like it and I love honey. I dont use suggar at all. I cant stand sugar. Bees are amazing and incredibely sophisticated creature. We have bees that dont sting that much so the work is extremely pleasant as we dont have to have any masks on in the summer heat. Its also great way to relax. You almost go into a zen mode and just stand there and pick the beehive apart and look at the bees working.

Wonderful

It's very interesting and relaxing for me too which is kind of odd because, well ya know, there's thousands of stinging insects in front of you. Hah

I'm glad that people are starting to get into this hobby we need to save the bees!

 

[Not Anyone To Care For]

i have 8 of them

Really? Nice

 

[Artsu Tharaz]

Really? Nice

yeah, we made a trade for the 9th

 

[Not Anyone To Care For]

My father (ENTJ) is a beekeeper, and I probably will be once I'm enough of a grownup to own land and whatnot. I helped him establish and stabilize his hives using best practices from a biology-point-of-view, which conflicts with a few commercial practices (the bee issue really isn't a mystery, guys).

He's actually got it thriving enough now to go up and down the West Coast and make a small profit (it's just a retirement hobby for him).

We tried to keep bumblebees once. We had to built a modified hive to account for the size differences and their preference for being underground. They really seemed to do well at first, but then we found out that they die out each year, and most workers only live about a month. No honey to speak of.

I'd like to imagine, though, that those little bumblebees produced the rootinest, tootinest queens for the next year.

That's nice of you helping out your father

Good luck with your future colonies and about the bumble bees, I made a small wooden box (about 1/2 the size of your average 10-frame deep box) to house them in and they thrived. Also, if you can't find a bumblebee nest then you can actually catch a queen while she is out looking for flowers, they're bigger than the average bumblebee and they only go out during Spring I believe. I had them because they make excellent pollinators for a small garden since they are so fluffy and cute

 

[Not Anyone To Care For]

yeah, we made a trade for the 9th

That's awesome!

Well, good luck over-wintering them successfuly