"Many hobby beekeepers end up buying "leftovers" from commercials...old junk
equipment and culled queens that fetch high prices as so-called "nucs".  Or,
they buy packages with inferior queens built from shook colonies that are
one step ahead of collapse, surviving only due to intensive management that
new beekeepers cannot duplicate because they do not have the
training/information/ability yet. " 



 Once again,  someone takes a shot at a topic they know nothing about,  Why
to disparage others who are not present to defend themselves.,  or would not
waste time.

The above statement is such malarkey it hard to even type a response.  Here
in the US there are a number of suppliers of packages and Nucs,  major
players is about 30 men and women,  all told around 100.  Most of them are
EXTRODINARY beekeepers,  and outstanding people.   Any commercial produced
package has a new queen,  usually tested and laying for at least a week.  I
have personally watched queen producers pinch thousands of dollars worth of
queens to make sure only the best get packaged.  I have been privileged to
meet and work with many of these fine individuals and have not seen anything
even remotely close to the above accusations.

What it takes to have bees and queens to shake or make up nucs,  is skills
and planning,  most don't even comprehend what it takes to produce and
deliver live healthy bees.  To disparage the men and women who do it, is
just rude and off base.

  
You may disagree with the genetics and breeding programs of producers,  and
your free to shop anywhere or pick up swarms,  but don't disparage the
outstanding men and women of the bee industry, just to make yourself sound
smart.

When your bees are healthy enough you can start selling surplus,  then you
might understand.  Until then  maybe you should be asking questions instead
of skipping stones on the reputations of others.  A nice discussioin with
guys like Mark, and many other serious commercial guy might get you a lot
farther than placing blame on the farmers and queen producers.

I consider myself to be very lucky as to be friends and acquaintances of
many if not most of these outstanding men and women.  I can assure you they
strive every day to produce the best they can for consumers, both big and
small.  And playing favorites is very rare.  In fact retail usually gets the
better stuff,  be it packages, queens or nucs. The stock you get is taken
directly from the same sources they use to keep their own bees and yards.
You know the surplus bees your wanting to buy.


Charles

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