For me, Bee-L has meant good news/bad news!

It brought me up to date on current trends and practices in
beekeeping. That's good!
The bad news, it is almost impossible to maintain bees without
using chemicals.
I began keeping bees as a 4-H project during WWII. My father
encouraged it, partly as a response to sugar rationing.
Currently, I am maintaining one or two hives, mostly for
pollination. No interest anymore for selling honey. The few years
I had no bees, we seldom saw a honeybee anywhere.
Going from "up to date" on beekeeping after thiry years or so to
having to "start over" after  the arrival of mites and the
necessity to treat with something has sometimes been
discouraging. Can't help but think back to "the Good Old Days"
as I sit reading the give-and-take on different approaches.
You can become an old timer simply by sticking around.
Yesterday's knowledge only goes so far.

Leland Hubbell, Central Ohio

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