Lloyd Spear <[log in to unmask]> wrote:    You should know that Mark is one of several Senior Apiary Inspectors for the
State of New York

  Mark's reply: This is very true. I am one of three Senior Apiary Inspectors of New York State. Being a Senior Apiary Inspector means that I have supervisory responsiblities as well as actual colony inspection responsibilities. All Apiary Inspectors in NY are seasonal employees, even the Program Supervisor. This means that we are hired every year for the season. Since 1986 this has meant, for me, that I have had a job with the state for about 6 months every year. Except for the years '96,'97,'98 and'99 when there were only 2 of us working to certify the health of some migratory operations. It's my understanding that the NY beekeeping industry didn't support the program therefore it wasn't funded. Now and for the last 5 years it has been. Many people are envious of persons with state jobs. Would you be envious of a state emplyee that only has a job half the year and therefore family health insurance half the year. I'm not asking anyone to cry for me, just trying to let you s!
 ee if not
 the whole story at least the way it looks from here. One guy (not Lloyd) at the State Meeting in Syracuse, last week, was comparing Apiary Inspector salaries to School Teachers, along the lines of how nice it is to have a job that pays so well that you can afford to take off for 6 months like the teachers do for the summer. It ain't so. Ain't no one taking off for the winter here. I have to do other things to stay afloat. So do teachers. I try not to take comments like that personally, but guys like Pete make this job interesting in a negative way. Most people are polite, if not down right pleasant. The majority of the beekeepers that I deal directly with are happy to get an inspection and someone to talk bees with. There's lots of travel involved. One sees parts of the state that they otherwise wouldn't and meet people one otherwise wouldn't. Many nights away from home for some and many miles on your own truck or car. But I like it or I wouldn't do it.
  Enough already, Mark(the currently unemployed Apiary Inspector hoping to return to it in May, '06)



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