> Is there any way to begin bees, but the hard way?    It seems to me
> that the same mindset that draws folks to beekeeping, also puts them
> at a disadvantage, particularly at the start.

Thanks for the replies.  I acknowledge all points made by both writers
are valid and I respect their experience, reasoning and opinions.  I
taught the same thing when I taught courses.  I have never tried,
however,  to establish a group purchasing program or herd a group of
newbies, nor would I ever wish to.  I deal with individuals.

I hope it was obvious that my article was an opinion piece intended to
stimulate thought and discussion.  As it happens I am too busy selling
and delivering nucs, singles and doubles with a Tuesday deadline to
defend my opinion point by point at the moment, but those thoughts
occurred to me as I was dealing with a series of small beekeepers.

I have o confess that most of them have some experience and reading,
although in some cases that experience and learning has been counter to
what I consider constructive.  Many have had a hive or two and don't
want to go through the package experience again.

My thoughts are presented from where I live, in a short-season, fast
flow, large crop region with random brutal winters, and with years of
commercial experience behind me.  I realise that many, if not most will
not share my perspective and I share my thoughts for what they are worth.

Like Bob, I am simply to busy to prove what experience has taught me,
often at considerable cost.

I guess one thing that commercial beekeeping teaches is that you are
going to lose more than you win and that the survivors and winners are
those who waste the least effort on a loss and who don't spend more in
time and resources avoiding a loss than the loss costs if/when it
occurs, and those who make sure they have recovery options.  It is not
how often you fall down but how fast you can get back up that determines
the winners.

I realise that my view runs contrary to the thinking of most people and
has more to do with philosophy and strategy that rightness or wrongness.

All I can say is it works for me and for my friends.  YMMV.

That brings me around to the question of why our Canadian commercial
beekeepers are being denied access to US package bees when it obviously
costs the industry millions annually in extra expense and lost revenue.

And it brigs us back to the damage inflicted by the precautionary
principle.

Out of time.  Apologies for a quick sloppy post.

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