Hello Don & All,

Don said:
>I would argue here, where we have a short intense 8 - 10 week main flow,

6 weeks is a better estimate. We used to get strong fall flows also but now
it seems only by moving hives to river locations. I find the Blackwater
River bottoms better than the Missouri River bottoms.

Don said:
> that if your not going to over harvest and feed back sugar, honey
> production from thrifty bees over the course of a year will closely equal
> that of more prolific bees who eat more all year long.

We have had the exact discussion on BEE-L many times.

My being the largest beekeeper in the area now I am often the subject of
being
an example of the ways *not* to keep bees. Some of the stories I hear crack
me up.

If what you say would be a better method wouldn't you think I would jump on
board? There are sound valid reasons why myself and other commercial
beekeepers use the methods we use.

I (we) need prolific bees. I drive to Texas in March for queens. I put as
many hives on the ground as I can. My bees are roaring when others in our
area are waiting on queens or package bees.

Normally I look after other interests 4 months out of the year now. If I
could buy enough local honey to supply my markets I would retire to only
comb honey production.

When the flow ends as you point out I start culling and reducing numbers.
All I want is a base to split from next year. With my connections in
commercial beekeeping even a base ( enough hives to split the number of
hives needed without buying brood or package bees or complete hives) is not
needed.

If the drought continues I might depopulate all my hives and simply buy
brood and queens in Texas the next spring. No feed to buy, labor or meds.

Honey bees are not on the endangered species list. Cold as it may sound to
some things change when you keep bees for a living.

many ways to keep bees. Yours works for you Don. Mine for me.

I talk to my *prolific* Italian queens. What I normally say:

You keep pumping out those eggs and I will take care of getting those
bloodsucking mites off you and your offspring. I wouldn't let my dog chew
himself crazy with parasites or my bees.

When I started keeping bees in Missouri there were quite a few large
operations. To name a few:
Osage Honey Farm Sibley, Missouri
Thompsons Honey Farm Brunswick, Missouri
mathes honey Farm Pleasant Hill Missouri
Bell Hill Honey.Bates City, Missouri
Paul's Honey Farm, Chilhowie, Missouri
Christian Honey Farm , Independence, Missouri

Ask around. The lowest number of hives above was 600 and the most 2000.
The above were real outfits and my competition except for Bell Hill.

The above were all commercial operations and I can think of a couple others
I can't remember the names.

Point is I am the last outfit standing. I have purchased parts of all of the
above but Paul's. Not sure what Chris Landsburg did with the equipment from
his operation. Paul's was a queen rearing operation in California and
relocated to Missouri.

All but Bell Hill Honey went out of business because of running in the red.
My best friend Glenn Davis sold Bell Hill Honey to an out of state
beekeeper. The beekeeper bought the equipment. I purchased part of the
inventory and the live bee hives. I am sure there are those on the list
which remember Glenn Davis. Glenn is still living but has a hard time
getting around. Glenn needs both knees replaced. His mind is still sharp and
I call Glenn often and we talk bees and about his Kansas City Chiefs he
supports win or lose.


I have gave plenty of talks on the way to keep bees the way you do Don but
none about the way I keep bees. Although I am semi retired and not
interested in keeping bees the way Glenn and I did for years
I still have fond memories of the road.

I met Grant Gillard at the state meeting in October. Grant ( member of
BEE-L) said I was not the person he had pictured I would be. I am not
crippled , in a wheel chair, or walk with a cane. Grant made the comment he
thought I would look older. You always try to picture what a person might
look like if you only converse on the net or by telephone.

If you are able to build up to over 40 hives Don you are not a beehavor. I
don't really care for the word. my friend George imirre coined the word I
think. We all are interested in beekeeping. I started beekeeping as a school
FFA project with another of my lifelong  friends Horace Bell.

Sorry for the long post. I started to only send to Don but thought the list
might find interesting.

Don wrote
>Don Semple - Beehaver ;)

Best of luck with your bees!
Sincerely,
Bob Harrison
Missouri USA

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at:
http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm