>
>
> Kirk Webster, Les Crowder, Solomon Parker...there are lots and lots of
> people now having success with Treatment Free bees...
>
>
> As far as I'm aware, their success can not be replicated. As I understand
it, Michael Palmer learned quite a bit from Kirk Webster, obtained some of
his genetics/queens, and is in a similar geographic location, but Michael
Palmer isn't treatment free. Whatever was working for Kirk wasn't working
the same for Michael. Kirk Webster and Solomon Parker operate their hives
very differently as well. If you ask either how they were able to achieve
success while others have failed, they won't be able to give an answer.
I've had long conversations with Solomon about it.

I went treatment free for several years, and was successful from about 2005
to 2011. Eventually my hives collapsed, and I ended up losing all 50 some
odd (don't remember the number off the top of my head). I was utilizing the
same techniques that Solomon was when I failed. Afterword, I asked for his
(and a few others who claimed treatment free success) advice on what he
believed I did wrong, and what he recommended I do to fix it. The end
result became "I don't know." Not a dig on Solomon in the slightest.

Kirk, Les, Sol, John, Dee Lusby, even BWeaver all operate their hives very
differently, using very different genetics/stocks, equipment, management
techniques and philosophies. But for each of them, when you take their
system and genetics and attempt to recreate it somewhere else, rarely does
it work. Why is truly the question that, as far as I'm aware, no one else
can answer. A change of geographic location seems to be the most logical
explanation, but even short differences in location don't appear to solve
the problem (Kirk to Michael, for example). Perhaps it is more a factor of
micro-climates. Or perhaps its a difference in the varroa/virus complex in
those areas compared to others. I don't know. But its the answer that I
would really like to have.

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