The conflict between commercial and sideliners had been ongoing for many decades, as evidenced by this:


EMPIRE STATE HONEY PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION 
Editorial 

It has become obvious to me that the most pressing need of this association right now is more new members and a larger role for those belonging to the hobbyist and sideliner class. The association has given too much attention to the purely commercial side of beekeeping, often at the expense of all the other aspects of beekeeping that are the source of so much enthusiasm and vitality on other beekeeping associations. 

I have recently spoken at the state beekeepers associations of New Jersey, Ohio, Connecticut and Vermont, and found in all of them a degree of enthusiasm for all the aspects of beekeeping that far exceeds what is found in ours. The explanation seems to be the leadership provided by able and dedicated hobbyists and sideliners. Yet at our meetings I have been sorry to find that, though sideliners and hobbyists come to them, they are often ignored and do not feel themselves to be an important part of the association, even though one can see, in talking with them, that they have a very great deal to offer. It seems to me that they have not been given a great deal of inducement to keep coming, and we are thereby depriving ourselves of what could be a most valuable asset.

Dr. Richard Taylor, Trumansburg, Editor, Newsletter
1976

He resigned shortly thereafter and formed the "Finger Lakes Bee Club," which is still going strong. In fact, we had Tom Seeley speak at our recent meeting. You know, a local boy made good (wink).

Peter L Borst

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