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Fra: Allen Dick[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sendt: 4. oktober 1997 14:29
Til: [log in to unmask]
Emne: Yards.xlt
Jorn has already written me his comments privately and it is
interesting to note that there is a large difference in focus between our
approaches.
Sorry my comment was just put on the yard.gif To be fair to you I also
need the Yard.xlt if you want my comments on that. In basic I don't think
there is that much difference in our approach, But he way we are going to
reach the target is of course different, because we are different people. My
strength is that I have a bounce of Beekeepers already helping me to lock
out no important data, means date that of course have reading interest, but
in practical is just extras.
He feels that history of queens and families is important and I gather
this is a main goal of his record system.
Not quite correct, The daily work is most important including note taking,
But I feel that taking as few notes as possible without loosing it usefulness
will give more time for doing the practical Job. My software of course also
gives the possibility for some of all that extras, but in fact only five or six criterias
is important, because they have direct influence of the economical result, and
those criterias you are facing in the daily work can eat up the time, that you have
planed for other things.
On the other hand, I feel that
I simply need to know what my guys are doing and to be able to see what
may have been overlooked
This is of course also of interest. I mean if you mean the bees and not people
helping you. It is of interest to do as little as possible, benefiting both the bees
and the beekeeper. And for the experienced beekeeper it is mostly not needed
to do more than taking a short look, maybe lift up one Brood frame and if things
is normal on to the next hive. What is important to me is to have as homogeneous
an apiary as possible, because then one thing needed to be done, also can be
done on the other hives in the Yard. I know this is a dream, but there is no harm
done in taking this in consideration.
-- as well as what yards are performing well in
wintering and production and which are not.
This is what I feel is wrong. It is not fair to the bees to compare Yards to Yards.
One Yard could have so bad conditions that it will 'fail' in harvest, but it could also be
the most pleasant Yard to work with, and It could show the Yard that have paid best
for the work You have done. a picture (Realistic) could be that you have in one Yard
used five hours on a hive to get a result of 45 kg while you in another Yard have used
eight hours on a hive to get 60 kg. I doubt that the last 15 kg is paid for. If you read
this right you will find that I am concerned of the time I have to use on the production,
because if I was living from keeping bees Payment for an hours work is important.
I buy my queens these days,
so breeding is not a concern. We evaluate different queen suppliers
simply by marking the hives when installing queens and do not keep
records. When we pull honey, or pick up deadouts in the spring the
results are apparent.
This is also a way to do it, but still I feel it is not fair to Your bees and to Your queen
supplyer. I presuppose that your supplyers are doing the very best they can to deliver
a first class product to You. If not, they should give up Queenbreeding and go back to
be honey producers. I they supplye full mated queens, it is their responsibility, but if
you get Virgins then the most responsibility is on your shoulders.
Maybe everyone is intimidated by the huge array of data, I know I am, but
I'm hoping some ideas will come from this on how to better manage it.
Still as little as possible, becouse the time you are using filling out datasheets, is
going away from the time you have for the family.
regards Jorn
A little advertisement :
http://www.wn.com.au/apimo/product.htm :-)
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