>   but to me if your buying packages and nucs constantly,  you may not be the best judge of bee age and quality.  

Sorry, but this is unfair. If I buy a new car every couple of years instead of milking one for ten years, does that make me a poor judge of cars? (I am in the second category, by the way). 

Many excellent beekeepers routinely buy packages and nucs, to replace winter losses. Because they lose bees over winter doesn't make them shabby beekeepers. 

Many of the largest beekeepers don't have high winter losses because they move south to avoid winter. That in itself doesn't make them good beekeepers. 

What really counts depends on your goals: make a fat profit? do valuable research? be an educator? have a good time? A person can succeed at one or more of these, but probably not all of them (except maybe Randy O.)

P

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