I've been getting started in sideline beekeeping for six years now and I 
still can't see then end in sight.  The major lesson that I have learned 
is that just when things seem to be going pretty smoothly, some problem 
always comes up out of no where.  The lesson is expect to have problems 
all the time.

A couple weeks ago when we were unloading our third load of bees in the 
almonds and my truck broke down while loaded with bees was an 
interesting experience.  Very surreal to be in the middle of nowhere in 
a seemingly endless orchard of identical trees in the middle of the 
night, with a pack of howling coyotes the only thing breaking the 
silence.  My crew and I sat around for an hour trying to fix the truck 
and then figure out how to explain to anyone over the phone how to find 
the orchard and give us a ride home.  There was construction on the 
highway and all the signs and identifying markers had been removed 
making it nearly impossible to find at night.

Eventually we found another beekeeper and after helping him unload, had 
him tow our truck around so we could unload our bees.  He was another 
young guy like myself, and said he only had 450 hives right now but had 
1000 hives last year.  I asked where they all went and he explained that 
someone (seemingly another beekeeper) had found his holding yard and 
opened all of his lids and sprayed the bees.  This is the world of 
commercial beekeeping that I have found myself in today.  I hope it gets 
better.

Jeremy Rose
San Luis Obispo, CA
Still planning to go to 2,000 hives next year.  But we'll see.

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