James wrote>The NYC branch of the 'Backwards Beekeepers' never really grew beyond its original handful of members, and
> their facebook page and the individual blogs of the leaders have been
> dormant for over a year.  Tumbleweeds.  Could the "gold rush" be over?  I
> hope so!<

James's parochialism seems to have led him to a false optimism. The NY  Backwards Beekeepers seem to be a wacky cult, not the main stream of  'natural beekeeping' which appears alive and becoming more established, try www.naturalbeekeeping.org. - it leads to the Natural Beekeeping Forum.  Scan down to Networking. ' Local groups USA and CA' are running 52 topics with 245 posts.  

'Local groups UK and Ireland' are running more, 128 topics and 745 posts. The leading protagonist is Phil Chandler,  www.biobees.com.  He has written four books, the first and main work being The Barefoot Beekeeper. Three are available in the Apple Store, but not The Barefoot Beekeeper's Guide to Swarming and Swarm Management, which I would like to read as it is letting swarms go that irritates me most as in my town, guess who has to collect.  Just maybe he has a swarm control method. I cannot get his own website to work to get an e copy direct. 

IMHO Chandler writes well, readable. He is a quiet man, not strident, and bears up well to the distain of rational beekeepers when he gives talks in UK.  I feel we should understand his views better before mocking. 

Auz and NZ groups are running 14 topics and 48 posts.  The movement is getting world wide. I want substantial rational arguments to counter visitor enquiries without just sounding like an old fogey. 

Robin 
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