Hello Doug,
 
there is the "Community of Buckfast Beekeepers" (Gemeinschaft
der Buckfastimker e.V., Germany) consisting of 700 members in Central
Europe. There are extra groups in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Switzerland too.
 
Among the members there are many professional beekeepers, because the
ratio "bee work to own work" seems rather good to them. The buckfast colonies
are big throughout the whole year, they even brood (and of course consume
honey) in yield gaps. They are normally kept in 10 or 12 frame Dadant hives.
 
If you are really interested, I'd like to highly recommend to read Brother
Adam's books on management works and on breeding the honeybee. Sorry,
until now I don't know the exact English titles. His books might be a little
bit hard to read for beginners, because written in a rather compact way, but
these two and a third one on his trips to look for best honey bees
are deep sources of bee knowledge. In the third one, for instance, I found
the hint on poisonous honey in Minor Asia. Very important are his hints
to deal with diseases and practical queen breeding and rearing.
 
Of course, I can tell you only about the "European" Buckfast bee. In the
last days I read much on your 1922 law, which prohibits importation of
queens and semen (eggs too?). How do you manage it in USA to breed
genuine buckfast bees?
 
Best regards,
R.E.Bahr
 
NISI APES FINIS
 
On Fri, 22 Mar 1996, Doug McCulloch wrote:
 
> Does anyone have any experience with the buckfast queen?  Are they as good
> as they are claimed to be?  I would be interested in trying out a few, but
> am not even sure if its allowed to bring them to Alberta from Ontario.  Who
> is a good supplier?
> Any input greatly appreciated.
>
> Best regards - Doug McCulloch
>