> So, if Peter were to use and check sticky boards on all his
> hives weekly, it would consume a full 8-hour workday every week!!
> This problem of "scale" often appears with many good ideas
> that are advocated by people who manage smaller numbers of hives.
> Problems with "scale" tend to show up when one starts to manage
> around 50 hives - the burden of even small inefficiencies starts
> to become a real pain.

Jim brings up a good point that has been discussed here before, but
probably not nearly enough.

The problem of scale actually crops up regularly as a beekeeper builds
up from two hives to ten, to twenty-five, to one hundred, to 300, to 600
and onwards.  The amazing thing is how seldom it is forseen or
appreciated.

Focus shifts during expansion, too, from trying to find more things to
do with one's bees, to how to find time for oneself, as the enterprise
increases in size.  There is never a shortage of good ideas.  Some seem
compelling and urgent, but a smart manager must decide what will pay
with some certainty, and what will not; and what omission is likely to
have serious adverse consequences, and what can safely be risked.

allen
http://www.honeybeeworld.com

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