Personally I don't have a problem with posts regarding queen suppliers,
either good or bad.  After all, supplying queens is a business and we
are the customers and we're always right!  As long as we avoid
slanderous statements and libel, we have the first amendment to protect
us.
 
I got stock this spring that I am not totally satisfied with, but
it was from a local supplier that I tried out because I could pick up
my bees in person and avoid the EXCESSIVE postal delivery fees.
Based on a few months of working these bees, I'm not ready to make
statements, good or bad about this supplier and will not do so.  I can
however tell the story behind my dissatisfaction.  I purchased four
3 lb packages, all of which were in good shape.  However, one of the
packages came with queen and entourage, all of which were dead.  I
called the supplier and received a replacement in the mail (at no
extra expense to me) the day after I notified the supplier.  I had just
started a new location and hived two of the packages at this site.  When
I brought the replacement queen to the queenless hive I discovered that
most of the bees from the queenless hive had drifted to the queenright
hive, so now I had a queen, but very few bees left in her hive.  Rather
than introduce her to what was now estimated to be less than a pound of
bees, I shook the remaining bees in front of the queenright hive and used
the replacement queen to make a split from one of my existing hives at
another location.  So I paid for four packages and ended up with three
new hives and a split, which was not totally to my satisfaction.  I
tried to procure a replacement package, but at this point the supplier
was only able to provide a nuc a few weeks later at full price.  The
savings I'd anticipated by avoiding the EXCESSIVE postage fees
disappeared, and it would not be totally out of line to fault the
supplier.  But since this was my first experience with the supplier
I'll cut them some slack.  I would have been more satisfied had there
been some sort of reduction in the price of the nuc, but I didn't press
the issue.  I have no complaints about the other three packages or the
nuc and I will probably do business with them again to see if I am more
satisfied.
 
In previous seasons, before postal fees skyrocketed(!) I got my packages
and queens from Weaver's Apiaries in Navistota, Texas.  I can only say
good things about Weaver's - they are always courteous on the phone, are
usually close to the mark regarding delivery dates and their stock has
never been anything short of excellent!  They are a little pricey, but
within a dollar or two or three of what I consider average.  I also buy
queens from Rossman Apiaries (I believe they're in Georgia, but I only
have their phone number in my files under "Dial-A-Queen").  Rossman is
also very courteous on the phone, very good at delivering when requested,
provide excellent queens and can usually deliver queens on very
short notice (call early today, queen late tomorrow).  The only drawback
with Rossman's is that they only raise Italian queens.
 
So, that's my 2 cents worth.  I'd be interested in other's experience.
I'm not looking for suppliers to avoid, as I've established accounts
with suppliers that meet my needs.  I think I pay a few dollars more to
these suppliers, but hey, they have to pay for those nice advertisements
in ABJ!  And I don't mind paying a few dollars more when the suppliers
supply a good product in a service oriented manner.  I suspect that if
one shops for bargains they have to be prepared to sacrifice quality or
service or both.  I guess it's a trade off of how tolerant one can be vs
how much money they want to "save".  Personally I'd rather pay than
tolerate.
 
Aaron Morris - thinking it's shaping up to be a good honey year!