> My observation is that small-scale beekeepers appear to be hard wired to
make beekeeping as complicated, expensive, and difficult as possible : )
Great discussion and good points by Gene, Pete, And Bill T. et all.
Those of us in the "old timer" category if we look back probably started with methods we learned in the beginning either from a mentor or class or books or all combined. With experience we tried other methods and if they solved a problem we adopted them and if not abandoned them. With growing colony numbers and a weaker back, not to mention mind, we try to make the craft easier, more profitable, and maybe allow some time for something other than bees, often with the encouragement from a spouse in the form of a frying pan to the side of the head.
Beekeeper knowledge, I believe, follows a predictable bell curve. In its simplest form, we all start knowing nothing about bees. After about 3 to 5 years if we stick with it and try to learn we know about all there is to know about bees. As an old friend used to say "in beekeeping its what you learn after you know it all that makes the difference". As the decades role we learn that a lot of what we knew just ain't so and start knowing less about bees. In our dotage we are back to the baseline and have no absolute knowledge about bees.
The basics of bee biology and colony development don't change. Fashion comes and goes as do challenges. The literature is voluminous and the history of experimentation goes back maybe thousands of years and certainly hundreds with modern methods. All beekeeping is local as we are wisely told and there is nothing new under the sun, to add another cliche'. Motivation also varies with each beekeeper. I want to keep healthy, productive bees, make a little money and keep my mind engaged. Others love the science, the connection with nature, and a lot love to tinker and try to make a better mouse-trap. Its all good. My only advise is learn the basics, and that takes a lot of effort. After that try whatever you like, be it hive configurement, queen rearing, double queens, seasonal management, flow-hives or top bars. Just have the humility to know that a lot of smart experienced and successful beekeepers do it differently and that you are unlikely to revolutionize the craft.
I keep double deeps with 10 frames in each, medium 9 frame honey supers above an excluder (all white wax), make 2 frame splits with a 14 day cell of my own raised by the Cloake board method, take winter losses in the fall, go into winter with enough stores to make it until spring, keep varroa in check and an eye out for any other problem,......bla bla bla. But most important I keep a crystal hung in a copper triangle around my neck in the bee-yard. There can be no other explanation for years of success. Hint, it has to be a white quartz crystal, others don't work
Paul Hosticka
Dayton WA
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