Grant,

>, but I lift weights so I don't need a forklift.

Even as i downsize and eventually get down to a couple hives the forklift 
stays. So many uses around the farm ( great for big bales). I often have 
advised a new would be commercial beekeeper to buy a loader when he reaches 
100 hives. Makes the whole operation so much easier and should be considered 
as an investment.

 I bought a farm tractor with a loader 30 years ago to move 55 gallon 
barrels. I wrote off the cost from my business. Today the tractor is worth 
three times what I paid for the tractor.

While in Florida i saw a beekeeper sell a 610 Bobcat to another beekeeper 
for $6,000. After the sale was made the the new owner went happily on his 
way. the seller said he hated to see the 610 go as other than a few minor 
problems the Bobcat had given great service for around 20 years on the bee 
farm. He said he had paid around a $1000 for the 610 around 20 years ago.

> Bob, if you need some help, give me a call and I'll come over!

I am looking for some part time help to pull and extract honey if the  young 
guys which have helped before will not help this year. Then you won't need 
to pump iron for a few weeks.


I used to keep my bee magazines in boxes and then a mouse chewed a hole and 
ruined some. Then I kept in plastic totes but still not the best storage. 
Then I found three large foot lockers which were cedar lined. I keep ABJ in 
one and BC in the other and odds and ends in the other.

I am not a collector as a true collect does not want magazines which have 
writting or minor tears. I am interested in the information. I have a friend 
from Alabama which is a collector I met on beesource and when he buys a 
collection he sends me his magazines which are not pristine and which he has 
duplicates of. When I go on the road I take usually around ten years of ABJ 
or BC with me to read at night. I used to take the very old magazines but 
now I like to reread the magazines from the middle 80's to date. Those are 
the years I feel are the most informative. I never throw a bee magazine 
away. I bundle duplicates and donate to bee auctions.

Thanks for taking care of Joe!

My footlockers are on the top shelf of some heavy metal shelves and I would 
guess each footlocker with magazines weighs 300-400 pounds . The shelf is 
about ten feet from the floor. I set the forks in front of the shelf and 
then slide on to the forks. I do not know of another way to get down other 
than unloading. Each year is in a bag with the year plus a listing of 
articles I might need to  refer to and the issue.

Are you getting the ice storm Grant? We are on the northern edge and 
received around an inch of sleet. Snow tomorrow.

bob 


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