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Author Topic: Beekeeping brings me so much joy and so much misery  (Read 4353 times)

Offline BurleyBee

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Beekeeping brings me so much joy and so much misery
« on: July 29, 2021, 08:42:57 pm »
I swear every time I get to the point of thinking I?m close to figuring things out, I?m quickly humbled.  I?ve been grafting and only been having about 25% success on mated queens.  I?ve tried to look on the bright side and realize that the few new hives I have are hives I didn?t have weeks ago. 

Today one of my newer Caucasian hives had superceedure cell.  I wasn?t surprised considering her lackluster pattern.  Population had taken a step back, so I took the second off and set it to the side.  Then I had to run the kids down the road.  When I got back, a robbing frenzie was on.  I knew better than to leave that box out.  It didn?t have but a bit of nectar on the frames, but darn was it a frenzy.  I closed off all hives and am now inside having beers and kicking myself for being an idiot.

Beekeeping literally has saved my life.  It brought an energy and joy I haven?t had in a long time.  I had no idea what I was getting into when I started, but I can?t quit now.  Despite my crap grafting results, the queens I have had come back mated are rockstars so far.  Have some of y?all that have been doing this for longer than 3-5 years had days you want to quit?  I look back and I?m so much further ahead than I was just 6 months ago.  I?m going to keep grinding, but I need some encouragement  :wink:
@burleybeeyard

Offline rast

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Re: Beekeeping brings me so much joy and so much misery
« Reply #1 on: July 29, 2021, 09:45:51 pm »
My first thought is how many people are too insecure or afraid of failure and won't even attempt grafting. And you know as well as I do most will only tell you about a high percentage success and neglect to speak of the learning curve. Increase is success. 
Fools argue; wise men discuss.
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Offline BurleyBee

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Re: Beekeeping brings me so much joy and so much misery
« Reply #2 on: July 29, 2021, 09:52:33 pm »
Yeah it?s funny I never see videos of poor results.  I?ve thought of doing videos of how bad I am.
@burleybeeyard

Offline Bob Wilson

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Re: Beekeeping brings me so much joy and so much misery
« Reply #3 on: July 29, 2021, 10:02:53 pm »
The best thing I know to do when I get frustrated with them is to just stop the rat race, and sit, and enjoy watching the bees again. It reminds why I wanted them in the first place.

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Beekeeping brings me so much joy and so much misery
« Reply #4 on: July 29, 2021, 10:09:02 pm »
> Have some of y?all that have been doing this for longer than 3-5 years had days you want to quit? 

I have not thought of quitting but I have made mistakes which I took as learning experiences. Hang In there and continue on! You have all your friends here for support. We are all individuals but as a group make a strong colony, working and striving together to be better beekeepers. .
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline TheHoneyPump

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Beekeeping brings me so much joy and so much misery
« Reply #5 on: July 29, 2021, 10:19:46 pm »
Yesterday morning going through the mating yards checking results I was joyful. Going for a drive around the countryside in the afternoon spot checking production yards I was joyful with the level of activity.
Today am pulling honey and am miserable. Not for lack of crop, but for the heavy fullness of the boxes and acknowledgement of the long slog of work ahead to process and to flog it all.
When the lid goes back on, the bees will spend the next 3 days undoing most of what the beekeeper just did to them.

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Beekeeping brings me so much joy and so much misery
« Reply #6 on: July 29, 2021, 10:50:50 pm »
Yesterday morning going through the mating yards checking results I was joyful. Going for a drive around the countryside in the afternoon spot checking production yards I was joyful with the level of activity.
Today am pulling honey and am miserable. Not for lack of crop, but for the heavy fullness of the boxes and acknowledgement of the long slog of work ahead to process and to flog it all.

Well I suppose that is a small price to pay compared with the realization of accomplishments from hard work and well thought out plans well in advance, all coming together! lol.. Congratulations Mr HP!! 
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Bee North

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Re: Beekeeping brings me so much joy and so much misery
« Reply #7 on: July 30, 2021, 05:06:27 am »
the queens I have had come back mated are rockstars so far.  :wink:
That's fantastic....congratulations!

Offline Beeboy01

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Re: Beekeeping brings me so much joy and so much misery
« Reply #8 on: July 30, 2021, 10:55:42 am »
I get what could only be called a grim satisfaction out of bee keeping. After 25 years of bee keeping I've found taking the bad with the good is just part of the hobby. I met my goals this year and doubled my hives from three to six but now am looking at a larger honey crop than I'm used to and extracting in the Florida summer heat. The weather man is calling for a 105 degree heat index all next week. Why do I do it? It's a challenge, keeps me entertained and I have a love of honey and working my hives.

Offline FloridaGardener

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Re: Beekeeping brings me so much joy and so much misery
« Reply #9 on: July 30, 2021, 12:02:34 pm »
Working in Florida heat...
Yep, I have to get up at dawn/6 am to work a big hive.  By 9 am it's too hot/bright.

I picked up a used freezer for the garage.  Saved many a nuc by freezing frames with SHB eggs that got a 3" toehold in a frame. 

When the honey frames come out, they go in that freezer for 48 hrs.  That means I get to rest another 2 days.  Some frames I have in tubs this year, had a good crop and not enough comb-honey boxes...waiting for more. 
I'm sorry for you folks who have extractors, I tried a friend's once...I agree it's a slog.  Cut comb is so much easier!

PS - The chest freezer doesn't seem to cost much to run. We've kept an eye on the utility bills since we got it.  Doesn't seem to make any diff.

Offline paus

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Re: Beekeeping brings me so much joy and so much misery
« Reply #10 on: July 30, 2021, 03:18:37 pm »
I have a freezer for everything that comes out of a hive for 72 hours at least if I have room then 48 is the rule.  I have a walkin freezer on my wish list, Probably like all my wife's cook books " It ain"t gonna happen".

Offline Ben Framed

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Re: Beekeeping brings me so much joy and so much misery
« Reply #11 on: July 30, 2021, 03:41:10 pm »
I have a freezer for everything that comes out of a hive for 72 hours at least if I have room then 48 is the rule.  I have a walkin freezer on my wish list, Probably like all my wife's cook books " It ain"t gonna happen".

I recently bought a small chest size freezer for this dedicated purpose. It is a 7 cf.  It holds 11 frames across X 3 and six to  7 on the side. A total of about 40. I really like it...

The most unique set up I have seen comes from Ian Steppler. He has a dedicated Refrigerated Reefer trailer "18 wheeler type" for storing his comb. Outstanding idea for his large commercial set up.....
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Beekeeping brings me so much joy and so much misery
« Reply #12 on: July 30, 2021, 05:14:50 pm »
Quote,
Have some of y?all that have been doing this for longer than 3-5 years had days you want to quit?

2 years ago I lost 12 of 13 hives due to ant poison. This was late fall when the hives should have been going gang busters on golden rod. I was really frustrated because this meant that I would only have 3 hives ready for BeeFest. I was expecting to have 15 hives for the event. Trust me I thought about quitting but it didn?t last very long.
Jim Altmiller
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Brian MCquilkin

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Re: Beekeeping brings me so much joy and so much misery
« Reply #13 on: July 30, 2021, 07:39:41 pm »
Quote,
Have some of y?all that have been doing this for longer than 3-5 years had days you want to quit?

2 years ago I lost 12 of 13 hives due to ant poison. This was late fall when the hives should have been going gang busters on golden rod. I was really frustrated because this meant that I would only have 3 hives ready for BeeFest. I was expecting to have 15 hives for the event. Trust me I thought about quitting but it didn?t last very long.
Jim Altmiller
I have had some very hot hives just couldn't work them. Ran over 2 hives with the truck, trees fall and destroy hives, 24 stings to the head, been stung in a private area :shocked: horses destroyed hives, spring, summer and winter losses just to name a few things. But never thought about giving up.
« Last Edit: July 30, 2021, 08:53:31 pm by Ben Framed »
Despite my efforts the bees are doing great

Offline Beeboy01

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Re: Beekeeping brings me so much joy and so much misery
« Reply #14 on: July 30, 2021, 08:06:28 pm »
In a nutshell " IT TOOK ME TOO LONG TO GET HERE TO QUIT" but yeah it's crossed my mind. LOL

Offline BurleyBee

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Re: Beekeeping brings me so much joy and so much misery
« Reply #15 on: July 30, 2021, 09:14:35 pm »
In a nutshell " IT TOOK ME TOO LONG TO GET HERE TO QUIT" but yeah it's crossed my mind. LOL

This is the normal thinking I have!
@burleybeeyard

Offline rast

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Re: Beekeeping brings me so much joy and so much misery
« Reply #16 on: July 30, 2021, 11:04:55 pm »
I tried to quit, didn't work. But did downsize.
Fools argue; wise men discuss.
    --Paramahansa Yogananda

Offline rothbart

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Re: Beekeeping brings me so much joy and so much misery
« Reply #17 on: July 31, 2021, 02:19:52 pm »
Have some of y?all that have been doing this for longer than 3-5 years had days you want to quit?

My fifth year and too little honey this year again (Bad weather).
Will I quit? Never. I learned so much this year, on my mistakes.
Doing nucs too early.. robbing.. Left frame out of hive.. robbing.
Eggs didn't hatch on time (Nicot).. got just one cell out of 20 first round.
Starving loses on out-apiary this winter.. will not happen again.
You grow with your bees, on mistakes.
I learned so much theory, I can't even speak with local beekeepers anymore.
I designed my own hive too, and am aiming for 250 colonies (Sue Cobey lesson)
Quitting is not an option. Local queens and bees is only way to go.
C'mon people, you have all info you need just by learning from Mike Palmer.
Fantastic teacher. (Ok maybe not amitraz part, but the rest is perfect).



Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: Beekeeping brings me so much joy and so much misery
« Reply #18 on: July 31, 2021, 06:57:37 pm »
Want to quit?

Nah, no way.  Even though I can only do 1/2 of what little I used to do, even though I consider myself a half crippled old fert, even though I cannot lift a hive body, even though I have a crushed vertebrae (wedged disc) in my back, even though I am held together with titanium screws in my bones, oh well, just gotta laugh and keep plugging away.  I am Blessed!  Humor is intended, its ok to laugh at my condition.   Had been around bees since birth, 1950's and I would not know how to cope without my lil buddies I see every nice day.  Bees and Van go together very well, perfect fit, I tell ya.

Now, relating to grafting:  grafting improves with each attempt.  Little things are adjusted that make big improvements in percent success rate.  Such as (my previous errors improved) placing larva holder next to the larva to be grafted, rejecting larva that you bumped or rolled.  Each graft reveals your ability to improve providing you pay attention to detail.  You will get better.

Van
« Last Edit: August 02, 2021, 11:39:12 am by van from Arkansas »
I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Offline brolib

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Re: Beekeeping brings me so much joy and so much misery
« Reply #19 on: August 01, 2021, 03:17:05 pm »
I wouldn't like to say I enjoy hearing about other beekeepers problems, but it is reassuring that I'm not the only one who couldn't make a "success video". Enjoy watching them for their instructional value, but they can give unrealistic expectations. I've not had some of the problems that y'all have had. My mistakes are mostly bad beehive management or absentmindedness. For instance, I just pulled some honey from my backyard apiary. Forgot to finish zipping last couple of inches in front and around hood. Started pulling frames and, of course, the girls found the openings right away. I headed for the brush to lose the hangers on and empty my hood of bees. Only got 3-4 hits on the head. Could have been worse.
On a brighter note, my 3rd attempt at grafting was successful! By my standards, anyway. 9 out of 16 cups are being drawn out. I plan to us Jester nuc boxes for mating nucs since I don't have anything better to use at this time.

 

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