I agree!
Having to sort through all the classified items from other places is just too much.
Just a request though. When the forum for the Aussies was set up, it was commented that this was a good thing. That advice from those such as myself was 6 months out of sync with the bee cycle in Australia. That getting advice from others experiencing the same conditions was a good thing. That somehow my information would be impertinent or less applicable to the conversation in hand since I was "out of season".
Yet, I am bombarded with having to read through many threads started by Aussie beekeepers outside the dedicated forum provided to them. It is wasting my time. Especially since I refuse to answer questions from some who devalue my answers because I live half way around the world.
I bet my inconvenience is a whole lot more than the inconvenience of someone reading through the classifieds.
So to be fair, can we have a dedicated forum for beekeepers in the U.S. ? Void of beekeepers asking questions that are 6 months out of sync from the current knowledge I am experiencing?
OZbee wants now another Aussie dedicated forum for classifieds. Yet, almost everyday, he is posting outside the Aussie forum that was set up to answer questions and let Aussies discuss among themselves.
Now before anyone gets all upset, I write this all in jest to make a point. Personally I think having breakout groups for different beekeepers is odd on a international forum. I know since it was suggested that my advice would not be something "up to date" due to the 6 month seasonal difference, I have never posted on the Aussie forum. And never plan too. I figured if answering a queen question in October would be seen as impertinent, then I best leave it alone.
How about the following forums...
One for females. Certainly this is self explainable.
One for beekeepers in SHB areas. Whether it be pollen patty feeding or nuc building, everything is relative to whether you have SHB's.
One for beekeepers in AHB areas. Again, management and advice is way different for those in AHB areas.
One separating northern and southern beekeeping in the U.S. I think having separate forums for smaller groups in the hundreds, would also mean that for the thousands of beekeepers in the U.S., and taking in the vast and broad beekeeping differences, would mean more forums breaking up the U.S. beekeepers.
Many times, advice is given across a broad spectrum and may or may not apply to the beekeeper asking questions. So if we narrowly defined each forum, and kept all the questions and answers in neat little boxes, then wasted time reading replies that do not matter would be kept to a minimum. How many times have you heard "Beekeeping is local" or that "advice from one place may not be applicable elsewhere"? We can just cut all that wasted commenting and advice down to nothing. Asking a question on winter feeding, then finding out that I am reading replies from some beekeeper in southern Florida, really blows! :roll:
And don't get me started on that whole group of people from "Hopelessly Lost"! I don't even know how many times I wasted my time reading a question, then upon thinking of my reply, found out that they are from Hopelessly Lost. Then I have to ask myself, is my answer going to be applicable? Should I give a wishy-washy response in general terms? Will it be taken the wrong way? Should I just hit "delete" and let others be frustrated? I'm not even sure where Hopeless Lost is located. Is it a cold weather or hot weather region? Is it from a southern hemisphere location making my advice unworthy? Can we at least get a forum dedicated to all the members from Hopelessly Lost? Now that would be a time saver. :-D
I do however want immunity to enter and enjoy the "female forum"..... :-D
There you go Oz. Maybe you can get some discussion now..... ;)