Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

MEMBER BULLETIN BOARD => MEMBER'S WEBPAGES, BLOGS & FORUMS => Topic started by: tillie on January 21, 2011, 01:04:15 am

Title: Long running blog
Post by: tillie on January 21, 2011, 01:04:15 am
I just noticed as I posted tonight that I have now posted 800 times on my blog - wow, that overwhelms me a little. 

And so far I don't think it has been too repetitive. 

I sure have fun with it and people come to it from all over the world.  Over half a million visitors have come to the blog since I started it in 2006.  FWIW, I'm having a great time with it still.

Thanks to all of you who have supported it and me.

Linda T in Atlanta
Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: annette on January 21, 2011, 01:18:32 am
Wow, that's a lot of typing. You know Linda how I feel about you and your blog. I check it every day - part of my routine. I can't thank you enough for the help I have received from reading and watching the video's.

I am very happy for your new venture into the honey business. I truly wish you all the luck in the world getting this business started and also being successful.

You are the best Linda and I appreciate the efforts you have made keeping up the blog. I have noticed that many people start blogging, but stop along the way.

Thanks again and keep up the wonderful work

Sincerely
Annette
Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: buzzbee on January 21, 2011, 09:09:21 pm
Linda ,that is just awesome!!
 How did the recovery go after the floods of 09. Do you still need any help?
Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: tillie on January 22, 2011, 12:00:27 am
We had so many wonderful offers of help.  We got new bees and donated equipment and set forth again.  People even offered bees, but the Ga law will not allow us to take bees across the state line unless through a licensed shipper, but that so many people cared really made us feel like part of a wonderful beekeeping community.

We relocated the apiary up higher - not as accessible as an educational opportunity but safer for the bees. 

We know we lost one Blue Heron hive (where the flood was) going into this winter and after the terrible cold and ice over the last week and the week of Christmas, I'm scared we may have lost the other one, but we are survivors and Julia (my beek buddy there) and I will simply start again next year.  It's a wonderful location for teaching and exposure of the public to beekeeping, so we'll keep it up.

Thanks for asking - I update about it in the blog all the time.

Linda T
Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: fat/beeman on January 24, 2011, 11:06:51 pm
tillie
got me blocked from her blog,I ramble too much I guess. :-D :roll:
Don

she buys lot of bees from me,I must not be too bad. :evil:
Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: Kathyp on January 24, 2011, 11:10:28 pm
your blog is great.  i don't know if you have noticed, but people are referred to it all the time.  you crush and strain video is still on the greatest hits list  :)
Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: tillie on January 24, 2011, 11:22:46 pm
Don, you are not blocked from my blog - I've never blocked anyone and certainly not you....you are one of my beekeeping heroes!

Linda
Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: VolunteerK9 on January 25, 2011, 10:50:35 am
Your blog is one of the first bee sites that I read religiously when I started out last year. A darned good website with good local information. Keep it up.
Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: fat/beeman on January 25, 2011, 10:51:19 am
I was kidding
Don :-D
Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: Honeytree on March 05, 2011, 02:28:42 pm
I hadn't put two and two together that the Linda of Linda T's blog was tillie here; many, many, many thanks, Linda/tillie, for all that you've offered to the world! Does that sound like an overstatement? I don't think it is! I was like a kid in a candy store finding your blog (which is, I think, the third hit you get with "beekeeping blog" in Google, a testament to its popularity), and I couldn't believe how much amazing information was there, written as plain as day and with beautiful pictures to boot, for anyone in the world to see, learn from, and apply to their own lives and ecosystems.

Also, some of the folks at my short course last weekend poo-poo'ed organic methods. I was so thankful to have your words and pictures in my mind to know that going without chemicals not only can be done, but can be done so kindly, effectively, and beautifully.

Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: Kathyp on March 05, 2011, 02:32:36 pm
it is excellent.  very few people can learn, apply what they have learned, and teach, as well as Linda T  :-D
Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: tillie on March 05, 2011, 05:08:12 pm
I am honored.....thanks for the kinds words and positive support.


Linda T in Atlanta
Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: amyleighhoney on April 06, 2011, 07:30:24 am
Awesome blog Linda - worth joining this forum just to check it out.

I look forward to the next 800 posts ;)
Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: tillie on April 17, 2011, 12:25:27 pm
April 15 marked the beginning of my sixth year of keeping my blog - 844 posts, over 1000 subscribers via RSS and Blogger following.  I now send my posts out via Twitter every time I post (moving into the modern world!)  Visitors have come from over 6700 places including 176 countries and I get about 800-1000 hits a day during bee season.

You all have been such great sources of information and help.  I appreciate the great resource that this forum is.

Thanks for the long lasting support,

Linda T in Atlanta
Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: annette on April 17, 2011, 02:00:18 pm
I am mentoring a couple of beekeepers this year and one of the first things I tell them is to read as much as possible on your blog.
This is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in becoming a beekeeper and also for people who need advice on a particular subject. The videos say more than words and have helped me in many situations.

Thanks for keeping it going

Sincerely
Annette
Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: marjon9 on April 24, 2011, 08:15:20 pm
I'm glad to find your blog and looking forward to catching up on 800 posts!
Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: Mshel on April 24, 2011, 08:39:08 pm
Nice blog w/lots of info.
Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: tillie on April 24, 2011, 09:26:05 pm
Thanks so much - it's comments like those that give me energy for doing it.  So I really appreciate it!

Linda T in Atlanta
Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: Solon4aqi on May 26, 2011, 08:26:52 am
Thanks for posting that. It was a good educated guess on your part :)
Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: Larry Bees on May 26, 2011, 10:00:49 am
This blog will be good for me and for all beginners. I bookmarked your site and I'm sure that I will go there often. Thanks, Larry
Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: gerryt on June 21, 2011, 12:29:55 pm
Can I just say that I have spent the last couple of weeks reading your blog from the beginning Linda?!  And I've really enjoyed it.  I've followed your successes and your difficulties and can really relate (I started keeping bees here in Scotland in 2004).  I think it's a credit to you that you've documented it all and not held back even when you feel you've made a mistake.

One thing I've noticed that I find a bit confusing is that over the years you haven't mentioned much about swarm control.  Maybe it's a cultural thing, I don't know, but most of our summer inspections here in Britain are directed towards avoiding losing a swarm.  Maybe I've misread but swarms seem to go missing from people's hives in Georgia pretty regularly!  Hope you don't think I'm criticising - I'm just interested.

In any case thanks for all your efforts and keep it going!

(Now I'm in long-running blog withdrawal - can anyone suggest a blog for me to read as good as Linda's?)

Gerry
Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: tillie on June 22, 2011, 12:28:42 am
Gosh, I'm honored that you spent so much time with my blog.  It has been a lot of fun and continues to be.

You're right - I don't mention swarm control.  I guess because the first two years I was focused on having a hive survive to year two.  After that I've tried to make sure the bees have plenty of room, using checkerboarding for the last two years, but I don't pay as much attention as I should.  I had weak hives at the beginning of the last few years and wasn't worried about their swarming - just was worried that they wouldn't build up enough to survive the year.

We had a drought in Georgia for the last two years and that helped with swarming also because there wasn't any forage and the bees didn't thrive.  This year has been a stellar year in my beekeeping, but I started all over this year with new hives except for my hive at Blue Heron and my top bar.  The top bar did swarm but I wasn't there to witness or do anything.  I split the Blue Heron hive but they had already swarmed. 

So I'll try to focus more on the swarm control and actually write about it next year!

Thanks for the kind attention and comments.

Linda T
Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: gerryt on June 22, 2011, 11:15:29 am
Thanks for the reply Linda.  I do hope you don't think I'm being critical because I love your blog and am full of admiration for you.

But the key thing for me re swarm control is making sure I keep my colonies strong throughout the summer to help with the honey crop and if they're strong going into Autumn and Winter I figure I have the best chance of them making it through to Spring.  Avoiding losing swarms helps with that I think. 

Having said that I am far from perfect and lost a swarm from my strongest colony (I have 5) earlier this month after I had checked them 4 days previously to find QCs charged only with eggs - not usually a cause for concern with swarming.  After they'd gone I went through the colony to find the queen had headed off leaving only two QCs charged with 2/3 day old larvae - so much for the bees reading the books which say a swarm won't leave till there is at least one sealed QC in the hive!  Never mind the bees always find a way to keep things interesting don't they?!

Gerry
Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: KD4MOJ on June 22, 2011, 02:23:36 pm
Good job on your blog Linda! I have perused your site many times, visiting the max melter and crush & Strain vids as well. keep up the good work... want to see 1000+ posts!

...DOUG
KD4MOJ
Title: Re: Long running blog
Post by: Honeytree on September 29, 2011, 11:43:17 am
YES! Those videos are terrific. I especially appreciate the tips on using the extra pan and the tea towels to not cover one's counter tops in honey. Maybe I should add a plastic cuttiing mat and a couple of pestles to my "New Beekeeper Equipment" thread!

Incidentally, Doug, I moved *away* from Tallahassee just two months ago after living there for ten years. North Florida is one of my favorite places in the world.