Author Topic: To everyone on the forums, I apologize (Read 5048 times)

VolunteerK9 · « **on:** October 21, 2009, 02:03:34 pm »

I haven't been a member on this site for long, but just long enough to ask a few questions as a beginner beek. I attended my first beekeeper club meeting last night and their was a guest speaker present that discussed overwintering hives. The gentleman knew what he was talking about, however couldn't speak for more than a few minutes at a time without being interrupted by the same guy with the same know-it-all responses. Then when he fielded the questions or comments, people asked the same questions over again just with different wording. My apologies for asking the same questions when I first signed on this website. If I had just taken the time to just sit back and 'listen' or simply do a search , I could have found where it had been discussed a thousand times before somewhere on the forums. No, I wasn't 'that guy' last night at the meeting and do not want to be that guy here either.

Kathyp · « **Reply #1 on:** October 21, 2009, 03:34:49 pm »

the difference is that here we have the choice to answer or not. we are not held captive by our audience :-D

i have learned that the more i learn, the less i know. if a new beekeeper asks a question that has been answered before, i don't mind. he/she will get 20 answers from 20 points of view, and chances are i'll learn something new also.

thanks for the apology, but if you get annoying, i'll be the first to let you know..... :evil:

Bee-Bop · « **Reply #2 on:** October 21, 2009, 03:48:02 pm »

:wierd:

Let me say, I don't believe you or anyone need to apologize for asking questions that are pertenet to your beekeeping.

I have upset a number of people on these inter-net forums by saying
" Go to your library and get a basic book on beekeeping, they have one or can get one on inter-library loan, Join your local bee club, find a mentor, use the SEARCH feature "

Good Luck in your beekeeping.

It appears to me today that a number of people want you do do the work for them, they would rather pick your brain then look it up them self.

Ok, let me have it !!
Moderater, sorry, delete this if you want.

Bee-Bop

BeeHopper · « **Reply #3 on:** October 21, 2009, 04:02:37 pm »

I don't know what you are apologizing for ' cause I was not there. :-D Anyways, I do not understand why some Beeks get into a fracas over beekeeping beyond Bee Biology, I've read somewhere that all Beekeeping is local, what works for one does not necessary work for another, yet there are basically an infinite number of ways to manipulate and manage bees successfully and unsuccessfully. I believe all Beginners ( I was once ) go through a difficult period trying to learn the scope of beekeeping because they ask different Beeks the same questions, but get different answers, once you gain some experience, you will finally settle on a style, if you will, that works for you and your bees ( they adapt better than us humans ). I am now finishing my fourth year and finally found my niche here in NJ. I read many books, and attended many meetings, had a few mentors and I am proud to mention that I have settled on a particular way of beekeeping that has worked very well for me and my bees are healthier for it, if you care to look at the bottom of my post, you will see some names of Beekeepers that I am grateful for, because it is their ways that I have adopted. :-D

So as a beginner, good luck and Happy Learning :-D

BH

hardwood · « **Reply #4 on:** October 21, 2009, 06:09:52 pm »

If you ask a question to 10 beekeepers you'll get 100 answers! It's that diversity that helps us all wend our own way. Ask as many questions as you can, weed through the answers, and you'll find what works best for YOU! Don't be afraid to experiment with your own bees a little to find your own path.

Scott

Mason · « **Reply #5 on:** October 21, 2009, 06:56:12 pm »

I read a book about beekeeping, decided I didn't have enough information, read another book, had even more questions, went to a bee school, really felt stupid when I left there, got some bees, then it was really blatant how ignorant I was, kept the through the summer and now feel more ignorant than ever.

As Pee Wee Herman said, some questions get answered and OTHERS SPRING UP.

Having fun

Rebel Rose Apiary · « **Reply #6 on:** October 21, 2009, 07:26:53 pm »

If all else fails and you still feel a bit on the dumb side of things...just remember....that bees have been taking care of themselves for the past 200 million years or so and we were not there taking care of them then! They pretty much know what needs to be done and if your bees are anything like mine, careful observation will let you know what to do.

Now I said that, I will go back to knitting some tiny bee clothes so my bees will not get cold this winter....now can someone tell me where to buy all of those tiny 'buttons' that bees can fasten? :evil:

Brenda

hardwood · « **Reply #7 on:** October 21, 2009, 07:37:21 pm »

Lucky bees! Mine just get little booties :-D

Scott

Joelel · « **Reply #8 on:** October 21, 2009, 07:52:33 pm »

Quote from: VolunteerK9 on October 21, 2009, 02:03:34 pm

I haven't been a member on this site for long, but just long enough to ask a few questions as a beginner beek. I attended my first beekeeper club meeting last night and their was a guest speaker present that discussed overwintering hives. The gentleman knew what he was talking about, however couldn't speak for more than a few minutes at a time without being interrupted by the same guy with the same know-it-all responses. Then when he fielded the questions or comments, people asked the same questions over again just with different wording. My apologies for asking the same questions when I first signed on this website. If I had just taken the time to just sit back and 'listen' or simply do a search , I could have found where it had been discussed a thousand times before somewhere on the forums. No, I wasn't 'that guy' last night at the meeting and do not want to be that guy here either.

No apologies needed, That's what this secton of forum is for. No matter how many books and meetings you go to there are still fine points it takes time to get and alot to learn. I ask and answer questions,some I answer I just learned not long ago myself. Never let anyone here know that you think you know anything though. I learned that real fast.

Mason · « **Reply #9 on:** October 21, 2009, 08:09:50 pm »

I "know" I need to know more.

Isn't that the real fun of beekeeping? The learning that is. I know some commercial guys that laugh at me sometimes when they find out what I have done or not done. It doesn't bother me. They have a completely different perspective than a hobby beekeeper. There insight is very useful but they too need to be taken with a grain of salt. These so called pros lose hives every day. On average 20% a year and they accept it as the cost of doing business. As a hobby beekeeper a 20% loss would be nearly 100% devastation. So I can't go exactly by what they do.

Here's the way I see it. The worst that can happen is my bees die or leave. I will maintain my knowledge or ignorance depending on your perspective and get more bees.

I ask questions all the time and get the usual 100 different answers. I try to use these different perspectives to come up with something that will work for me and roll it out. Sometimes it works and other times it doesn't. I feel fortunate my bees are still alive but ask me again in February. It's my first winter and I am a babe in the woods.

Tell me more about these booties.............

buzzbee · « **Reply #10 on:** October 21, 2009, 08:34:10 pm »

I think if everyone came here and just did a search,there would not be much exchange of ideas. The forum is about communicating with people of a common thread.(beekeeping)
It would become quite boring if questions were not asked and questions answered.We all were beginning beekeepers at one time or another,though some seem to forget that,so we are tolerant of new questions. Sometimes if the question comes with a different context then we can analyze it differently.No apology necessary.

hardwood · « **Reply #11 on:** October 21, 2009, 09:29:41 pm »

The booties are a cinch, it's getting them to hold still for that tiny branding iron that gives me trouble :-D

Scott

irekkin · « **Reply #12 on:** October 21, 2009, 09:46:32 pm »

i've heard it said that the only stupid question is the one you don't ask. :yippiechick:

Scadsobees · « **Reply #13 on:** October 22, 2009, 09:49:58 am »

No need to apologize. Don't be offended either at the sometimes terse response of some of us crusty old beeks. :brian:

We all did the same thing when we first started. After you've been around for a few years you'll see the same questions crop up, we all have had the same questions, asked them, and then also answered them.

The problem that you may run into, like Kathy said, is that we're all "experts" here (even when we say we need learn more) and we all have our opinions, and most of our opinions are 100% correct, even it if clashes with somebody elses opinion, often degrading into squabbling (I'm not guilty of that, I'm sure :roll:)

If some of us get tired of answering the same questions, then it is time for us to step away and let new people answer questions. This is a forum for interaction, not a library.

That being said, the search function is valuable if you have some time to go through old posts and get other opinions, get a feel for prevailing wisdom, double check current responses, etc.

R

jdpro5010 · « **Reply #14 on:** October 22, 2009, 11:12:10 am »

The only time you should have to apologize on this forum is if you tell someone how much you know and how everyone else is so foolish for not listening to you. As I was once told there is always more than one to skin a bee! :devilbanana:

lakeman · « **Reply #15 on:** October 23, 2009, 09:31:22 am »

Quote from: Bee-Bop on October 21, 2009, 03:48:02 pm

:wierd:

I have upset a number of people on these inter-net forums by saying
" Go to your library and get a basic book on beekeeping, they have one or can get one on inter-library loan, Join your local bee club, find a mentor, use the SEARCH feature "

It appears to me today that a number of people want you do do the work for them, they would rather pick your brain then look it up them self.

Ok, let me have it !!
Moderater, sorry, delete this if you want.

Bee-Bop

I am relatively new as a beekeeper, having just been into it since last spring. when I decided to get into beekeeping, the first thing I did was join the forum here, then I went to the library, and checked out every book I could find on beekeeping, enrolled in a local bee school, subsctibed to both bee culture, and bee journal, then I searched the (two forums) forums trying to find the best books for getting started, and purchased backyard beekeeping, and beekeeping for dummies. there still are a lot of questions I have not found answers to, and before I ask a question on the forums, I do make a search, and very often the searches do not answer my questions completely and/or satisfactorily. So then I will question the forum. It is disapointing when you get a smart ass answer, or are ignored. Possibly the reson our questions are ignored, is because the good samaritan that has the knowledge, and could answer our questions just do not want to go through the hassle of getting back a smart ass responce, and/or an argument.

Kathyp · « **Reply #16 on:** October 23, 2009, 10:36:14 am »

sometimes a question just gets missed, or everyone happens to be busy that day. if i miss a day or two on here chances are i'm not going to go all the way back through 3 pages of posts. on a really busy day, a post can end up way down the page.

nothing wrong with bringing it back to the forums attention BUT no one likes to be yelled at, or have an answer demanded of them.

lakeman · « **Reply #17 on:** October 23, 2009, 10:48:15 am »

Quote from: kathyp on October 23, 2009, 10:36:14 am

sometimes a question just gets missed, or everyone happens to be busy that day. if i miss a day or two on here chances are i'm not going to go all the way back through 3 pages of posts. on a really busy day, a post can end up way down the page.

nothing wrong with bringing it back to the forums attention BUT no one likes to be yelled at, or have an answer demanded of them.

The first move I make on bringing up the forum, click on "Show unread posts since last visit", and scan them to see if there is a post heading that interest me.

Cindi · « **Reply #18 on:** October 23, 2009, 11:43:00 am »

VolunteerK9. Oh dear, pleeeeeeze, no apologies required. There is nothing wrong with asking many questions, as KathyP said, the choice is to answer or not. Ask your questions, go right ahead, pleeeeeze. There was not need for any apology, you are among friends here, we are very patient, and you will see that.....You have been introduced below in the quote from a very wonderful forum member. She speaks her mind, let me tell you that. KathyP is known for her speaking of mind, which is a very cool thing, we all love her for that...she is that special gal, you will read and know that too. And below I quote part of her words to you, she would indeed be the first to take a knife with a dull blade and scrape the skin off you (alive), hee, hee, just kidding here -- this is something she said to another forum member a long time ago. Do have that wonderful day VolunteerK9 and don't worry so much, be happy!!! ;) :) :) :) AND...have that great day with health. Cindi

Quote from: kathyp on October 21, 2009, 03:34:49 pm

thanks for the apology, but if you get annoying, i'll be the first to let you know..... :evil:

TwoBigCats · « **Reply #19 on:** October 23, 2009, 02:38:21 pm »

Quote from: buzzbee on October 21, 2009, 08:34:10 pm

I think if everyone came here and just did a search,there would not be much exchange of ideas. The forum is about communicating with people of a common thread.(beekeeping)

It would become quite boring if questions were not asked and questions answered.We all were beginning beekeepers at one time or another,though some seem to forget that,so we are tolerant of new questions. Sometimes if the question comes with a different context then we can analyze it differently.No apology necessary.

excellent points!