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Poll

What race are you? Male or Female?

White
89 (46.8%)
Black
1 (0.5%)
Hispanic or Latino
4 (2.1%)
Asian
0 (0%)
Middle Eastern
1 (0.5%)
American Indian or Alaska Native
6 (3.2%)
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
0 (0%)
Some other race
4 (2.1%)
Male
78 (41.1%)
Female
7 (3.7%)

Total Members Voted: 0

Author Topic: Beekeeper by race  (Read 7061 times)

Offline contactme_11

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Beekeeper by race
« on: March 01, 2010, 09:00:16 pm »
Yesterday I had a friend of mine, who happens to be an African-American (black) man ask if he could buy a package of bees from me this spring. He said it would be his first hive and was really excited. I was happy to let him know that I still had a couple available.
After he left I started thinking about it and up to this point I had never met a beekeeper who was not white. I realize that people keep bees all over the world, but in the U.S. (the melting pot of the world) I've never seen but one race keep bees. I live in an area that has many high populations in a variety of different races.
So out of shear curiosity I am starting a poll of the races on this site.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a prejudice person. I have friends of many different races and backgrounds. I have no bias whatsoever. If you do then you need not participate in this survey. This is not meant to be controversial. If you do want to participate then please state your race and sex. It is highly generalized because to state every race would take to long (for instance Polish, Irish, etc are all white, African, Haitian, etc are all black), if you want to post your actual exact race that is up to you. DO NOT MOCK OTHER RACES IN YOUR POSTS, KEEP IT CLEAN!

Offline Kathyp

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Re: Beekeeper by race
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2010, 09:14:11 pm »
you did not need the disclaimer.  i think it's an interesting question.
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline asprince

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Re: Beekeeper by race
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2010, 09:32:00 pm »
Great Poll! I have often wondered myself.

Steve
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Offline Jim134

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Re: Beekeeper by race
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2010, 10:35:37 pm »
Great poll


BEE HAPPY Jim 134  :)
   
"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may  remember,involve me and I'll understand"
        Chinese Proverb

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Offline harvey

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Re: Beekeeper by race
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2010, 11:01:24 pm »
I am sorry and mean no offense to anyone on here BUT!       I am an american,  I speak a bastard form of english and can't even tell you for sure what country my ancestors came from.  I was in the military for 12 years and was overseas three times.  I am not black or white or spanish or jew,  Just an American,  of which I believe I am getting close to being placed on the minority, endangered species list.    Again no offense,  just tired of trying to read the ingredients to something in spanish or being asked to marke dos on the phone. 

Offline Robo

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Re: Beekeeper by race
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2010, 11:11:52 pm »
you did not need the disclaimer. 

It is amazing what political correctness forces us to do.........
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Edison



Offline Kathyp

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Re: Beekeeper by race
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2010, 11:17:34 pm »
point taken harvey, but still an interesting question.  i did not know any female beekeepers until i got on here.
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline bee-nuts

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Re: Beekeeper by race
« Reply #7 on: March 01, 2010, 11:30:36 pm »
I never thought about that till I saw a black guy in a beek video on you tube or something.  Its a bit odd when you think about it. 
The moment a person forms a theory, his imagination sees in every object only the traits which favor that theory

Thomas Jefferson

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Beekeeper by race
« Reply #8 on: March 02, 2010, 12:25:15 am »
At beekeeping meetings, I have seen an occasional black person.  Any large one usually has one or two, but usually not more.  I know, personally several black beekeepers, but they are the minority it seems...
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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Offline Hemlock

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Re: Beekeeper by race
« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2010, 01:04:21 am »
Well for what it's worth the bee club im in is likely 80% male.  But the beginners class is just above 50% male.  Almost all white with one Hispanic guy.  (He's worked bees his whole life and has forgotten more about bees than I'll ever know about them)
Make Mead!

Offline bassman1977

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Re: Beekeeper by race
« Reply #10 on: March 02, 2010, 01:20:47 am »
It would be interesting to add a general location to this too.  Too late I guess but something to think about if the topic comes up again.
(\__/)
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Offline Gena

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Re: Beekeeper by race
« Reply #11 on: March 02, 2010, 02:02:00 am »
The guy who helped me get started is black.  he has over 600 hives - I guess I never thought about it.  good poll. Gena

Offline contactme_11

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Re: Beekeeper by race
« Reply #12 on: March 02, 2010, 07:53:00 am »
I am sorry and mean no offense to anyone on here BUT!       I am an american,  I speak a bastard form of english and can't even tell you for sure what country my ancestors came from.  I was in the military for 12 years and was overseas three times.  I am not black or white or spanish or jew,  Just an American,  of which I believe I am getting close to being placed on the minority, endangered species list.    Again no offense,  just tired of trying to read the ingredients to something in spanish or being asked to marke dos on the phone. 
When it asks on forms, like at the hospital, which box do you check? The great majority of Americans fall into 3 general categories, white, hispanic, or black. It does not mean that you are not American.

Offline Scadsobees

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Re: Beekeeper by race
« Reply #13 on: March 02, 2010, 08:41:03 am »
I think it probably has a lot to do with what segments of the population does what.  Beekeeping has a lot to do with farming, and for example, in my area as far as I can tell, the farmers are mostly white, as are beekeepers.

I don't think it has anything to do with race, more to do with primary occupation, or at least the primary occupation of the area.
Rick

Offline gaucho10

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Re: Beekeeper by race
« Reply #14 on: March 02, 2010, 09:06:41 am »
White, Hispanic male, Naturalized in the US with US citizenship.  Also Argentinian citizenship for life.  Trilingual with three different family costumes.  Came to US in June 1962.  I was born in Argentina out of Polish parents.  My uncles did have a farm back there and one of them did keep bees.  My Polish parents did come from a Polish farm but did not keep bees.  Their neighbors did!  When I got started in beekeeping back in 1979 my father got a real big kick out of it and joined-in every time I would "work" the bees.  He even stood next to me watching w/o a shirt while I was totally protected.  The bees would charge me but would not affect him at all.  I got interested in bees out of pure interest and nothing to do with family background.
My favorite comedy program used to be Glenn Beck--The only thing is that after I heard the same joke over and over again it became BOOOORING.....

People who have inspired me throughout my life---Pee-wee Herman, Adolph Hitler, George W. Bush, Glenn Beck.
Notice I did not say they were people who I admire !!!

Offline Two Bees

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Re: Beekeeper by race
« Reply #15 on: March 02, 2010, 09:09:56 am »
Good point!

In my local club, we have about 150-175 active members and only about 2-3 are black.  Interesting thing though, our local association has about 40% women as members and a lot of the local university researchers are women.  Makes for an interesting meeting!   :)
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Offline Eshu

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Re: Beekeeper by race
« Reply #16 on: March 02, 2010, 01:11:22 pm »
Our local beekeeping club is a bit unusual.  The membership seems about 60% female and about 90%+ top-bar hive only beekeepers. 

Offline wd

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Re: Beekeeper by race
« Reply #17 on: March 02, 2010, 01:34:33 pm »
The closest club appears to be roughly a 2.5 hour drive away. Therefore I don't participate in a club at this time. From those I see locally working in the field, there are white, hispanic or latino. Hispanic / Latino are usually hired help. I have often been mistakenly perceived by others to be hispanic or latino. For race, I consider myself an english speaking Heinz 57.

Offline iddee

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Re: Beekeeper by race
« Reply #18 on: March 02, 2010, 01:39:21 pm »
When I went to school, they taught us there were 3 races. Caucasian, Negroid, and Oriental. Who added all the other races you speak of? And when and why? And by what authority?

I am Caucasian with a dozen nationalities in my tree.
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Offline Grid

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Re: Beekeeper by race
« Reply #19 on: March 02, 2010, 01:48:13 pm »
To put this poll into context, we should consider where the people on the forum are from.  For example, we all talk about Kenyan and Tanzanian Top Bar Hives.  I would guess that in Kenya and Tanzania, black beekeepers are fairly common, whereas I would not expect to see many in say Norway.  :)

I have a friend from Zimbabwe who did some work for the UN for a while.  When Obama won in the States, she was with a bunch of her black American friends, who got really excited about the win.  Her response I thought was bang on - "Why are you so excited about a black president?!?  I see them all the time."

Grid.

 

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