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Poll

How old of a beekeeper are you?

Under 20 years old
1 (0.7%)
20-29 years old
12 (8.8%)
30-39 years old
27 (19.9%)
40-49 years old
47 (34.6%)
50-59 years old
35 (25.7%)
60-69 years old
12 (8.8%)
70-79 years old
2 (1.5%)
80-89 years old
0 (0%)
90 or over
0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 0

Voting closed: February 01, 2009, 06:05:04 pm

Author Topic: Average age of beekeepers here at Beemaster.com  (Read 9314 times)

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Average age of beekeepers here at Beemaster.com
« Reply #20 on: January 19, 2009, 04:59:35 pm »
Interesting results thus far.  Younger group than I thought it would be.       Now Brian Bray says he looks like his profile picture so he might tip the scales a bit if he responds to the poll   :lau:

I did respond to the poll, 60.  I do look like this:  :brian: including the beard and cane.  Ask Understudy, Cindi, or poka-bee.

I've been beekeeping for 50 years since I started when I was 10.  Most beekeepers I know who could also claim to have been doing it that long are either dead or in their 90's (1).
I think one of the reasons we tend to see such a rift in ages of beekeepers is due to a generation leap.  My greatgrandfather kept bees and my grandmother and my father helped him, but neither got involved in doing it alone.  Then I come along and bang, another beekeeper in the family. 
Right now I'm teaching my oldest daughter (29) but her kids are into it more that she is.  So the generation leap is the grandkids being taught by the grandparents or them getting into later in "memory" of a grandparent who was a beekeeper.  This puts the age of the majority of beekeepers into their late 30's to early 40's.  I would be interesting to change the poll above to reflect when someone began beekeeping along with their current age as a beekeeper.
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Offline Keith13

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Re: Average age of beekeepers here at Beemaster.com
« Reply #21 on: January 19, 2009, 05:17:32 pm »
I am in my 30's but I am teaching my niece who is 10 she is rabid about the information she can absorb from beekeeping. She loves the science of it. Although, I bet i lose her over the next few years she I'm sure like all girls other things will draw her interest. But I think once her life slows down she will return to the "hobby" but it may not be until she has started a family 20 30 years of age.
I'm not sure who said it earlier but I think alot of it has to do with available time this is a very demanding hobby not like golf or some other hobby you can pick up and put down as you choose. It has some definite time you must spend with your bees. And in that teen through 20 time in our lives we have a lot of demands on our time, which in turn leaves little time for the bees.

just my .02

Keith

Offline WhipCityBeeMan

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Re: Average age of beekeepers here at Beemaster.com
« Reply #22 on: January 19, 2009, 05:20:17 pm »
I agree with Brian Bray and Michael Bush.  The poll obviously is not scientific and I do think the information is skewed because the poll is on the internet which does attract a younger audience. Perhaps another poll at some point could address Brian's points about when people started beekeeping. 
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Offline Davepeg

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Re: Average age of beekeepers here at Beemaster.com
« Reply #23 on: January 19, 2009, 06:10:16 pm »
My husband started beekeeping just 3 years ago (he's now 52).  Something he always wanted to do so we decided to just go for it.  What I have found is that when you start to talk about the bees at work, a lot of folks are interested.  I have shared photos and honey with my co workers.  I think the more we can talk to others about the importance of beekeeping and what they can do to help the girls, the better we'll all be.  Next school year I hope to bring some bees to the local school to increase awareness.  I think having this forum is a great way to learn and get the word out.  If we all can encourage others to learn about the honeybees and maybe getting one young person involved, we'll be making progress.
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Offline steveouk

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Re: Average age of beekeepers here at Beemaster.com
« Reply #24 on: January 19, 2009, 09:16:35 pm »
I have never ever thought about beekeeping until two years ago. I am 41 and since taking up beekeeping i have had a lot of interest from people about beekeeping. I think people are changing there attitude towards healthier life styles and whats really important to them. I think CCD has actually got people talking about beekeeping and doing something else as well as people being more conscious about what they eat.

Offline Cindi

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Re: Average age of beekeepers here at Beemaster.com
« Reply #25 on: January 20, 2009, 01:00:09 pm »
I do look like this:  :brian: including the beard and cane.  Ask Understudy, Cindi, or poka-bee.


Ha, and you know what is even funnier Brian?  That little old man, (the smiley), shaking his finger is actually called "brian", that made me laugh when I saw it when I was quoting your quote, the figure didn't show up but this did : brian : (without the spaces).

Yes, Brian actually does look like that, I will attest to that, but......Brian D. Bray is much more handsome, and not quite as old looking, smiling  8-) ;) :) :) :).   Have a most wonderful, awesome life, day, attract and keep great health.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

 

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