Author Topic: few beekeepers under 50 (Read 33095 times)

thegolfpsycho · « **Reply #80 on:** February 08, 2008, 10:39:48 pm »

Apitherapy works for diabetes? I've heard many stories and more than a few whoppers over the years, but that's a first. I've had scheduled tests performed many times at various lengths of time after being stung. Sometimes just the "normal" couple stings in a week, but occasionally massive numbers of stings. My doctor knows I keep bees. I originally told him because the interaction of bee venom and certain beta blockers can intensify their effects significantly. Not once has he recommended a regiment of stings to help with insulin production, to keep the sugar levels in check, or as a quick way to build up sugar levels when they have dropped so low that coma is immenent. Not even the offhanded remark about things sure looking good or improving because of the bee stings. With that in mind, the next time I appear disoriented, having muscle control or speech problems....... bring me some orange juice or a soda. Skip the bee sting. I've had plenty thank you.

Bee-Bop · « **Reply #81 on:** February 08, 2008, 10:53:15 pm »

I'm 67 just a 2 hiver, used to have a 2 holer but thats a different story :roll:

Bee-Bop

reinbeau · « **Reply #82 on:** February 08, 2008, 11:03:44 pm »

Back in the early 90's my father kept bees. He had two hives, I think. All I know is the honey was absolutely wonderful, I had a gallon of it and it lasted for quite a bit. I wanted to try to keep bees, too, but my husband at that time had no interest, so it didn't happen. Then I met my new and improved husband :), and we were walking through the Marshfield Fair, when he saw the bee club display and said he'd always wanted to keep bees! I was thrilled! That was in 2005. In January of 2006 we started bee school, got our first packages that spring and went from there. This spring we'll have a total of ten hives in our three locations. Oh yea, we started at 49 (me) and 47 (hubby).

pttom · « **Reply #83 on:** February 08, 2008, 11:05:27 pm »

63 and 15 hives

Brian D. Bray · « **Reply #84 on:** February 09, 2008, 12:17:38 am »

Quote from: thegolfpsycho on February 08, 2008, 10:39:48 pm

Apitherapy works for diabetes? I've heard many stories and more than a few whoppers over the years, but that's a first. I've had scheduled tests performed many times at various lengths of time after being stung. Sometimes just the "normal" couple stings in a week, but occasionally massive numbers of stings. My doctor knows I keep bees. I originally told him because the interaction of bee venom and certain beta blockers can intensify their effects significantly. Not once has he recommended a regiment of stings to help with insulin production, to keep the sugar levels in check, or as a quick way to build up sugar levels when they have dropped so low that coma is immenent. Not even the offhanded remark about things sure looking good or improving because of the bee stings. With that in mind, the next time I appear disoriented, having muscle control or speech problems....... bring me some orange juice or a soda. Skip the bee sting. I've had plenty thank you.

Google Apitherapy and look for a Doctor who lives on whidbey Island, Washington, I think his name is Weeks or Meeks--he has been advocating Apitherapy for over a decade and has a very good site. I have diabetes and I have less problems with it during the warmer months when I'm working my bees, getting stung, and eating honey and pollen.

heaflaw · « **Reply #85 on:** February 09, 2008, 12:45:30 am »

My father, grandfather & greatgrandfather all kept bees here on my farm. I have a copy of ABC's of Beekeeping from 1908 that was supposed to have been my greatgrandfathers. My grandfather made some of the woodenware I use (he passed away in 1956). I took apart an outer cover last year because the wooden part was deteriorating and I wanted to reuse the tin. Between the tin and wood was a newspaper I assumed was used for insulation from the 1920's(still legible).

My sister and I helped my Dad when we were young, but I wasn't really that interested then. After my Dad passed away I moved back to the farm. My aunt and I went in together to buy 2 hives and I built up from there. If you had known my aunt, her starting beekeeping at age 82 would have made perfect sense.

I'm 52 now and beekeeping has to be the most interesting hobby in the world. Part science and part art. Always a challenge-always something new to learn. Very rewarding. It's very time consuming during spring and summer and I really don't have the time but I just can't seem to be able to give it up. I sell some honey to a local health food store but I end up giving most of it away to family, friends and coworkers.
Sometimes when I tell someone I have 15 bee hives and open up hives and take honey out of them and get stung and cut swarms out of trees, etc people look at me like I'm a fool, but they just don't understand. Life is about more than money, prestige and the modern niceties.

Ronnie Elliott · « **Reply #86 on:** February 09, 2008, 02:43:00 am »

:)I had an architect friend call me one day in the summer of 1989 and asked me if I still wanted to become a farmer, I said yes of course, loving working in the outdoors. He told me a friend of his sent him a complete beehive starter kit, and a 3 pound package of bees that needed to be picked up at the local post office. It came with a veil, gloves, smoker etc. I went picked them up, followed the instructions, and hived the bees. I was scared to death of being stung. Well that's how it all started. I will be 60 this comming August 24, and am having a great time with raising feral bees. I do have 5-Minnisoto Hyginic Nukes comming in late April. I have to pick up 2-cut outs planned when the spring flowers start blooming. This is a wonderful hobby. Thanks to all of you for being my mentor.

johnnybigfish · « **Reply #87 on:** February 09, 2008, 10:03:23 am »

Hey Bee bop!
By the looks of that bee in your avatar Its no surprise your only working 2 hives!!!
Did you make that picture?
your friend,
john

Bee-Bop · « **Reply #88 on:** February 09, 2008, 11:15:34 am »

johnnybigfish

This was the runt of the "litter" , you know I'm sure, {being from Tx.} how easy it is to get attached to the smallest critter of the herd ;)

Bee-Bop

Cindi · « **Reply #89 on:** February 09, 2008, 11:40:15 am »

Ooooh, I love this thread. Reading about each of our experiences with the bees, how we began this love of our lives, the spell of the honeybee......that is so true. We are captive, they hold us in the depths of their lives....

Heaflaw, that was such a neat story of your dear Auntie, starting the beekeeping at the beautiful age of 82. What a woman, I take my hat off to her, and wish I could have met this fine lady. Have the most beautiful and wonderful day, love our lives we live. Cindi

Sean Kelly · « **Reply #90 on:** February 12, 2008, 06:31:39 am »

Bee-Bop, that avitar is freakin great!!! I'd hate to see the honey supers you have to pull from those bees. You'd need a crane! And you'd have to use a steam locomotive as a smoker!

lol

Sean Kelly

indypartridge · « **Reply #91 on:** February 12, 2008, 08:30:22 am »

I started beekeeping as a result of Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House in the Big Woods". A few years ago, while homeschooling our kids, we used a curriculum that was based on the "Little House" books. In"Little House in the Big Woods" there's a chapter: "Pa and bee tree". So we had a unit study on bees, and I took a day off work and we all went down and toured Hunter's Honey Farm and learned about beekeeping (http://www.huntershoneyfarm.com/).

A year or so later we moved out of the city to our cabin in the woods. My kids got horses, and I got bees! I took a class in Jan 2005 and got my bees that spring. Oh, and I'm under 50 - I'm 48.

BMAC · « **Reply #92 on:** February 12, 2008, 09:07:42 am »

Quote from: Brian D. Bray on February 06, 2008, 06:27:10 pm

Quote from: BMAC on February 05, 2008, 10:17:15 am

He is used to be pricked anyway. Poor lad has type 1 diabetes and has to shoot up insulin 3-4 times per day.

Apitherapy works for that too.

I hinted he should try apitherapy.. I didnt get a good reply from him.

Bigeddie · « **Reply #93 on:** February 21, 2008, 01:52:01 am »

I was born in 46. When Iwas very small Pa bought a forty at the end of a dead end road but the road ended 1/4 mile before the forty. As he was chopping a road out thru the woods he came upon a swarm in a tree,he captured them in a dynamite box,and kept bees for several years after that. I got out of the army in 67 ,got hitched,got kids,moved back to that forty Pa carved out of the woods and have had bees on and off since. I could not get the picture of those hives when I was little out of my head.

Eddie

babyphatt455 · « **Reply #94 on:** February 21, 2008, 02:08:54 am »

I am only 17 years old and I have a hive and plan on getting several more in the future.
Me and my boyfriend started last year because he sparked an interest in bees and the hive.
So we did alot of reading and we were fascinated by how smart bees are.

But I do agree that not many young people seem to pick this up as a hobby.
Which is why many of you older folks should pass your knowledge down to your kids and grandkids so that the future of the honeybee lives on.

beekeeperookie · « **Reply #95 on:** February 21, 2008, 11:10:16 am »

I had an interest in bees when a friend of mind had some on his farm, that was when i was 17 years old. Got my first two hives last year at the age of 26

Ericnwicklow · « **Reply #96 on:** February 21, 2008, 04:02:42 pm »

Tillie

Daughter 17months seen bees outside the front door for the first time this year still chilly here ,and the girls were greated with a shout of Beeee,s just like your grandson ,how sweet is that.

Troutsqueezer · « **Reply #97 on:** February 21, 2008, 07:16:45 pm »

I'm 57. Five years ago I was "outstanding in my field" looking up at one of my blossoming cherry trees and noticed there were no bees flitting from flower to flower. Now, I LOVE cherries and became concerned that I might not have a crop that year. I walked around the "ranch" looking at everything that was in bloom to see if there were honey bees about. My wife is a horticulturist and has some pretty large gardens so there were a lot of places to look. I saw a few mason bees but didn't spot one honey bee. I thought then it might not be a bad idea to raise my own bees. There was lots of news at that time too about the advent of the Varroa mite and how it might decimate the bee population (you know the news media, always gives you that doomsday scenario) so it occurred to me I could help perpetuate the honey bee at the same time.

Now the bees are my friends. There's one I'm especially close to, I call her Harriet. She's a hard worker, foraging all the time. I look for her everytime I open hive number four. :)

Cindi · « **Reply #98 on:** February 22, 2008, 10:37:16 am »

Troutsqueezer. Now that is cool that you have befriended that bee called Harriet. Good for you, and hee, hee, smiling. So awesome that your Wife is a horticulturist, nice......Have a wonderful and beautiful day, love our life. Cindi

Eshu · « **Reply #99 on:** February 22, 2008, 01:52:23 pm »

I started last year at 33. If I knew then what I know now - I would have started earlier. A couple years ago I took a beekeeping course at the U. of Minnesota just to see if it was something I would want to do. The class was made up of about 90 people, probably a little more than half were under 50 and about a quarter were under 40.