A newbie Beek and her adventures

[me&thegals]

Thanks for giving me a much-needed laugh out loud at the *MAJOR YAWN*! This is exactly how I would describe our meeting. It was the slowest paced thing based on Robert's Rules of Order that I have ever, ever seen. I'm not an MTV gal--no TV, no constant media--so I think I actually have an attention span. Yet, after leaving my meeting, all I could think was that I had actually given up 2 HOURS of my life for utter, stultifying dullness when I could have been online learning loads about bees!

Okay, my own rant is over. I hope your meetings get better.

As for laughing family members, huh? I don't *get* people laughing at other people's hobbies. What part of it amuses them? It will be so cool when you pull out your first amazing honey. Who will be laughing then?

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Funny you should mentions "Robert's Rules of Order" because that came up! LMAO! They went on about whether the President could vote on issues or not, or if that was just to break ties, yaddyaddyadda.

I was sitting there thinking. Really? You want me to pay you $25, to sit here and listen to ya'll argue about "order". I came to talk about bees!! All through the arguing, I avoided Adam's eye contact, I felt sooo bad for asking him to come with me and then all this. LOL

The group is starting up a mentor program. One of the members lives near me, within a couple of minutes, and he expressed interest in my animals. Maybe he'll sign on for the mentor program and he can be my mentor.

They also began to talk about the NC State Spring beek's meeting, which amazingly enough will be happening just 30 minutes from us. I was assured by everyone that if I went to anything, it should be that. The president was friendly, the person who invited me initially and then the second time via email when I contacted the group, he actually apologized a couple of times for the "business" stuff. Said there's been people who want to run the group with more slack or however they want, and he's trying to bring organization to it.

The group does have a community extractor, a hand crank, and then the gentleman that lives practically behind me, bragged and joked that he was "special" because his was electric. LOL

Dave, that offer is VERY tempting! Don't you want to move to VA? Huh, dad? You know you wanna..

 

[keljonma]

Our experience was nothing like yours. Our beek club has anywhere from 18 to 45 members that attend meetings regularly. TR and I are two of those. When we have our big annual meeting in the spring, there are about 150 who show up.

Dues for a couple in the Ashtabula County Ohio Beekeepers Association.... $6

We just had our meeting last Saturday. The bee inspector was there to report and we had a demonstration on installing foundation....3 people presented and each had a different style.

We have many older members. I think our oldest member is 89 and he has been a beek since he was 10. There is also a woman who has been a beek for almost 50 years. That is a lot of years of beek experience and I have found they are often the most open-minded and willing to share about how something can be done.

 

[reinbeau]

Our club charges $18 per family, and every membership is a family membership. Our state organization is separate, that's $15.00 a year and well worth joining, their programs are great.

I know what you mean about business meetings, they are a drag, and no doubt there's long-term issues simmering in the background between old beeks, they're a very opinionated lot!

We're trying to get our bee school changed so it makes more sense, but we're up against the old guard - our meeting is tonight, there will be some 'words' there, I'll bet. Bee school is $45, that includes your first year membership.

Our club has a huge range of ages, many old folks, but many late 20's early 30's, too. We have two extractors, this Saturday is the last extraction day of the season. We're fortunate, we have a building that the county doesn't use, yet keeps open, so we've got plenty of room for various projects, school, etc.

 

[me&thegals]

All through the arguing, I avoided Adam's eye contact, I felt sooo bad for asking him to come with me and then all this.

Yeesh--Are you sure we weren't at the same meeting??? Except, I know that's not the case as we also were by far the youngest. I love old folks-no problem there. One guy, though, slept the entire meeting unless he was needed for a vote, then he popped up, said "aye" or "nay" and then nodded back off to sleep. It turned out he had been VP of the association for the past 5 years and hadn't even known it!

Yes, I too was so, so sorry for dragging my husband there. I promised him I would never request that again And we had gotten babysitters for our kids!! We, who almost never get to go out this time of year!!

The first time I went, I got cornered (no husband along that time) by everyone who was dying for a fresh ear for old stories, to oooh and aaahh over hunting pictures, be impressed with incredible honey crops, etc. It was really pretty funny.

 

[me&thegals]

I feel like I'm being too harsh. They are a REALLY nice group of people. However, they all know each other and aren't so great about welcoming newcomers, so you have to work hard to meet anybody or talk to anyone.

I think it would be cool to have less business and a lot more talking or other form of education going on.

Based on a few conversations, it seems like there are some different schools of thought in the group and people staying on top of bee info. Maybe I need to hang in there long enough until I become part of the group and people start talking to me about bees Or maybe they think my husband is the guy who keeps the bees...

So, wolf-kim--that's neat that you might have a mentor and access to an extractor!

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I will most likely be joining the group. Many of the people are super friendly and helpful, I'll just have to stick it through the business part like the rest of them.

They talked about the mentorship and the whether one member was going to have his usual beeschool. He said yes, so both Adam and I are interested in attending that.

-Kim

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Well, we were heading home from school yesterday, stopped at my old teacher's house. Her son had started a beekeeping business.

He invited me to the Hoke county beekeeper's and when I told him about the Cumberland county, he laughed and said "yeah, I've heard a lot about that, a couple of our members have transfered from their group". Well, turned out their meeting was yesterday at 6PM, we had stopped in for a visit at 5:30. Talk about coincidence!

Adam didn't want to go to another meeting, so he headed home and I bummed a ride with Dustin. It was sooo much better. It was like the "good ol' boys" bee club. LOL The first 15 minutes waiting for the president, were spent exchanging homemade wine recipes, talking about moonshine, and homemade hard apple cider. LOL

This group was MUCH better, I'll be joining this group. It was 12 people who sat at two different tables facing eachother, laughing and joking and snickering all throughout the meeting. They are starting a county apiary that way they have a public place to teach their students, as well as starting a mentor program. I'm so excited! Next meeting is November 12, it's the family dinner meeting.

 

[big brown horse]

That actually sounds like a lot of fun!! Glad you stumbled onto such a great group!

 

[Beekissed]

Sounds like fun! Wish we had one locally.... :/

Hey, anyone catch the article in MEN about top bar hives? I really, really like the looks of them and the more natural formation of comb. Anyone on here currently or ever used a top bar hive and have any opinions or suggestions?