Author Topic: Wouldn't you know...  (Read 2687 times)

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Offline JW_Halverson

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Wouldn't you know...
« on: August 02, 2014, 08:33:40 pm »
My beekeeping involves two partners, including the landowner where we keep the bees.  We all share in the costs and in the rewards.  Labor is "catch as catch can" and I tend to do a lot of the work.  I don't consider that a negative because it is so dad-gum interesting. 

We have caught 4 swarms this year, but one was so weak we just combined the 4th swarm with it. In all, seven hives.  We were hoping this year we would be collecting honey enough to recoup some of the infrastructure expenses, because so far it has been all going out and nothing coming in.  Instead, we ended up having to invest in a lot more infrastructure for the three new hives. 

So we have kicked the can down the road for several years and held off buying a honey extractor.  Just yesterday we all voted to buy the extractor and be done with it.  We argued out the finer points of three different units and finally arrived at which one we wanted.  When I went to order it today, it's backordered.  #2 on the list is also backordered.  #3, the most expensive was the only one available.  We bit the bullet.

Fifteen minutes later we get a call from a friend that found a used one for CHEAP! Too late to cancel the order, so we told the guy we'd take the used one, too.  With over 50 new hobby beekeepers in the area in the last year, we may be able to turn a little profit on the used one to take away some of the sting (pun intended).  Heck, we might even keep it and rent it out!
Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.

Offline JoJoDapyro

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Re: Wouldn't you know...
« Reply #1 on: August 02, 2014, 08:36:41 pm »
My grandpa kept bees when I was younger. When he moved to Death Valley he sold them all, and his extractor. The guy who bought his bees put them in a Honda Civic, and drove home with them in his car!
If you always do what you always did you'll always get what you always got.
27 inch draw, right handed. Bow building and Knapping.

Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Wouldn't you know...
« Reply #2 on: August 02, 2014, 08:56:18 pm »
I once drove half the night with six colonies (nucs) of bees in the backseat of a club cab pickup.  We had a few buzzing around in the cab, but no big deal.  When we got home, we just rolled down the windows and parked in the shade.  Next night we drove the bees to where the hives were going to be located and installed them.  No worries. 

Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.

Offline Zuma

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Re: Wouldn't you know...
« Reply #3 on: August 02, 2014, 10:44:16 pm »
It is sometimes difficult to appreciate bee keepers for me. LOL
I am allergic and perhaps 4-5 stings could put me to rest.
Not to mention the African killer bee doing very well these days.
Errr but all that aside, I am most assured the normal American honey bee is nothing to be feared.
I am really stoked to see keeper working against the odds of big Pharm
and the crap they are doing to the world of agriculture.
Good for you JW PM me if I can donate to the project.
Zuma
If you are a good detective the past is at your feet. The future belongs to Faith.

Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Wouldn't you know...
« Reply #4 on: August 02, 2014, 10:53:31 pm »
The first few years I got stung a couple times.  No biggie.  Then this spring I developed an allergic reaction.  I get the whole shebang short of my throat closing shut.*

Fascinating little bugs, these bees.  They really help keep the old planet turning round and round.




*Yeah, not even anaphylactic shock can shut me up.
Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.

Offline bubby

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Re: Wouldn't you know...
« Reply #5 on: August 02, 2014, 11:15:22 pm »
I just found an old extractor at an estate sale, gav. tub figure it's from the 40's or so, it was in great shape, let my buddy at work know about it, they originally wanted $85 for it and by the time he got around to buying it he got it for $29, he said it is way better than the modern one he was useing
failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
The few the proud the 27🏹

Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Wouldn't you know...
« Reply #6 on: August 02, 2014, 11:38:06 pm »
And to think I am dropping four bills on a new one! 
Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.

Offline bubby

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Re: Wouldn't you know...
« Reply #7 on: August 03, 2014, 01:59:48 am »
Sorry jdub but even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then
failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
The few the proud the 27🏹

Offline Zuma

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Re: Wouldn't you know...
« Reply #8 on: August 03, 2014, 12:30:08 pm »
JW
You may want to check it out. I just saw some bee keepers on a NYC rooftop
telling how they get $40 a pound for their honey. (TV)
Perhaps they were talking about their girl friends.
Zuma
PS Can NYC rooftop honey be different than yours?
If you are a good detective the past is at your feet. The future belongs to Faith.

Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Wouldn't you know...
« Reply #9 on: August 03, 2014, 03:10:35 pm »
$5/lb is the going rate around here for hobby beekeeper honey.  There are plenty asking a lot more than that, but I get the sense they don't move much product. 
Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.