Self Taught?

[GLOCK]

So who's all self taught? Me I was never raised around bee yards or knew any beekeepers . Never even seen a hive in real life till I started my beeyards.
I learned hands on / the internet / books/ Mags./ I'm in to my 5th year and I make my own queens and have 22 hives at last count and don't have to buy honey . I never was in a club or know any beekeepers just me and these forums and I have learned a lot  so I was wondering how many are self taught?
Thank you.

[Jen]

Me! Into my 4th year, first 3 had some casualties, and this spring was pretty precarious with swarms, but this forum pulled me thru. knock on head, so far there is peace in the queendom.

We have a flo going on right now to beat the band. Gives me hope that I may get some honey 

[rcannon]

I guess I'm in the same club, Glock. A lot of people around here had bees when I was a kid and I remember watching them work the bees and harvest honey, but nothing more than that.
I jumped into it 3 years ago with two hives. I'm up to 26 now, never had a mentor except the good folks on these forums. I read everything I could get my paws on. I've had some bumps in the road, but overall, it's been good.

[CpnObvious]

I will classify myself as being self taught.  22 years ago, as an early teen, I did attend some local bee keeper association meetings with an old timer.  He was in his early 70s then.  He kept two hives in the yard I grew up on.  I did go into the hives a few times with him... But honestly, I really didn't retain anything... Like I said, I was a young teen, girls weren't even that much of an interest to me yet.  The idea of the whole thing did stick with me, obviously... I'm here!

This is my first year of being "back" into it.  I have started with three hives and hope to split them all next year.  My goal was 2 this year, four next... I somehow ended up buying a third package when the seller had some leftover.

I spent, and still spend, a great deal of time on YouTube, and I'm incredibly glad I found this forum!  I just wish some of you were closer.  I've read nearly every topic and post on here and always look forward to new posts.

Despite my having some historical exposure to beekeeping, it was minimal.  This year forward will all be a "new" learning experience.

[barry42001]

in that prior to getting beesI read everything I could lay my hands on, tedious, but I was and an a research oriented person. that was pleasantly surprised to see much of what I read I was seeing in the hives.

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[Woody Roberts]

For me it more like I'm being self taught. I haven't been taught yet. I never had a mentor, went to a club or anything like that. Before I had Internet I read every book the library had on bees.
I've learned a lot from here, Beesource, and bee masters along with Michael Bush's website.
While I've spent a lot of time with a frame of bees in my hand a lot of what I see wouldent make sense if it weren't for the people on the forums to explain it.

If I ever get it figured out it'll probably get boring. It's not boring yet!

[blueblood]

I am in that club.  I had a guy promise to help me but he pooped out on me.  Thanks for books, most of the guys/gals here and the internet I have made a pretty good run at it.

  I may join a local group that is known as the best and most active in the area.  I met a member by happenstance last week.  I walked out of Rural King and noticed a man in his late 50's or so with a salt block on his cart among other things.  As I approached my squad car, I realized he was parked right next to me.  I asked him if he had cows or horses.  He said no and explained the salt block was for the deer.  He opened up the hatch of his SUV and I immediately saw a nuc and some hive equipment!  I said, watch this, and opened my truck lid to reveal a nuc and a bee suit.  It was like we accelerated from strangers to family in 5 seconds flat!    He invited me to this group I have had my eye on.  I will try to make the next monthly meeting.  He said they have speakers come in.  Which, that is great for expanding my knowledge.  And, I hope to make some more contacts for bee needs down the road.

[brooksbeefarm]

I'm kind of in the self taught club, we didn't know what a TV or computer was?? only had a Radio that ran off a battery ( probably weighed 100lbs)  I went with Dad and uncles to cut bee trees along the Big Sac river in the winter time, grandpa had a few hives but you know young boys we had better things to do. My barber was a beekeeper and would tell me about his bees and said i should get some, well i bought a book (Starting Right with Bees, copyright 1964) i still have it. Bought my first bees (Midnights) from Sears & Roebuck in 1965 and Grandpa died in 1966 so what he knew went with him. By the time i found a bee club (4 years later) i had come a long way by talking to my barber and reading my book (never had time to go watch my barber work his hives) had a study job + plus on the extra boad of two local unions that kept me busy when i got off my regular job at 3:30pm and of course farm work. Of course those were the good old days, before Mites and SHB, Queens lasted 4 to 5 years and all you had to do is keep your hives strong and try to keep them from swarming. Hard to believe how hard beekeeping has become over the years. Jack.     

[Jen]

Jack- "Of course those were the good old days, before Mites and SHB, Queens lasted 4 to 5 years and all you had to do is keep your hives strong and try to keep them from swarming. Hard to believe how hard beekeeping has become over the years. Jack.

  Hey Jack    This is where our friend and I tangle too much. He's in his 60's and remembers working his bees before mites and SHB and all the other pathogen's. He hasn't worked bees since then, then I got into it and re-ignited his interest. The difference is that he's not willing to adapt to todays way of caring for the bees. Ironically, they moved across town, he transported his bees (which came from my hives), and he and I did a little work on his hives. I was finding bees with half of their abdomens missing, just the shell of the abdomen attached to the thorax, I was amazing they were still living. I kept picking up those sick bees and showing them to him.

Long story short, I guess that made an impression on him, actually seeing it, especially after I said "How would YOU like it if several basketball sized bugs were sucking the fluids out of YOUR BODY!?!" He's has givin' the okay to do oxalic acid treatments.

It's a good thing, cause I was real close to dismembering him and burying him in the deep forest somewhere ~   

[Bakersdozen]

Gee, GLOCK and some of you guys have done well on your own.  You might consider starting your own club.  The camaraderie is so rewarding.  I have found that beekeepers are some of the nicest people out there.  We have to admit that the topic has endless possibilities!
(I am not self taught.  I rely heavily on my bee club and mentor for knowledge.)

[Beeboy]

About five years ago, my brother got bees. Until then I had never known anyone that had bees.

I thought my brother was crazy for getting bees! (he is still crazy, just not for getting bees  )

We would work together, & he would start telling about the queen, & how many eggs should would lay in one day, & how she only mated once for life, & how the dude died when he did it. Next he would tell me about how many bees it takes to make one pound of honey, & how far that will fly for nectar. He kept talking, & I kept listening. Finally I ask, how much money would it take to get started keeping bees anyway.

I read beekeeping for dummies, & the rest is history.

I wouldn't call myself self taught because the bees are teaching me something new, constantly.

[LazyBkpr]

   I had a mentor, of sorts when I was in my early teens..   I knew the motions, but being a teen, I didnt ask questions.. didnt really CARE enough at that time..  Girls and cars were the priority, not learning bees. Even school and homework too a back seat to girls and cars...
   Should have concentrated on cars and bees...   I'd have saved a LOT of money over the years...
   There was no internet, no bee club. No way to really learn the value of different methods, and not asking questions hurt me a lot when I started on my own. Putting the puzzle together has been an interesting journey...   I had the pieces of the puzzle in my hands... the picture printed on those pieces became the internet...  so I am a self taught puzzle assembler at the least 

[brooksbeefarm]

I'm six foot one inch tall and will have to say, no matter how much Riverbee knows about bees she will always have to look up to me. Hummmm don't know about Perry?? Jack

[Woody Roberts]

I'm six foot one inch tall and will have to say, no matter how much Riverbee knows about bees she will always have to look up to me. Hummmm don't know about Perry?? Jack

If you go by the map Perry is always looking down and a little sideways at us.

[JUDELT]

I qualify as self taught! in 2012 I saw bees for sale in a local paper and just jumped in; never having bees before!. the library knew me by name the 1st year or so!

[Gypsi]

I started March 2011 knew nothing, bought a hive foolishly thinking the gal that sold it would mentor me, A she didn't know what she was doing that well and B she had no interest in mentoring.

By the time I joined bee club I had lost first hive to swarm / shb, 2nd weak hive had been built up to fairly strong then lost to robbing, but I had figured out which end of the bee was which.  Via the internet

Finally read a book when my online mentor bought me one. Meantime I am the north Texas expert on European FoulBrood it seems, need to get my photos prepped to show at bee club... and my bees no longer have EFB. We do still have drought and dearth...  Yes I am self taught, the bees throw it at me and I catch it.

[Jen]

Baker- "I have found that beekeepers are some of the nicest people out there. 

       I couldn't agree more Baker, something about bees makes us compassionate and helpful people

Beeboy- "We would work together, & he would start telling about the queen, & how many eggs should would lay in one day, & how she only mated once for life, & how the dude died when he did it. Next he would tell me about how many bees it takes to make one pound of honey, & how far that will fly for nectar. He kept talking, & I kept listening.

     It was the details like these that impressed so much when learning the basics about bees. Just like this forum "You guys keep talking, & I keep listening

Scott- "Should have concentrated on cars and bees...   I'd have saved a LOT of money over the years...

        Well yeeeah, but I wouldn't trade those days of cars and boys tho... cars were more roomy back then 

Jack- "I'm six foot one inch tall and will have to say, no matter how much Riverbee knows about bees she will always have to look up to me.

     Jack! We'll just stand River on a bench where you are face to face, and there will be No Contest! As a matter of fact there is No Contest anyway! Us girls have to stick together ~ Never Underestimate 'The Female Bee Brigade' !!! 

[LazyBkpr]

   Somehow...   I don't think the physical height of a woman corresponds to the height we see them as...   My wife is a couple inches shorter than me, but there are times when the intimidation factor goes over ten...  something to do with the sparks and flames...    Red glowing eyes and fire curling from the nostrils gives me cold chills and thoughts of immortal torment....         I have put a Miami Dolphins lineman in the hospital..  I broke my Karate instructors nose....   there are few things in this world that really terrify me...   Somehow, that little woman has the ability to do just that..   Not that I will admit that to HER......   

    There are aspects of beekeeping that are just impossible to teach. That gut feeling when you look at a hive and make a decision about what to do with the problems it is having...  In a sense, every beekeeper is self taught..   You can have a mentor, read books, watch vids on the internet, but when it comes right down to opening the hives, your on your own.

   

[Slowmodem]

I guy I work with gave me a split in August 2011.  His instructions were, "Don't worry, they'll make a queen and you'll have bees."  Well, I found out there is a little more to beekeeping than that.  But thanks to the great people around here, and the good folks at our local association, I'm still learning and still have bees.  I'm optimistic that this will be a good honey year.   

[riverbee]

"I'm six foot one inch tall and will have to say, no matter how much Riverbee knows about bees she will always have to look up to me. "

jack, it's not about the height it's about the 'sparks and flames' as scott said or standing me on a bench like jen said......OR how fast you can run........
probably faster than me right now with my fat cells and winter pack weight......but i really am a kind and gentle soul.....

i haven't kept bees long enough, and i will always say that.  i will say the same as scott did about being self taught.  we are all self taught in one form or another, whether we had mentors, bee clubs or books, forums or you tube videos to get us there.  keeping bees.....who keeps bees unless they are self motiviated to do so?  because you really have to be self motivated to want to keep them and learn about them.  every time you open a hive, you are self taught.  every time you look and 'read' a frame, you are self taught.  anything you do to care for bees, or learn about bees you are self taught.  mentors don't stand over us every step of the way.  books and videos don't teach us everything we need to know.  it is only our own experience in the hives or with the bees that teach us as we go, and there is nothing more valuable than that.