Learn to keep bees - from a book?

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Learn to keep bees - from a book?

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boisdevie1

Joined: 11 Aug 2006
Posts: 3897
Location: Lancaster

Posted: Thu May 15, 08 6:49 pm Post subject: Learn to keep bees - from a book?
I can't afford to spend big money on a course. But I can afford to buy a book that explains how to keep bees. Is this possible or just a bonkers idea. If it's possible, what's the best book?

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Thu May 15, 08 6:50 pm Post subject:
Why do you need to spend money on a course? Find your local beekeepers, ask nicely if you can assist a few times when they do things to their hives. Learn loads from the locals.

joanne

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7100
Location: Morecambe, Lancashire

Posted: Thu May 15, 08 7:08 pm Post subject:

My beekeeping course cost me �20 - that was the cost (at the time) to join the Beekeeping club - Members of the club got the course for free

I don't know whether the situation is any different in France but I'd heartily recommend you join a local club - You just can't learn it all from a book - there is so much that only experience can tell you and even the best books are out of date - Clive De Bruyn's Practical Beekeeping book and Ted Hooper's Guide to Bees and Honey are the best but with all the problems we are having at the moment they can only be used as guides

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Thu May 15, 08 7:20 pm Post subject:
Second Ted Hooper! Our association is full of very knowledgeable people who are only too happy to pass info on - they have 'open hive days' every month in the summer when you go along to someone's apiary and get shown around the inside of their hives. With cake.

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Thu May 15, 08 7:26 pm Post subject:
Membership of the BBKA (British Bee Keeper's Association) also covers your insurance, so you should at least get that. Or the French equivalent. I'm reading Hooper at the moment too.

joanne

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7100
Location: Morecambe, Lancashire

Posted: Fri May 16, 08 7:54 am Post subject:

Chez wrote:

Second Ted Hooper!

Our association is full of very knowledgeable people who are only too happy to pass info on - they have 'open hive days' every month in the summer when you go along to someone's apiary and get shown around the inside of their hives. With cake.

Yep I'm going to one of those tomorrow - Learning Swarm Control (A little late for me!) and Bailey Comb Exchange - Cake included plus 26 acres of Bluebell strewn woodland

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