varieties within this set-up. Note to self: must read up on this pretty quickly!
FEBRUARY 14
As a tall, spotty youth, frustrated by the fact that my mum still cut my hair at the age of fourteen, resulting in a rather embarrassing kiss-curl in the middle of my forehead, Valentine's Day was always a tense occasion. There was always a nervous wait as the postman walked down the path and I would secretly watch him each year. This did stop after the year I got overexcited at a card actually being delivered to me which wasn't from my Nan. I opened it in a fit of joy as only a teenager could who had never before received a real Valentine's Day card. Imagine my additional excitement when it wasn't signed with a question mark but a name. I could work out the word 'Tiger' in a scrawl which temporarily got me even more excited until I realised that this was the name my best mate gave to his three-year-old sister. I made a pact never to look for a postman on Valentine's Day ever again.
  I will admit to a little twinge of excitement yesterday though as the post dropped through the letterbox. I saw a large A4 envelope with my name on it and the small postmark of the BBKA (British Beekeepers' Association) but have only just had the chance to actually open it and peer in. I applied for membership a few weeks ago now and so this must mean that they have been mad enough to actually accept me as a member. The welcome pack included the following:
⢠A standard welcome letter
⢠A really useful booklet entitled 'Advice for Beekeepers'
⢠A bit about the organisational structure of the BBKA and its democratic notions (!)
⢠A leaflet called 'Bee Books, New and Old'
⢠A small leaflet entitled 'BBKA Enterprises'; basically what you can buy through them
⢠A leaflet stating that you could get some more leaflets from them about all the diseases
⢠A raffle ticket for me to purchase (must remember to do this)
⢠A FERA (Food and Environment Research Agency) booklet about 'managing varroa'
⢠My first copy of the monthly BBKA News
Now I have to say that it was lovely to receive this through the post but, if I am completely honest, I feel a little let down by it. Now that may sound harsh, but I mean it from a constructive perspective. It is obviously a very historic organisation (founded in 1874, it states on the paperwork) but the impression I get from this information is that it is still run by those historic methods.
  The indicators of this include: photocopied sheets of paper, advertising leaflets that you can send off for (they do state it is available on the website but only small and at the bottom) and the BBKA News , which is simply words and no pictures. The information is fantastic but it isn't particularly inviting.
  Now, we are all aware of the explosion in beekeeping at the moment. Surely this is the time to update methods and publications. I am sure that the new member coming forward will be like me, a slightly younger demographic (based on the evidence so far it stands true) and one that is not yet experienced in the art of beekeeping. Therefore, the BBKA News especially needs to be more inviting and readable, and ultimately needs to look after the new beekeepers that won't have the faintest clue what they are doing.
  I am thrilled to be learning how to be a beekeeper and I am sure there are many others out there who are as well, but let's bring it up to date and introduce it to a new generation. It is always better to start at the grass roots, isn't it?
FEBRUARY 15
I am sitting here in the study, looking outside and feeling a little bit guilty.
  This weekend was 'cut the willow' weekend. We have had a huge, beautiful willow dominating our garden. It was beginning to look like Sideshow Bob from The Simpsons and needed a haircut. My guilt is due to the fact that honeybees (and other foragers for that matter) love willow for early season nectar,
FEBRUARY 14
As a tall, spotty youth, frustrated by the fact that my mum still cut my hair at the age of fourteen, resulting in a rather embarrassing kiss-curl in the middle of my forehead, Valentine's Day was always a tense occasion. There was always a nervous wait as the postman walked down the path and I would secretly watch him each year. This did stop after the year I got overexcited at a card actually being delivered to me which wasn't from my Nan. I opened it in a fit of joy as only a teenager could who had never before received a real Valentine's Day card. Imagine my additional excitement when it wasn't signed with a question mark but a name. I could work out the word 'Tiger' in a scrawl which temporarily got me even more excited until I realised that this was the name my best mate gave to his three-year-old sister. I made a pact never to look for a postman on Valentine's Day ever again.
  I will admit to a little twinge of excitement yesterday though as the post dropped through the letterbox. I saw a large A4 envelope with my name on it and the small postmark of the BBKA (British Beekeepers' Association) but have only just had the chance to actually open it and peer in. I applied for membership a few weeks ago now and so this must mean that they have been mad enough to actually accept me as a member. The welcome pack included the following:
⢠A standard welcome letter
⢠A really useful booklet entitled 'Advice for Beekeepers'
⢠A bit about the organisational structure of the BBKA and its democratic notions (!)
⢠A leaflet called 'Bee Books, New and Old'
⢠A small leaflet entitled 'BBKA Enterprises'; basically what you can buy through them
⢠A leaflet stating that you could get some more leaflets from them about all the diseases
⢠A raffle ticket for me to purchase (must remember to do this)
⢠A FERA (Food and Environment Research Agency) booklet about 'managing varroa'
⢠My first copy of the monthly BBKA News
Now I have to say that it was lovely to receive this through the post but, if I am completely honest, I feel a little let down by it. Now that may sound harsh, but I mean it from a constructive perspective. It is obviously a very historic organisation (founded in 1874, it states on the paperwork) but the impression I get from this information is that it is still run by those historic methods.
  The indicators of this include: photocopied sheets of paper, advertising leaflets that you can send off for (they do state it is available on the website but only small and at the bottom) and the BBKA News , which is simply words and no pictures. The information is fantastic but it isn't particularly inviting.
  Now, we are all aware of the explosion in beekeeping at the moment. Surely this is the time to update methods and publications. I am sure that the new member coming forward will be like me, a slightly younger demographic (based on the evidence so far it stands true) and one that is not yet experienced in the art of beekeeping. Therefore, the BBKA News especially needs to be more inviting and readable, and ultimately needs to look after the new beekeepers that won't have the faintest clue what they are doing.
  I am thrilled to be learning how to be a beekeeper and I am sure there are many others out there who are as well, but let's bring it up to date and introduce it to a new generation. It is always better to start at the grass roots, isn't it?
FEBRUARY 15
I am sitting here in the study, looking outside and feeling a little bit guilty.
  This weekend was 'cut the willow' weekend. We have had a huge, beautiful willow dominating our garden. It was beginning to look like Sideshow Bob from The Simpsons and needed a haircut. My guilt is due to the fact that honeybees (and other foragers for that matter) love willow for early season nectar,
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