When Mentors Fail

[qa33010]

   Some of you may have heard this before...  My problem was that since I was seven I wanted to be a beekeeper (along with either flying or working on aircraft or working the railroad).  Problem was that of the dozen or so folks that had bees, none contacted me back.  My opinion became one of no worries, if they don't want to help me they can take a long walk.  I thought I'ld lost the desire since the last two beekeepers I met, or knew, I never asked for help on how to start up.  I only asked questions like, how it was going or how did the cutout go...  I saw one of them the other day, after six years, and he was surprised I started.  He said I could have come to him and he would have been glad to have helped me get started.  I responded with the above and he did admit he would probably done the same thing as the other beeks.  I have strived hard not to do this.  I always give my name and number out after talking to folks who seem to show a real interest in starting it up.  I don't sugar coat anything for them and have many change their minds on the spot.  I don't hold my breath for those that don't call and have two folks that have gotten their equipment and asking me for help.  Of course I try and steer them here and other sites as well as local clubs and Arkansas Apiary Law.  I tell them I'm a green rookie also and have few answers but between their and my brains we may succeed.  I encourage them to attend any courses offerred and loan books (that are returned) for them to use.


Sorry I started getting full of myself there

By the way the club meetings I go to all help and respect each others veiw points...even if they think the other is crazy for doing it that way :-D 
They have been a great help and welcome kids with open arms.

[Brian D. Bray]

I have read a lot of wise opinions on this thread.  I started beekeeping in 1959 guided by an mentor who started in 1899.  In the early years I went to club meetings with my mentor but quit going after his death at the age of 92.  I was only 17 then.  When I got back from SE Asia and returned to beekeeping I kept to myself until the recent death of my father.  It was then that I was suddenly confronted with what I had learned, its value, and the need to pass it on.  I became public, joined this forum and the local beekeepers association (only to find that there is now 6 clubs where there had been 1 back in the 60's) and I'm now mentoring my daughter.
I agree that even bad information is good if you learn something from it (This idea drives Finsky crazy).  If a person can't listen to all of the advice and be selective with what they use, they're not thinking. 

The most important thing is to share your knowledge, keeping it cooped up under your hat serves nothing, and by doing so it lives on and you've made an uncalculatable contribution.  Use new technologies to advantage, if everybody had refused to discover new truthes we'd still be in the stone age.

[mlewis48]

 I dont know if I should respond to this but I am one of the guys that was left in the cold by a so called mentor, and I cant attend any of the local club  meetings because of the shift that I work. None of the older gentlemen in the local club would change the routines to meet with me. The person that I got my first 3 hives from, gave me the old " If you need any help, just call or come back and I will help with anything". After the money exchanged hands, it was see you later and unless you are buying something, dont bother me.  That was my first big sting.
  If it was not for the massive stack of books, magazines, and of course, this group of people, I would have been up the creek without a paddle. In the area that I live in, there are not many beeks and the ones that you find  are pretty tight lipped about their methods of success. I dont understand why they are this way. I am not trying to take anything away from them. Just trying to absorb any information that I can. Lord knows that I am not in it for the money. When I look at all that I have spent to make my first year a success. What I did gain was the satisfaction of  looking back at one of the comments that I overheard one of them say," He'll never make it past Summer with the set up that he has." Well, I did. I went from 3 nucs to 9 full and healthy hives.
  I have hung out in the shadows, of this forum and a couple of others most of the year. Most of the time trying to get up the nerve to ask a question but to afraid to do so because I did not want to sound too stupid or to take one of Finsky's thrashing. But I did post and did not get treated like an idiot. If it was not for people, like you, I would have failed BIG TIME. And the people that I mentioned above would have had the satisfation of saying that I told you so.
  To close and not to get too deep into my rant, I am glad that there are people like you that are willing to share their knowledge. I am looking forward to the day when a young wipper snapper comes to me, asking for help. I will be more than willing to help, anyway that I can. Michael Bush, Understudy, Robo and all of the others that have answered my questions, no matter what. All that I can say is Thank You!
                                               Marcus

[soilserf40]

I am amused by the comments about "old guys".
I listen to and read the advise of all, then use my own judgement as to what would will work for me.  Some of "my" best ideas come the 30 to 40 year old crowd, the Bushfarms site, my contacts with the local and state beekeepers assoc., and the University of Ga. Honeybee Program.  Mentors can come in many forms.
I consider this hobby to be about discovery and fun, it is surely that!
Please remember that not all "old guys" are old.

2nd year beekeeper,  age 67. ;)

[Scadsobees]

    I saw one of them the other day, after six years, and he was surprised I started.  He said I could have come to him and he would have been glad to have helped me get started.  I responded with the above and he did admit he would probably done the same thing as the other beeks.  I have strived hard not to do this.

This is interesting to me.  I have sooo many people that express interest in beekeeping, they'd like to see in the hive, like to see the extraction.  I have people say that they really want to get started in beekeeping.  So I always tell them that I'd love to show them but get back to me in the summer and we can get togather then and go through a hive, etc.  Nobody ever gets back to me.  Maybe they are just making conversation?

Late last summer the brother of a neighbor came over and we talked, and he was really excited about beekeeping and wants to start, but when I called him about taking a bee tree down togather (free bees for him!!), I never heard back.

I don't like to be too pushy with my hobby, so I wait for the second call, I want them to be interested before I start boring them.  I don't want to pester people.  Perhaps they are just waiting for me because they don't want to pester me. 

But that comment you made made me think about it....

[Bennettoid]

    I saw one of them the other day, after six years, and he was surprised I started.  He said I could have come to him and he would have been glad to have helped me get started.  I responded with the above and he did admit he would probably done the same thing as the other beeks.  I have strived hard not to do this.

This is interesting to me.  I have sooo many people that express interest in beekeeping, they'd like to see in the hive, like to see the extraction.  I have people say that they really want to get started in beekeeping.  So I always tell them that I'd love to show them but get back to me in the summer and we can get togather then and go through a hive, etc.  Nobody ever gets back to me.  Maybe they are just making conversation?

Late last summer the brother of a neighbor came over and we talked, and he was really excited about beekeeping and wants to start, but when I called him about taking a bee tree down togather (free bees for him!!), I never heard back.

I don't like to be too pushy with my hobby, so I wait for the second call, I want them to be interested before I start boring them.  I don't want to pester people.  Perhaps they are just waiting for me because they don't want to pester me. 

But that comment you made made me think about it....

I think alot of people are in love with the idea of beekeeping, not actually with the work of beekeeping. People think Beekeeping is a romantic, wonderful occupation and that beekeepers are special people. This drives conversations about how they would LOVE to keep bees, but in reality, very few of us actually take the next step to put a hive in our yard. Actually doing the work or confronting a swarm is  intimidating to most people these days, especially when they can just buy a bag of sugar at the supermarket.