Historic: Early NZ bkpg websites...

[NickWallingford]

The first website to promote NZ bkpg started in about 1996 or so. "beekeeping.co.nz" was registered in Aug 1997. I maintained that site mostly manually for about another 4 or 5 years, before moving to the use of a Content Management System.

At any rate, for another project, I've "restored" the site to what it was like at the end of 2000. Through that last year, I recorded the press releases related to varroa, but the site had so much more. You might well find some of it interesting. For sure expect many, many broken links - this site was from more than 20 years ago, back in the dark ages!

Beekeeping in New Zealand

 

[Alastair]

Nice work Nick, that was pretty advanced for '96 !

 

[Gerrit]

The first website to promote NZ bkpg started in about 1996 or so. "beekeeping.co.nz" was registered in Aug 1997. I maintained that site mostly manually for about another 4 or 5 years, before moving to the use of a Content Management System.

At any rate, for another project, I've "restored" the site to what it was like at the end of 2000. Through that last year, I recorded the press releases related to varroa, but the site had so much more. You might well find some of it interesting. For sure expect many, many broken links - this site was from more than 20 years ago, back in the dark ages!

Beekeeping in New Zealand

Thank you Nick, interesting to look back!!

 

[NatureAlley]

Really interesting to have a peek in the past! Thank you so much.

It is interesting to see how in 20-25 years AFB has become a demon that is only talked about in terms of burning. And proper management and good beekeeping practice of course. Not that I object, this is the result of experiences over time. The 'old' website shows a bit more of an experimental mindset.

 

[NickWallingford]

I'm not sure where you're getting that, @NatureAlley .

These were the first few years of the beekeeping industry taking responsibility for AFB more directly (and having to pay for it!) I'd certainly like to think that absolutely everything on that old site would be supportive (or at least not contrary) to the concept that AFB can, and should, be eliminated. Every NZ beekeeper would like their own hives to be free of AFB. And it has been shown that AFB can be eliminated, generally through a combination of more/better inspections, hive/apiary quarantines and reducing the exchange of bees/equipment between hives.

Maybe you're referring to the Goodwin/Van Eaton workbook manual ? I'm not sure what would speak favourably of AFB - the AFB PMS (now called a PMP) had only been finalised several years before, so I can't think of much of anything that would approach AFB as a demon that should only be talked about in terms of burning! And I still do...

 

[Dennis Crowley]

The first website to promote NZ bkpg started in about 1996 or so. "beekeeping.co.nz" was registered in Aug 1997. I maintained that site mostly manually for about another 4 or 5 years, before moving to the use of a Content Management System.

At any rate, for another project, I've "restored" the site to what it was like at the end of 2000. Through that last year, I recorded the press releases related to varroa, but the site had so much more. You might well find some of it interesting. For sure expect many, many broken links - this site was from more than 20 years ago, back in the dark ages!

Beekeeping in New Zealand

This is still as good a resource today as it was when you first put it up. I still dip into it from time to time to clarify or figure some thing out.

 

[NatureAlley]

I'm not sure where you're getting that, @NatureAlley .

These were the first few years of the beekeeping industry taking responsibility for AFB more directly (and having to pay for it!) I'd certainly like to think that absolutely everything on that old site would be supportive (or at least not contrary) to the concept that AFB can, and should, be eliminated. Every NZ beekeeper would like their own hives to be free of AFB. And it has been shown that AFB can be eliminated, generally through a combination of more/better inspections, hive/apiary quarantines and reducing the exchange of bees/equipment between hives.

Maybe you're referring to the Goodwin/Van Eaton workbook manual ? I'm not sure what would speak favourably of AFB - the AFB PMS (now called a PMP) had only been finalised several years before, so I can't think of much of anything that would approach AFB as a demon that should only be talked about in terms of burning! And I still do...

I did not intend to create the impression that elimination by burning was not supported. It was just interesting to see recipes for making plates to grow bacteria.

 

[NickWallingford]

Ah, yeah. I see what you mean. But the intent was to identify early. That's one of the best things a person can do in dealing with AFB (well, as well as effective destruction by fire!)

 

[NatureAlley]

Ah, yeah. I see what you mean. But the intent was to identify early. That's one of the best things a person can do in dealing with AFB (well, as well as effective destruction by fire!)

Fully agree.