JAmuses: State of the beekeeping nation

Welcome to NZ Beekeepers+
Would you like to join the rest of our members? Feel free to sign up today.
Sign up
Blog prefix for James
OK .
Not sure where to post this, as Grant generally moves things around to keep my ramblings neat and tidy .....

So, I been thinking about the State of the Nation today. The Beekeeping Nation.
That was spurred by a look on Trade Me this morning ....
I quite like to check out Jobs for Beekeepers as I might find something that would be more lucrative than what I pay myself .... but on reflection I bin there and done that , the six figure salary plus vehicle and bonus, plus, wait, there's more .... 50 percent of the crop ....
Ah, the Glory days .....
The Glory days have been and gone.... not that they lasted for that long as I had a falling out with my business partner and his Accounts Ant ..... History eh.
Hah ,the Glory days. They were glorious.
We took on a young fellah a few years ago.
He lived in the single mans shack here for a year or so, and then took a wife, and then left us and moved to the Coast to work the bees for some new outfit blowing hot air into the bubble.

He quit with them a few years ago, and not long after his bees were sold to Comvita and disappeared from The Coast.
Wise move Jake.
I see on Trade me today an extracting plant up for sale for $350k.
Same outfit.

So as we winter the bees down and mull over what will happen next year I breathe a sigh of relief that the extracting plant is'nt worth a six figure amount.

Maybe, just maybe, that's why we are still in business. Although the misso would have words to say about that,
But we won't go there, eh !
 

Grant

Staff member
Founder Member
Platinum
10,498
4,941
Not sure where to post this, as Grant generally moves things around to keep my ramblings neat and tidy .....
You have a whole section just to yourself, yet you dig out a 2 month old topic to add this to. Surely that's harder than just putting it in the right place in the first place?

Anyway I digress, great muse sir.

Keep them coming, just here in this forum - member articles/ blogs (your muses) is fine.
 

Grant

Staff member
Founder Member
Platinum
10,498
4,941
You're a hard man to work for Sir .....
I honestly don't get what's hard about it.
I've altered the way the whole site works to accommodate your posts, including the daily hive diary.

You have your own place to ramble, go for it, just create the new post in the section with your name on on it, rather than rambling across the whole forum in every topic.
 
5,764
6,323
canterbury
Experience
Commercial
The Doctor and 24 of his mates came to visit tonight.
Most are passed out in the recycling bin.
Some sort of mates ... eh.

The Doctor brought some music ....
The spirits are using me
When you see the Southern cross for the first time
You understand now why you came this way

I have been around the world
looking
Looking for the common goal

The year is done, the harvest won
Sits in a drum waiting
Waiting for politics to sort
Unlock the covid container from the port

Eight hundred foot on the waterline
Sailing for tomorrow
Food for the rebel empire
Blood money to sustain a peasant

In a lifestyle he finds so pleasant.
 
Last edited:

southbee

Gold
318
265
Southland
Experience
Commercial
The Doctor and 24 of his mates came to visit tonight.
Most are passed out in the recycling bin.
Some sort of mates ... eh.

The Doctor brought some music ....
The spirits are using me
When you see the Southern cross for the first time
You understand now why you came this way

I have been around the world
looking
Looking for the common goal

The year is done, the harvest won
Sits in a drum waiting
Waiting for politics to sort
Unlock the covid container from the port

Eight hundred foot on the waterline
Sailing for tomorrow
Food for the rebel empire
Blood money to sustain a peasant

In a lifestyle he finds so pleasant.
I had a long day in town, as it goes everything took a lot longer than it should. So when I came home, tired and hungry, but happy to be far away from the place, reading your muses made me smile, so thank you. Can't ease your conscience over the blood money, your doctor will help there and don't be quite that hard on yourself, you're making honey, not bullets. Cheers!
 
5,764
6,323
canterbury
Experience
Commercial
I don't worry too much .... it is what it is .... Jacinda gonna sort it ..... she can drop the price of the grog for a starters and keep the nation happy :oops:
Glad it brought a smile ..... it's all tongue in cheek and laughing at oneself to make it through the lean times ....
 
5,764
6,323
canterbury
Experience
Commercial
When the family aint here I get on the grog.
I enjoy it.
I find it creative .... a relief and relaxant .

I don't mind admitting it.

We all need that somtimes to maintain our sanity.
 

southbee

Gold
318
265
Southland
Experience
Commercial
she can drop the price of the grog for a starters and keep the nation happy
learnt today that we pay more tax as the % of the drink goes up, so if you want 65% happiness you pay lots extra to the government!! Stick with the beer!;) And you're damn right, to keep sane it takes what it takes....!!!:)
 
  • Haha
Reactions: James
5,764
6,323
canterbury
Experience
Commercial
Forgive me now ....
The Doctor buggered off home and left 22 dead men in the bin .

But for the record .... I enjoy the bees, the challenge of cracking lids in the spring and finding the good the bad and the plain old ugly, and somehow working a miracle to have most of them make a crop a few months later.
My old mate, who is dead now ..... we sat outside the extracting shed a few years ago in April and he commented that he could'nt wait for the spring ......
We enjoyed the buzz of cracking lids, and midnight missions down dusty roads in the full moon,
It's not all about the money,
And perhaps that's what makes the difference between a hobbyist and a corporate.....

The love will always win through at the end of the day.

Nough said.
The box is empty and it's only wednesday .... I think.
 
349
449
Bay of Plenty
Experience
Commercial
When the family aint here I get on the grog.
I enjoy it.
I find it creative .... a relief and relaxant .

I don't mind admitting it.

We all need that somtimes to maintain our sanity.
Do what it takes to sustain you, and watch your health.
My brother got out of Hosp this morning after a week because of heart surgery - rushed back in again this arvo because of a stroke.
Life can be bloody cruel, enjoy your drink, your times alone, your times with family when they return.
 
3,578
6,706
Hawkes Bay
Experience
Commercial
I had a fairly indifferent honey crop this year although still above the national average and while I haven't quite finished the books yet, it looks like my costs are going to be higher than my income and that's before I pay myself any wages. First time I've ever made a loss. Not losing sleep over it because I don't owe anybody anything and I've kept some back from the good years but there must be some people really hurting out there. I guess if I had stuck with pollination I would have made something but pollination is hard work and can be stressful, I should know I did it for long enough.
Spend the day sawing up timber for simplicity frames. When times are tough you need to do everything you can yourself.
 


Top