Plan Bee - What's their real story?

[HJBee]

Any of you had experience of this lot? I am perturbed that after a few tweets following their recent placing of bees on Glasgows City Chambers roof they blocked me. My tweets were polite & basic, where were the bees sourced from, what was the treatment plan and had they contacted any local associations to inform them before their installation. The answers I got were very short and not informative apart from the queens were English, the bees Scottish and were varroa free (an unlikely claim unless they come from an island off the West coast). What do you make of this behaviour, they do seem happy to talk basics with non Beekeepers all day long! HJ

[crabbitdave]

All their interested in is profit, which is not illegal but ethically wrong in my opinion, and there's more than plan b doing the same approach.
The down side is all beekeepers get tarred with the same brush


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[nemphlar]

Just had a look you can sponsor a drone for a pound, nobody ever got poor underestimating the public hilarious

[busybeephilip]

Anyone like to sponsor my drones, 50p will do for each and that should buy my sugar

[gavin]

Aha! HJ turns investigative campaigner, I like it!


All their interested in is profit, which is not illegal but ethnically wrong in my opinion .....

Now, now, let's not get xenophobic especially on this day of all days. (gratuitous but inoffensive personal stuff which, on reflection, I've decided to remove)

I thought that I'd heard they started with imported stocks (may be getting inspected any day now to see if they have SHB in there ...) but by now they could have lost and replaced many of their stocks.

[crabbitdave]

Ethically wrong I meant predictive text I should have proof read the reply


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[gavin]

Gave me a chance for a wee joke, for which I'm most grateful :)

[Castor]

So Scots drones are expecting sponsorship from south of the border eh?


Hmmmmmmmm......

[Castor]

And the Irish are at it as well!!

I'm not sponsoring Scottish *or* Irish drones....... plenty of English drones need sponsoring right here...

[gavin]

Naughty!

[prakel]

Not sure I'd be happy to sponsor any old drone, they'd need to be able to prove that he was reared under optimum conditions -wouldn't want any of these mass produced ones that we hear about :)

[HJBee]

So I sent them an e-mail as well earlier in the week enquiring if they'd had a slip of the finger and blocked me by mistake. So far nothing, de nada, ziltsch in reply and I remain blocked.

[Troutnabout]

I came across them at Eat drink discover Scotland show earlier this month at the Royal Highland Centre Ingliston. The guy at their stall, from earlier comments I assume this was Warren, told me they were Buckfast Bees. Their web site does appear to me to be more about offering businesses an opportunity to promote their CSR and Enviro credentials via bees, than about farming with bees and selling their produce.

[Adam]

Anyone who writes this must be dodgy IMHO.

"Plan Bee can create outward facing projects...to enhance your community engagement."
BIUT they've raised a load of money by crowd finding.
Was the name decided upon before the Co-op or after I wonder?

[Jon]

Too right Adam. A serious case of corporate bull.

[Little_John]

Inappropriate post and edit. Please don't repeat.

[The Drone Ranger]

Isn't Plan B the pop group with that particularily tone deaf lead singer ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQjh9H-ymK4

Thats pre recorded
Try never to hear the live version its hideous

[HJBee]

Just read that Plan B and Warren Bader is Guest Speaker at the LA Secretaries Forum, hope anyone attending ensures he is rigorously queried on their tactics and lack of engagement with real beekeepers with valid questions! I'll be speaking to my club Secretary to be sure!

[gavin]

Your secretary can take two members along as guests - see you there?!

[HJBee]

It's the better half's birthday & we are away, or I would be sorely tempted!

[EK.Bee]

It's the better half's birthday & we are away, or I would be sorely tempted!

Well you missed all the fun
Say what you will, his business of getting grant funding is miraculous
His statements today confirmed my previous notions on how much he knows about the living end of his product

[HJBee]

I sent my Ass'n Secretary some background on my interaction, hopefully he was able to raise it. I'm assuming his grants come from Scottish Government?

[crabbitdave]

From his talk today he seamed to need a lot of lawyers and accountants for some reason [emoji53]


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[EK.Bee]

From his talk today he seamed to need a lot of lawyers and accountants for some reason [emoji53]


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allegedly ;)

used to convey that something is claimed to be the case or have taken place, although there is no proof

Not only a team of crack lawyers but a honey processing plant that would make a bond villain proud :rolleyes:

They need a mini me though. Perhaps you can get a small business grant for that??

[EK.Bee]

Plan Bee back in the news :http://www.largsandmillportnews.com/news/roundup/articles/2015/01/01/520172-what-has-happened-to-the-buckfast-bees-of-millport/

[fatshark]

6.30am the morning after Hogmanay … perhaps that explains the quality of the reporting.

[drumgerry]

That has to be the most uninformative article about beekeeping I've ever read and I've read some right howlers. Bad reporting and bad beekeeping do not good bedfellows make!

[chris]

Some great lines though:
"If hives become weak, you can stick them together to make a stronger hive"

and a new insight into delayed effects on bees from radio waves:

"hives in different areas of the island - the former Hush Hush listening post from WW2"

[Jimbo]

The isle of Cumbrae (Millport) was used as the isolated mating site a number of years ago by a bee farmer based in Largs who bred Amm. If he is still active he will not be happy about Buckfast being brought onto the island by this company!


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[The Drone Ranger]

"Perhaps Robert the wee talking dog might have the answer eh Irene."
"Could be minister , could be"