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Thread: Mod 2 section 8 & 17

  1. #11

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    Many thanks for that.
    The issue regarding pollen footprints - that isn't incorporated in any regs yet though, is it?

  2. #12
    Member susbees's Avatar
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    Well yes it is Eb, in as much as using a Reserved Description means that it must be that sort of honey and pollen analysis is part of that process.

  3. #13
    Administrator gavin's Avatar
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    Interesting to see this foreign language you're talking. Maybe it is time I thought about doing a few 'Mods' if you'll pardon the expression. I really got into beekeeping to get away from formal education and research, but maybe the time has come to at least think about joining in.

    That wasn't a NY resolution by the way, just some thinking out loud.

  4. #14
    Member susbees's Avatar
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    It's becoming expected around here if you're wanting to help with BKA education. And bees are more fun than spuds, yes ?

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    Administrator gavin's Avatar
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    Oh yes, but spuds have a certain charm too!

    I'm a bit reluctant to risk deadening the fun side of apiculture with too much formality, but maybe it needs to be done.

  6. #16
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    I agree with susbees. I think that if you are going to start helping on courses etc that you should know your subject inside out but I can also see where Gavin is coming from. I thought about doing a mod last year and the year before and the year before and the year before that. I thought I might sign up for one this year. The thought might go away by Feb

  7. #17
    Senior Member Jon's Avatar
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    It's horses for courses though.
    Some things have to be taught formally, ie you would not want your gall bladder removed by a google educated surgeon.
    Come to think of it I don't want my gall bladder removed by a properly qualified surgeon either.
    A lot of other stuff can be researched in your own time if you are conscientious enough, especially if you use google scholar or some of the better bee forums naming no names!
    There is a mass of honeybee research on the internet if you care to browse it.
    I have to hold my hand up and admit to the same lack of bee qualifications as Gavin.
    I did start a thesis on bee behaviour in 1982 as part of my psychology degree but when I came back from holidays at the end of the summer the bees in my observation hive were dead and I had to make an executive decision to switch my thesis to the humble guppy instead.
    I enjoy researching things in my own time but that shouldn't be seen as a criticism of taking the modules.
    The UBKA runs a series of courses at different venues geared towards the Irish FIBKA exams.
    The problem is that there is not enough practical stuff and a lot of well qualified beekeepers lack basic handling skills, imho.
    Beekeeping is first and foremost a hands on hobby.

    Stuff like wing morphometry can be self taught once you have got the measure of the software and the limitations of sampling techniques.
    Last edited by Jon; 02-01-2012 at 10:45 PM.

  8. #18
    Member susbees's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jimbo View Post
    I thought I might sign up for one this year. The thought might go away by Feb
    Go on, dare you.....and don't forget if you resist in March there's always November.....

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    Having pretty much always been self taught I'm enjoying working my way through the programme.

    If doing exams and "homework" isn't of any appeal then don't do them. For more than a few people I know they're probably of no benefit, let alone interest, at all.

    In my position and experience I really enjoy doing them and they do give some added weight being in a position of being interested in education and training/teaching the next batches of prospective beekeepers.

    Funnily enough, knowing the relative differences between frame sizes (and oft quoted criticism of doing the general husbandry Module 1) has come in handy putting together the talk on Beehives for this year's course. I'd recommend Module 3 (Honey Bee Health and diseases) for any beekeeper, new or otherwise. After that I think you could more reasonably argue that they aren't for you or of limited value to you as a beekeeper. There've been a few posts here on Braula, for example, something we just don't see much of round this neck of the woods as Thymol pretty comprehensively gets rid of it in addition to the Varroa and it scarcely warrants a mention as a result but I know about it because it's covered under Module 3.

    I'm intending to do Modules 2 and 5 this year which I think should give me the intermediate theory certificate. I will be doing the second practical assessment, but probably not until next year. That also puts me in line to become a basic assessor, something we don't have in our association which means we're reliant on the goodwill of others to get people through the Basic without being able to offer a similar service in return.

    Ultimately I do want to get the NBD and with that in mind doing the Module programme is a no brainer.

    I've seen a lot of people criticise the entire programme on the basis that it's the SBA/BBKA indoctrinating people into "Bees shalt be kept thus and anything else is an abomination" and that is far from my experience of it, if anything it works hard to make you examine alternatives, how you keep your bees, what alternatives are available, the up and downsides of those methods and so on.
    Last edited by Neils; 03-01-2012 at 02:16 PM.

  10. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nellie View Post

    There've been a few posts here on Braula, for example, something we just don't see much of round this neck of the woods as Thymol pretty comprehensively gets rid of it in addition to the Varroa and it scarcely warrants a mention as a result but I know about it because it's covered under Module 3.
    That's interesting (worrying!) as we were told the exact opposite on the General Husbandry workshop at the NHS last autumn!

    Will be doing 2 certainly in March and if I don't hammer on with 7 will do 5 in November so good to know. And the General Husbandry in 2012 if I ever recover from the workshop experience.....and the only person I know who did it this year failing
    Last edited by susbees; 03-01-2012 at 07:26 PM.

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