Honey shows.

[Mellifera Crofter]

I almost wish I haven't heard of all these sad people spoiling some fun - or what should be just a little fun get-together, and lending support to who-ever organised the show. I still believe nothing like that happens in Aberdeenshire (except if the person C4U mentioned is one of our lot!) and I'm just blind!

Last year our judge (AR) left us helpful notes under the jars.

Somebody gave me a bee-keeping book that was written in 1950 in which the author mentions 'tall and squat honey jars', and that the squat ones were taking over. They were introduced so that the spoon doesn't sink into the honey, but he thought honey looks better in the tall jar. I suppose the jars we now use must be the squat ones - but does anybody have pictures of the tall jars?

Kitta

[busybeephilip]

Well, IMO, anyone entering someone else's hard work should be outright black listed for ever. I have heard of beekeepers doing such things too. It seems that the practice of entering the same jar/product year after year is wide spread. Two ways of looking at that, either the person is simply cheating or it is regarded that the entry is the best regardless of age so is there to be beaten.

I dont agree with re-entering the same thing show after show, once it has been judged, IMO, sentence has been passed, it should not be given a second chance and perhaps should be marked permanently, eg one could use food dye for this purpose or a stamp on the wax

What do the rest of u guys think ?

[Honeybunch]

Yes a local show can be fun, Mellifera Crofter. It is challenging to prepare for each category and aim for perfection especially with the wax. Top prize winners should bow out and give someone else a chance next time. For beekeepers who live alone, preparing for the honey show can be quite therapeutic after a bereavement, filling in time previously devoted to caring. Some of the displays at the National Honey Show are stunning, and Carrick Academy did an amazing display in October 2013, which encourages young people to take up beekeeping.

[Greengage]

I thought I was going to get chewed out for suggesting that I would hate to win one of these cups, but it looks like I am not in the minority. If you look at the prize giving it is the same people all the time that win, now fair play to them if thats what your into. I was thinking of buying the winners honey and repackaging it and entering it again to see what the reaction would be, (Being Mischievous) bit like in the film Calender girls where your woman bought the cake that won.
I was at a poultry fancy show earlier in the year and the was blue murder because the top show bird on Championship corner was not owned or bred by the winner it was purchased in England after winning a number of shows and then hawked around Ireland by its new owner and won again. This year at another show I know the same thing will happen again as birds are brought in. But back to the bees from what I have heard there is a lot of black arts involved in producing honey for show and I dont think it would be very palatable to eat some of it.

The Duck won ha ha. First prize Rosette, Gone for breeding next season.

[Bumble]

I've had a go at local shows, it can be fun if you don't take it too seriously and aren't too bothered if you win or not. Talking to some of the winners means I've learned a lot, far more than from those at the club who are quite dismissive of all the effort needed to win a blue ribbon at local and national level. At least my honey doesn't have bits of bees in it!

Even so, it does seem wrong that some people use the same winning block of wax or same jar of honey year after year, but how to stop it? If somebody's so bothered about winning a cardboard certificate that they buy in honey or comb and pretend it's their own, then maybe more's lacking in their life than mine?

[Greengage]

After being critical initially, I got to act as a steward at a honey show last weekend, very long ,tireing and busy day. it was interesting to follow the judges around and see what was involved. Unfortunatly a lot of competitors got eliminated before the judge even got to look at he honey, wrong lids out, wrong jar out, Honey entered in wrong section out and on and on it went, if people read the schedule they would have had a good chance. for the wax blocks it said wax blocks must be 1 oz each in weight only one entry followed the rule. I have a lot more to say on the subject, but am working on something else and will get back to it if people are interested.

[The Drone Ranger]

A charity established in Dundee called the Claverhouse group entered the Dundee show in the beginners class I think
(Gavin might remember better than me)
Florida was a first year beekeeper at the time and when they won a prize the publicity it got helped them raise funding to do their work with the long term unemployed
Changes in Government policy mean Claverhouse has disappeared now



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[Jon]

Theresa May disbanded the charity because the wax block was 2g underweight apparently!
The Trustees are serving lengthy jail sentences.

[The Drone Ranger]

Lol!

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