Beekeeping Forums banner

How do you find a good mentor?

Tags
mentor
2K views 6 replies 4 participants last post by  Gypsi 
#1 ·
Hi All,
I'm new to this forum, so I'm thrilled to connect with all of you out there.

I noticed that some people have written that they learned a lot from a beekeeping mentor...but does anyone else out there have trouble finding a good mentor?

At the local association meetings, I don't really see a lot of experienced beekeepers who are open to taking on a somewhat newbie student. In fact, sometimes I get the feeling that they'd rather not see amateurs get into beekeeping at all. But we all start somewhere, don't we?

Hoping to learn a lot from all you experienced beekeepers on this forum!
Bianca
 
#2 ·
Hi Bianca, welcome aboard, good to have you, whats your location? sometimes trying to find a mentor is not the easiest thing, im about 2 years into beekeeping and found that asking questions in the forum and researching the web has helped alot, unfortunately many times its going to come down to self help in the end...
 
#3 ·
I didn't find an in person mentor that could actually come and look at my hives, but I know one of my local bee club members from a forum, well sort of, and he sent me a message on it and asked if anyone had stepped up to mentor me. He wasn't available when i did my first cutout in 2012, but he's good with phone and just introduced me to a new varroa mite treatment system which I will be posting about later. He is one of the younger guys at bee club. The older ones seem to either want to sell woodware, some good some medium, or to do large group apiary tour type classes. Which are good to attend but don't get an over the shoulder view into your hive. I had an online mentor on this forum for a year or 2, and will certainly answer any questions I am able to. Interestingly no mentor has ever looked in my hives, but my state bee inspector has, and i should have set an appointment with him this year. Will do so next year. Meantime Bianca, Welcome.
 
#5 ·
The older ones seem to either want to sell woodware, some good some medium, or to do large group apiary tour type classes. Which are good to attend but don't get an over the shoulder view into your hive.
Thanks to all for your encouragement and welcome!

Have you found that these classes are a good way to step into mentoring, or are the teachers usually different from those who are open to helping one-on-one?
 
#4 ·
Hi All,
I'm new to this forum, so I'm thrilled to connect with all of you out there.

I noticed that some people have written that they learned a lot from a beekeeping mentor...but does anyone else out there have trouble finding a good mentor?

At the local association meetings, I don't really see a lot of experienced beekeepers who are open to taking on a somewhat newbie student. In fact, sometimes I get the feeling that they'd rather not see amateurs get into beekeeping at all. But we all start somewhere, don't we?

Hoping to learn a lot from all you experienced beekeepers on this forum!
Bianca
You just have to keep talking to people until you find someone who is interested in giving advice freely.

Even then, you may run into the 'My way is the only way' type, and have to start over again.

One thing: if you find someone, and he / she calls you that they want to do some show-n-tell, or is going after a swarm, or needs a bit of assitance, by all means GO.....do NOT put them off because that will only cause them to wonder if you are serious about beekeeping in the first place.
 
#7 ·
one on one help is pretty time consuming, and most beekeepers have day jobs and families.

I have had a couple of the newer members come out here and get some first hand experience looking in a hive, I still opened it. I think one decided she didn't want bees. (laying worker situation and they were ornery) I keep a couple of sizes of suits around, and it is by appointment. Generally our classes are good enough, plus a few field trips, that people don't seem to need a real hands on mentor. I do leave myself on the list because so few people do, and I know what it was like trying to figure things out online with someone in California looking at my pictures. Thank goodness it was better than a cell phone camera.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top