Believe it or not, community is another very large part of beekeeping, covering everything from educational seminars at local fairs and festivals to our monthly club meetings where we have a chance to learn from seasoned beekeepers throughout the states of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana during our education presentations. Our “meeting before the meeting” gives members a chance to connect with local veteran beekeepers in our immediate area who are always willing to share their experiences and knowledge.
Why is this so important? Because there is nothing that is 100% proven in beekeeping. There may be certain things that work 90% of the time for 90% of the beekeeping community, but there is that 10% that it doesn’t work for at all.
Probably the simplest explanation for this, is the 2 mile average distance honey bees will fly to forage. This alone can create considerable differences in apiaries. Everything from weather and climate to available foraging resources can affect how a hive develops and behaves. Good communication within the community helps spread the word about what is working for beekeepers in your immediate area, allowing you, the beekeeper, to get ahead of small issues before they become major problems.
