Firereika
143929
1778
94
So, I have nobody I really trust to just talk about this without judgement....
I'm a mom of two young children, entrepreneur beekeeper, master's degree candidate, and give time to many beekeeping associations...... I have kicked my butt to be the best mom possible for my children, to my hives last summer to be able to keep my bees in great shape.... To my business the last 4 years coaching and teaching employees I just can't replace with the snap of a finger, To my master's degree to have that little income that puts food on the table for my children and me, and to the beekeeper associations in order to have more clients for my company...
To what avail? It all ends up as bullshit this spring..... I feal as if all my hard work was all for sweet nothing and I now have to start over.... I can't take the beating anymore..... What can I do?
Do I tell some of my employees there no job for them this summer and risk loosing their experience and need to start all over in two summers? (PS a minimum of 3 years is required to get someone to understand properly beekeeping) I was supposed to have 4 employees this summer.....
Do I just sell the whole damn farm, pay my depts and move on? I'm at a loss.....
Can't talk to other beekeepers as the are my clients.....
I see a lot of you vent here on Imgur and hope you guys will be able to here me from the void.....
PS 1 : Waow! I went viral! Thank you so much to everyone of you for the support and laughter. Your comments are gold and give me hope to keep pushing!
PS 2 : You guys have suggested i put a link for donations available. Never did that before so here's the attempt, hope it works!
https://ko-fi.com/firereika
PS 3 : more of your suggestions have helped me a lot! I've added some of the products we make from our hives. To
PS 4 : as per suggestions I started working on being able to live stream the bees with their incredible sound! I'll keep you, wonderful Imgur community, informed as soon as possible!
Thank you so much for all your donations and buying or products! This is incredible! Gives me so much hope knowing there are good people as you all out there
cutcutgraphic
This is heartbreaking! Both my father-in-law's hives were completely gone when he opened them up 2 weeks ago; no clue what happened. So sad!
SkeetLord69
OP I talked to a guy that had 18,000 hives at the beginning of each season. Coming out of winter he usually had 9,000. 1/2
SkeetLord69
2/2 He said he farmed queens and split his hives every year. You're doing fine. Hang in there.
Firereika
Woaw those are a lot of losses! I do raise my queens.
pemgur
Donated - thank you for your work. It helps the whole planet.
LetsEatPizzaAndFuck
You sell your honey to shops and stores right? Increase the cost like any business does to cover their loss. Easier said than done I’m sure.
Firereika
Yeah I did that in January for the COVID tax (gaz, pots, and everything else going up) and am seriously thinking of slitly raising again
LetsEatPizzaAndFuck
Just know your product is worth it and people want that product. You do what you do to make money.
Eridianne
!! YOUR GOAL IS CLEAR !! YOUR STANCE IS SURE !! HOLD TIGHT TO AMBITION AND FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT !! GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO FIREREIKA! -pompoms-
Firereika
???? thank you that's so nice!
wingalingpuppy
You should set up some sort of system where people can sponsor a hive or have a hive named after them.
CanuckleheadChick
Four hundred HIVES? Holy.
tomatoboy
That’s a LOT of beehives, and a LOT of losses, any idea what caused it?
GrumpyOldMillennial
Local beekeepers around here plan km a 25% hive loss annually. Some winters it's worse. One apparently uses powdered sugar to combat mites
lordyhalvey
I applaud anyone so dedicated to such an important career. I hope you can power on.
Firereika
Thank you so much!
rogue00ff
If there was any kind of bee fungus that killed them, you may need to tell them. Definitely find out the cause of the hive deaths.
whataboutthatone
And enact revenge
upthehillandtotheright
Whats your buisness model? Maybe sell classes/tours/knowledge sessions to try to augment the loss in income.
fibbertitgibbet
Op, you are doing a great job. You just have two difficult things going on at once. I hope you will be ok and you raise millions of bees.
Firereika
you're absolutely right. I never thought I'd end up in these two at the same time. They where once a lifetime opportunities I couldn't miss
RunawaySpoons
Man, that's got to hurt - so many bees to lose, I'm so sorry. Glad others have been able to be of some help here, I can only send sympathy.
RocMage
So, to the first question: Yes, it's rough, but if you can't afford to pay them, just tell them that. I hope you can rebuild :).
RainbowFlerken
Put up feeding jars and make splits in spring. Fall might come out better. Put up water sources in summer and do pest management.
Witcher187
I can't help your frustration, but I can help your employee problem. Thats just math. You got to lay them off until your hives recover.
dudehiemer
Are you sure its not the pesticides again? The FDA was pretty negligent in their testing, which decimated European Bee populations in the US
Firereika
It could be. But I don't have any proof. the only think I can have control over is the damn mite which will receive my wrath this summer
StanBeeeman
Pretty sure the US has almost never restricted systemic pesticide use which is almost definitely responsible for colony collapse.
adventureanna
Hey. Mom to little ones here. Former entrepreneur. I can’t tell you what to do, but I can say I’ve been there. I closed when Covid hit 1/2
adventureanna
And it was hard but life is better now. I thought about what life I wanted for my kids, and realized that Mom Boss wasn’t it. Happy to chat
Firereika
Thanks that's good for thoughts ?
adventureanna
Whatever path you choose, I hope it brings you peace. You deserve that
andexer
If you want to be a beekeeper AND you can afford it, then have a good catharsis and push through. Offer all emps part time, explaining why.>
andexer
If you can't afford it, or reall don't want to be a beekeeper, then you need to move on. Let your financial facts determine your options.>
andexer
Whatever you decide, I wish you the best of luck!
Firereika
?❣️
KiltedinSeattle
You’ve clearly learned a lot with this business before the loss. Your operation will be more efficient if you put those lessons to use.
ThePippinator
Grew up with may parents keeping bees, and tried it myself last summer. Lost both swarms I caught within the same season. One of them was 1)
ThePippinator
settled and positively THRIVING. I fucking cried. I know it's nowhere as much as you have lost, but DAMN does it hurt to lose bees. From 2)
ThePippinator
what I've heard, CCD is common nowadays. Try not to beat yourself up, OP. Shit sucks, but you're not alone 3)
Firereika
Thank you so much for that virtual hug❣️ I appreciate it some much. Yeah there's something I need to learn from this experience.
GarmBlack
Choose the least necessary of your employees and cut your staffing. Yeah, it sucks, but if you don't then NONE of them, or you, will have
GarmBlack
work. Have an honest conversation with them that when things improve, you'd love to have them back. Be forthright and tell them whats up and
GarmBlack
give lots of notice.
Firereika
That's great advice ? thank you. I'll have a big talk with my most trusted employee and evaluate who will sadly be sent home ☹️
WhatTheFrench
Since you have a lot of connections in the industry, see if you can find them a job with a client. Silver lining, happy client.
GarmBlack
Be there to offer references, ask them if they'd like to hear when you're hiring again, etc. etc. You got this.
Ripplingtwinkie
What did it? Foulbrood or colony collapse?
Firereika
My best guess mites
Agouti
Having mite trays helps a lot with spotting those. Someone I know just lost all theirs to floods after over a decade of careful breeding...
Firereika
Oh my god he must of been in BC. I heard about that last summer
4everwild
We had a terrible winter & lost more than half . Hope you can recover and spring comes quick . Was it mites ?
Firereika
Yes I think so. I'm not the only one getting her butt kicked this year..... 40% losses in Canada
hrsyfxr
I’m so sorry - that sucks. We are moving to 3 treatments this season, now, and once more before the flow and then fall.
Firereika
That's what I'm gonna do spring mid season and autumn. Working on a CO2 mite wash to evaluate infestation levels.... Have any suggestions?
Metalhead47
Beekeeping is hard.
andtheniatethebowl
I had bees, they all died. It happens, there are so many things that want to kill them
morgulking75
This is my third year. No bees yet have survived the winter. It's been something new each time.
eggmuffin
I consider myself lucky to have grown up learning lessons, such as this, from Jean Luc Picard. He was a damn good teacher.
ToxicIndigoKittyGold
That is not failure. That is life.
leechdemon
...it's technically death, but +1 for completing the quote. ;)
meganical
That line got me when I watched it. It’s such a crap part of life
krugle
I feel like farmers insurance generally would have covered this.
tomatoboy
General coverage, no. There is specialized coverage for beekeeping now, however.
Firereika
Yeah I'm covered. Thank god.... But it won't pay sufficiently to keep all my employees ? and I still have to call and cancel clients..?
charondaboatman
Could you do a “beekeeper co-op”?
BigTex1
No loss of revenue rider/coverage? Any federal or state grants available? Maybe an agricultural extension agency that could do something?
Bridgiebird
So you have a site where you sell honey or anything? I'd buy some!
GBMaker
She also makes honey soap! https://ko-fi.com/firereika
Bridgiebird
I totally bought some soaps! My husband and I love home made soaps!
Firereika
Sadly the web site is still in the works so not online yet. Thank you so much ? is there an other way to send you my honey?
GBMaker
Also, activate the Tip and Donation interfaces. 'Cause, contributions.
Firereika
https://ko-fi.com/firereika hope I did this right ?
GBMaker
Excellent! Good work!
GBMaker
Yeah. Go to https://ko-fi.com and make an account there. Then post the link here. Folks can buy your honey through that platform. Simple.
kewraknowwhere
Yes please!
GBMaker
Here she is! https://ko-fi.com/firereika
Firereika
I'm not sure how to put the buy honey thing on there I'll work on that ?
GBMaker
They make the process as easy as possible. Have fun!
Firereika
Oh my god ? thank you! I just managed to get our farm made soaps on there! Here's the link! https://ko-fi.com/s/7b6048e6fe
Baltzdelirium
Where you at? I'd love to help you.
Firereika
I'm in Canada ? where the winters are long for the bees ?
Firereika
https://ko-fi">e6fe">https://ko-fi.com/s/7b6048e6fe and ko-fi.com/firereika
Baltzdelirium
Damn. That's a bit of a drive. If you were within an hour or so I'd make the drive to work for ya. I know it wouldn't be perfect help but
tiderfish
Prolly a stupid question, but can you keep them inside for the winter in a greenhouse or something?
ceceoh
The bees wouldn’t hibernate, and would have no nectar to harvest.
VanIsleExplorer
They need the cold cycle to avoid eating through all their food stores by keeping a large colony when there's no food for them.
GBMaker
"Something" being a large cooler. It may be a necessary tool for all beekeepers in the future.
RetrogradeLlama
I'm a "stick it out" kind of guy. You built it; you can rebuild it.
Bridgiebird
I like your positivity
n8glore
NinjaHoff
Firereika
Nice memes! ?
Firereika
❣️ thanks I needed that. Yeah I will probably call my clients and tell them they'll get 50% of what they where supposed to get...
Syrpynt
I worked part time as a thtor and when business dried up in my region I lost my hours. I was work as supplementary to my fulltime job though
thisiskissel
That’s the spirit, honey!
Angrez
I had to Comb through a lot of comments to find this one.
psychobob2213
Your best is your best. Be honest with your clients/employees. It builds trust, most of these folks will understand, even if disappointed.
Kjasi
I agree. Especially when your clients are other beekeepers, who've likely had the same issue. You shouldn't be afraid to ask for advice.
Firereika
You're totally right. It's hard to show weakness as I often try to be the tuff one and keep at it... But I'll have to face my fears ?
JustChargeYourDamnPhone
Vulnerability and owning it is not weakness. It takes more strength to be vulnerable and have integrity.
Firereika
Your so right ? I'll see to talk with my clients and tell the truth. fear is a very bad counselor. Fear of not making enough money, 1/
brokenchicken
helps to cite regional losses If they’re similar. Crank up your feeding and you may get a few splits? And def do an early spring mite trtmt