I have been dreaming about having bees for nine years. I grew up with bees for the first 16 years of my life. I appreciate having a program that encourages and supports healthy beekeeping. The equipment, hive structures, foundation, protective gear, and the costs of the bees are enormous for someone starting out. I appreciate that I can have some support for the infrastructure. It doesn't pay for the full exposure of expenses for beekeeping, but at least it is a start. 

I see a lot of negative comments about first time beekeepers. I don't feel that statements like these are helpful and don't appreciate being lumped into the same pool as inept beekeepers. There are many very serious beginners who will actively manage their hives and seek advice from other beekeepers. I saw many of them in class. However, there will always be some folks who don't take bee management seriously. I can't help that any more than I can control another person's poor decisions, in things like crime, DUIs, squandering time or money.  At the same time beginning beekeepers have to start somewhere and learn from experience, with and from mentors. Without the hive distribution program, I don't know that I would have been able to make the leap into this space.

A little about myself -- I've taken multiple workshops throughout the years. More recently I took beekeeping classes in the Spring of 2019 with Master Beekeeper Fred Holman at BRCC, went to the Fall Virginia Beekeeping Conference at BRCC in Weyers Cave, joined the Shenandoah Valley Beekeepers Assoc., and then took a Sustainable Hives class with Master Beekeeper Mary Cash Spring 2020. Incidentally, she was a passionate beginner beekeeper not long ago. I've been collecting protective gear and other equipment for a year. Because of what I learned in Mary's class I caught my first swarm two weeks ago, treated it for Varroa mites before larvae capping, and have been feeding them so as to have as healthy a start as possible. I am looking forward to adding three nucs in the next week. I have enough equipment to deal with some changes that will inevitably occur in my hives over the next season and year. I don't have a crystal ball to predict exactly which changes will occur so I have to be prepared. I do have more equipment and tools that I will need to purchase and pick up. As I stated, the starting costs are enormous.

In the beginner class we were told that it is best to start with three hives so that you have a better reference and understanding as to what a thriving hive looks like. I took that to heart. Since then I feel that working with Mary (in her apiary), that I saw lots of variety in how a thriving hive may look. We had to make immediate decisions when evaluating hives, creating nucs, swarm prevention, capturing swarms, moving hives, record keeping, and queen rearing. I am so grateful to her guidance. It has given me the confidence that I can do this and do it well. Mistakes will happen along the way. I've already made and corrected some. Bees are very resilient, and I intend to be as well. Like any other kind of livestock they need tending, observation, and management.

Regarding the selection process -- a random drawing feels like a system that is more equitable than first come first serve, which was prone to issues of server availability, Internet access, and more. The first come first serve system was very nerve racking as anyone tried to get on an overwhelmed server. From the SVBA club and from the Virginia Beekeeping Conference, I know several people who were successful at getting hives through the program. Whatever, the rules are, it needs to be clear and clear for all. I see people attempting to justify one selection method over another, pitting the selection process in favor of their selection. I don't know how one can be any more fair than random selection. People will complain unless they happen to be the ones chosen.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to apply. Beekeeping is in my blood.