Technically Speaking…

I am a technician.  In multiple, various ways.  Professionally, I actually am a certified computer network technician.  I was a licensed and registered pesticide applicator.  Personally, I consider myself an “amateur” scientist in that I don’t get paid to engage in research but I am actively involved in R & D and testing various methodologies, techniques, and products as related to beekeeping.

So I generally approach everything from a technician point of view.  It’s just how I roll.  Below is a pretty general and common definition of a technician, at least by Google standards.

I happen to fall into all three of these.  I maintain and operate professional equipment, I have been specifically educated and trained to apply information, techniques and concepts based on scientific research, and yes, I am a beekeeper which does indeed count as an art and a craft and yes, does require skill to be successful.

When I talk about bees and beekeeping in presentations, classes, online, or pretty much anywhere, I come at it from a technician mindset.  We employ the scientific process all the time as beekeepers, especially when including Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in our operating plan.

After spending many years as a professional technician in other fields, I come to beekeeping almost instinctively at this point using the same mindset.

As a contributor to Bee Smart beekeeping project here, I have a few purposes driving my participation.  One, I beelieve that beekeeping is generally a hobby for the vast majority of people and it should be enjoyable.  Beekeeping should bee fun.  By trying to include some entertainment, even at my own expense, I hope to help others have fun and remember some of the things we share here more because of the association of being amused while learning.

Two, I want to encourage and foster a “next step” in professional apiarist careers and services.  Time and technology marches on and as they do, so must beekeeping.  Hobby beekeeping will always be around I think but making a primary living at it must evolve.

This is where JPtheBeeman, myself and others have taken our directions to involve ourselves professionally in beekeeping but not in the conventional role as a migratory pollinator or in substantial honey production.

We encourage some folks to take some risks, bee adventurous, and do something unique that helps make everyone involved a winner.  I want to help people take that step and so have built my business on live removal and relocation services combined with skills training and education as a coach and instructor.

So, whether read my articles, posts and watch my videos and hear me on the podcasts, that’s the point where I’m coming from, a technician with a passion for bees.