| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| brightmeadow |
Posted - Jul 14 2011 : 09:59:31 AM
We just returned from our "up north" place (my husband's ancestral family farm) where we have an old orchard. It is two miles outside a small town, 18 miles from any real suburban situation. We maintain the place like a park, somewhere we can go to relax, ride tractor, pick berries, etc. but we do not farm it. It is in the middle of farm country.
For the last six or seven years we've had an informal arrangement with a local commercial beekeeper to leave some of his hives on our property during the off-season when he is not renting them out to real orchards. He gives us a jug of honey at the end of the year every year, but otherwise, no commercial arrangement. He moved the hives from his former location across the street when the old farmer who owned the property passed away and his children sold the property to be divided up into lots. He likes our location because we do not spray chemicals on our property. We've had no problems, up until this year.
The new little house (think double-wide, prefab, no garage) across the street that was put up when the old farmer died has been sold a couple of times. The most recent owners came over and introduced themselves "we have a problem. Your bees are pooping on our house and cars."
We went over and looked, and sure enough, there is some evidence of staining on the southwest side of their house. The man said he never would have bought the house if he knew there were bees across the street. (The hives are way back in the orchard, and if the beekeeper didn't go in and out with his truck they probably would not have known they were there.) The woman said she is embarrassed to have people over because they go "EEEUUUUWWW" when they see the bee poop. The man said he is going to have to re-side his house since the bee poop won't come off with a pressure washer. They asked us for suggestions about how they should clean it, of course I have no idea, never having had this problem.
Another neighbor, a young mother, saw us talking outside and came shrieking out "I want to get in on this - my son has had 4 bee stings this year. The township supervisor told us to bring a civil suit against you - I deserve a better quality of life. Look, my son has bee poop on his head right now! There's 30 or 40 bees in my back yard every morning! Those bees need to go away!" She said there are bees on another property behind her house (we checked later, they do not belong to our beekeeper).
I explained to them that there are certain things you put up with when you move to the country. Birds poop on my house here on the other side of the state, and I have to get the pressure washer out to clean it up. I now live on a gravel road, and I have to wash my car more frequently than I used to. We have lots of bat guano in the barn from the "protected" bats that have taken up residence, and have to put everything under tarps inside the barn to protect them. Our home-away-from-home is in the middle of one of the biggest commercial apple-producing regions in the country, and the bees are a necessary part of that economy. The prevalence of colony collapses disorder means that there won't be much sympathy for trying to get rid of bees. The man described all the chemicals he had sprayed around his property to try and get rid of the bees, he had never heard of colony collapse disorder!
They were not interested in my problems, or the plight of the honeybee, at all. They only want us to tell the beekeeper to take his bees somewhere else, which I am disinclined to do. NIMBY syndrome.
I am stressed out about the woman who threatened a civil suit. Does either of these neighbors have any real basis for complaint, or are they just city people who should never have moved to the country? Or do they just resent that we have two homes and aren't there a lot of the time? (We did let the grass get a little long earlier this spring when we could not make it up there for a few weeks.)
We are not there frequently enough to invite them over for coffee, etc. and try to make friends (maybe it is too late for that anyway).
What should I do? Why do the bees poop on their house and no one else's? (They have little or no landscaping or trees around their house, could that play into it?) What responsibility do I have to fix their problem?
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands - You shall be happy and it shall be well with you. -Psalm 128.2
Visit my blog at http://brightmeadowfarms.blogspot.com ,web site store at http://www.watkinsonline.com/fish or my homepage at http://home.earthlink.net/~brightmeadow |
| 19 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| brightmeadow |
Posted - Jul 20 2011 : 7:51:38 PM
posted on my blog
http://brightmeadowfarms.blogspot.com/2011/07/apple-trees-and-honeybees.html
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands - You shall be happy and it shall be well with you. -Psalm 128.2
Visit my blog at http://brightmeadowfarms.blogspot.com ,web site store at http://www.watkinsonline.com/fish or my homepage at http://home.earthlink.net/~brightmeadow |
| brightmeadow |
Posted - Jul 17 2011 : 7:57:05 PM
Rosemary,
Your suggestions sound reasonable. Your "extension office" suggestion made me remember I am acquainted with the county official "bee inspector" back in my hometown in Ohio, we were former co-workers before he retired as maintenance supervisor and took up beekeeping. When I was home this weekend my sister told me that he, himself, and another local beekeeper, have weathered a controversy in the small-town where he lives (coincidentally the city where my father was born.) I think I will give him a call tomorrow during "working" hours and sound him out.
Beverly, I think your advice is wise also. It isn't my fight. I will inquire of my friend but take no initiatives with the neighbors other than telling them that we spoke with the beekeeper.
I agree that no time for chit-chat is sad, and started to type out a long list of the things we do in a typical weekend at the farm, but it would just bore you. We do socialize a bit with some of the neighbors we have known for years. We plan to retire to the farm in few years, so selling it to cut down on our maintenance tasks just isn't an option, and quitting our jobs early and moving there with only a few years to go till retirement would also be a bad financial move.
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands - You shall be happy and it shall be well with you. -Psalm 128.2
Visit my blog at http://brightmeadowfarms.blogspot.com ,web site store at http://www.watkinsonline.com/fish or my homepage at http://home.earthlink.net/~brightmeadow |
| Beverley |
Posted - Jul 17 2011 : 6:47:05 PM
I would hope if they went to see a lawyer he would tell them he will not handle the case seeing that they will get no where!!!Hopefully that would be the end to it. and I would inform the bee keeper and then keep out of it. because it will cost you money if not. it really is not your argument in the first place.
Folks will know how large your soul is by the way you treat a dog....Charles F. Doran
beverley baggett
Beverley with an extra E...
https://sites.google.com/site/bevsdoggies/
http://bevsdoggies.blogspot.com/ |
| Rosemary |
Posted - Jul 17 2011 : 5:38:07 PM
These people seem foolish. Why did they move to the country if nature offends them so? It would be a shame to have to encourage them to follow through on their lawsuits, but how else are they going to learn? Does your county have an extension agent you could all go to for a pow-wow about this? Or perhaps your court system has some kind of mediation program you could all go to. A professional facilitator makes sure everyone is heard without interruption, and manages the search for reconciling differences. It's effective. I think there is more of a class war going on here than anything else; the idea that they perceive you as "loaded" and vulnerable to a juicy couple of lawsuits sounds right on. Letting them sue and lose would leave you wide open to retaliation. A mediated settlement could prevent that.
You're not around long enough to invite somebody over for coffee? Wow. Just sayin'. |
| brightmeadow |
Posted - Jul 16 2011 : 6:57:50 PM
OK, I googled Atlanta and you are a lot farther "up north" than our place is. We are in the Grand Rapids metro area, but it is slightly more north than home, and has a lot more of the "cabin" feel to it. The appliances in the kitchen there are so old that I feel like I am camping out at my old Girl Scout camp! It was my husband's grandparents' farm, and he hasn't changed much since they lived there!
If the neighbors really are thinking that we have deep pockets they will be sadly mistaken!
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands - You shall be happy and it shall be well with you. -Psalm 128.2
Visit my blog at http://brightmeadowfarms.blogspot.com ,web site store at http://www.watkinsonline.com/fish or my homepage at http://home.earthlink.net/~brightmeadow |
| Beverley |
Posted - Jul 16 2011 : 2:15:20 PM
Brenda, where is your up north home.. I live in atlanta, michigan and I know here if someone was complaining about bee poop everyone would laugh at them . I was laughing so hard I almost pee'd my pants. Tell them to go back to the city and walk away. way too out there!!!
Folks will know how large your soul is by the way you treat a dog....Charles F. Doran
beverley baggett
Beverley with an extra E...
https://sites.google.com/site/bevsdoggies/
http://bevsdoggies.blogspot.com/ |
| embchicken |
Posted - Jul 14 2011 : 4:11:08 PM
I can not belive these people. I mean , come on, tell them to wrap themselves up in bubble wrap and live in a bubble. Suing you for bee poop? I'm in New Jersey , the most ;awyer filled, litigious state in the union (lol) and that would be laughed out of court here! In all seriousness though - this must be stressful for you. You go there to relax and have shrieking neighbors complaining about nature. I hope it all just calms down for you.
~ Elaine
Farmgirl sister #2822
"Find yourself a cup of tea; the teapot is behind you. Now tell me about hundreds of things." ~Saki
http://embchicken.blogspot.com
http://gusandtrudy.blogspot.com |
| FarmDream |
Posted - Jul 14 2011 : 1:27:52 PM
L O L..Thank your lucky stars you don't live there full time. I agree that bees won't sting unless they feel threatened. We have bees in our yard all the time and I love seeing them. No one has been stung because we don't run around like freaks trying to kill them. We understand how necessary they are for us to have a good garden and local honey. We have a great relationship with our bees.
~FarmDream is Farmgirl Sister #3069
Live Today, Cherish Yesterday, Dream Tomorrow
http://naturaljulie.etsy.com
http://julie-rants.blogspot.com |
| CMac |
Posted - Jul 14 2011 : 1:13:26 PM
Bees poop a lot on the first warm days of spring after being in the hive all winter. It's a one time deal. They usually stay pretty close to the hive too. That is the only time i ever see it. I'm sure they poop some the rest of the summer but it would surprise me if it were noticeable. It is sticky but washes off easily. But I've always washed it off soon after I see it. I guess it could be there from spring. I'm sure the sun has baked it on by now. I bet a brush and hot water with some soap would get it off. I don't know if it would have stained the siding. I've never let it sit like that! I would be interested to know if it keeps happening after it is cleaned off. If it is I would say the bees are pretty active over there. Like I said before they may be traveling through there to get water or perhaps there is a good nectar source. I just don't know about this. I've never heard of it before. It would seem to me it is part of living in the country. I don't ask my neighbor to come clean the cotton wood fluff from his tree out of my screens. Or the one further down to stop smoking tobacco in the fall because it gets in my laundry.
I would not worry about it. But I am interested to know if it is old Poop from spring or if it is recurring. Strange!
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
| brightmeadow |
Posted - Jul 14 2011 : 1:12:11 PM
If anyone is curious, I googled "bee poop" for images and found some on a window-washer's site http://www.ewindowwashing.com/window-cleaning-articles/what-are-these-yellow-spots-on-my-windows/ that kind of look like what's on the neighbor's house.
No affiliation. The window washer says that his "pure water" system (some kind of de-ionized water) will take it off. Other sites say use a citrus-based cleaner.
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands - You shall be happy and it shall be well with you. -Psalm 128.2
Visit my blog at http://brightmeadowfarms.blogspot.com ,web site store at http://www.watkinsonline.com/fish or my homepage at http://home.earthlink.net/~brightmeadow |
| Okie Farm Girl |
Posted - Jul 14 2011 : 11:59:54 AM
Wow. I'm learning a whole bunch here. I have never heard of the "bee poop" issue before. I lived on a 50,000 acre ranch in NE Texas when my husband was a comanager there and our house was next to around 3000 bee hives. I never experienced anything like you are discribing.
As far as the bee stings, if you go outside, you WILL get stung by a bee whether you live near a hive or not. That's why I have to carry an EPIpen with me at all times. Duh.
People are so spoiled. I remember my husband's aunt coming to the farm one day, in high heels AND a dress, and upon her insistance to see the livestock, tippy-toed around the barnyard with a wrinkled nose and the comment, "How do you stand this? It's so.....dirty."
Mary Beth
www.OklahomaPastryCloth.com
www.Oklahomapastrycloth.com/blog
The Sovereign Lord is my strength - Habakkuk 3:19 |
| brightmeadow |
Posted - Jul 14 2011 : 11:50:55 AM
They talked to the beekeeper, and evidently he confirmed the marks on their house as bee poop. We've talked to him also. He will do whatever we ask him to do, but I'm not sure what the right thing is. It would be a lot of work to move the hives. Three years ago he moved the hives from one area to another because his truck kept getting stuck in the mud when there was a wet spring. He chose the place he has them now as "second best". Evidently there are some optimal locations, and some that are not so good, for hives? On the south and west side of a hill or trees? There aren't that many places on the farm that meet the good conditions and are open and accessible by his truck for re-siting the bees again.
What is this "cleansing flight?" Is that something the bees do daily, or is it in the spring after having been cooped up in the hive all winter?
The guy mentioned he hasn't cleaned it off his siding yet, it's almost like they're saving it for "evidence". Just like the mom didn't wipe her child's head - she was saving it, I guess, to show her husband? I did some internet research and found an article that says the longer you leave it, the harder it is to clean. Could it still be on his house since this spring? It seems unlikely he would leave it that long if he is just a super-clean type of personality - I saw him pressure-washing his LP tank the other day.
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands - You shall be happy and it shall be well with you. -Psalm 128.2
Visit my blog at http://brightmeadowfarms.blogspot.com ,web site store at http://www.watkinsonline.com/fish or my homepage at http://home.earthlink.net/~brightmeadow |
| oldbittyhen |
Posted - Jul 14 2011 : 11:50:21 AM
LMAO!!! what will people do next, another stupid lawsuit...when you live in the country, its part of life, if you don't like it, move back to the city...we (my neighbors and I) had a family move in between all of us, 3rd day they were here, they were pounding on everyones doors and telling them to get rid of their roosters, ducks, sheep cattle, hogs (you get the picture), because between the noise and smell, they could not sleep or enjoy their porch, and they actualy called animal reg and the sheriffs dept to make formal complaints, and were told they had no recourse, they lived in the country with farm/ranches all around, and maybe they should consider selling and moveing back to the city, then they got a city lawyer to file a civil lawsuit against us all, which of course the judge threw out and actualy laughed, then told the lawyer, he better read up on the laws, so anyway, this should all go away for you, and you might want to have a lawyer write up your rights and the local ordinances, along with your zoneing and present this to your neighbors...good luck..
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
| Dusky Beauty |
Posted - Jul 14 2011 : 11:36:07 AM
They won't get anywhere suing you, but I'd be more concerned about vindictive vandalism while you're not there. I'm willing to bet that the motivation is a little bit from column A (they are not aware that they have to put up with the country when moving there...) and a little from column B (they assume since you have 2 houses you must be loaded enough to bankroll them.)
I'm sure you informed them that you don't own any bees, but that you would talk to the beekeeper on their behalf. See what he suggests or can do.
"The greatness of a nation and it's moral progress can be judged by the way it's animals are treated." ~Gandhi
http://silvermoonfarm.blogspot.com/
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.” ~Will Rogers |
| CMac |
Posted - Jul 14 2011 : 11:25:32 AM
Bees do take a cleansing flight in early spring to rid themselves of the winters waste. It can be noticeable on laundry on the line if it is close to the hives. But I can say I have never noticed it on anything else. The bees may or may not be doing it. It may be that it was done in early spring and is just left over? It would take an awful lot of bees to make that big a mess. Honey bees need water. Are they crossing their property to get water? There will be a steady line of bees going back and forth if they are.
Is there a tree on that side of their house? We have hack berrys that get an aphid like critter that drops tons of stuff that gets on everything. Sticky brown mess.
If there are bees being kept behind her house how does she know it was the bees from your property that stung the child? Is she going to sue both?
I don't think you are at any risk legally. I would however notify the beekeeper of the complaints.
I'm sorry this is a problem. I've heard of folks being afraid of the bees before but never anyone complaining of their poop!
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
| nubidane |
Posted - Jul 14 2011 : 11:25:00 AM
Bee poop???
What does bee poop look like?? Honey?? |
| beekeepersgirl |
Posted - Jul 14 2011 : 11:05:21 AM
That's the most ridiculous thing I've heard of - those neighbors need to go back where they came from! Bees do, indeed, take cleansing flights, but that is just part of nature. They also don't just sting for the fun of it - usually if you leave them alone they will leave you alone. Neighbors - aarrgghh!!
Luanne
beekeepersgirl #691
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
|
| StrawHouseRanch |
Posted - Jul 14 2011 : 10:45:16 AM
Where are the beehives in orientation to their house? Perhaps the house is in line with their cleansing flight. I wonder if it would be possible for the beekeeper to just move the hives to a more distant location away from the neighbor's property or reorient the hives so the bees have a new flight pattern. This is kind of a tricky thing for bees to accept relocation, because they sort of program themselves to return to the same spot, but if the beekeeper can gradually re-orient the hives, without stressing the bees, it might help.
Paula
Farmgirl Sister #3090
A Beehive is the ultimate Home Sweet Home
|
| FebruaryViolet |
Posted - Jul 14 2011 : 10:19:01 AM
Bees poop? Seriously, as weird as it sounds, working for an attorney, I'd let them pay the money to file a complaint. You would be a third party defendant at any rate since you don't "own" the bees, they're merely "renting" from you--the owner of the hives would be a party Defendant primarily. What does he say--have you talked with him? When he has gone to maintain hives, has anyone approached him? If this was horses breaking down their fences and getting into people's gardens or crashing through their living room, this might be an issue, but since a) this is an agriculturally zoned piece of land and the ordinances for said land include bees b) bees don't mind fences, that I know of, I'd think this would be a weird case to be heard in a courtroom, let alone one that is surrounded by rural communities.
It reminds me of the lady a few years back who moved from an uppity section of northern Cincinnati to rural (but growing) Union, Kentucky. She stood up at a city meeting after a month living there and complained that there were NO cute, quaint shops and that she was "sick to death" of the horse poop smell coming from the (as yet) undeveloped thorobred farm next door and WHAT was the city going to do about it???? Someone in the public section of the meeting told her to go back to Ohio!
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
|
|
