# Strachan Apiaries



## jeff123fish (Jul 3, 2007)

this is a paste from strachan apiaries when I asked how much breeder NWC queens were going to be this year. I guess my question is are they always this calous? or was my question out of line for an e-mail?






"Last year's price was $500.00 each.

This was the reply I received from owner when I forwarded your question to
her.
"I'm sold out for this year. I have a couple names saved and he's not one
of
them. Refer him to Tom Glenn (Glenn Apiaries), even though he doesn't have
NWC he's cheaper
than us."
Order Desk
Strachan Apiaries, Inc"


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

When I toured Strachan with Sue Coby, we got a chance to see all of the operation. They showed us some queen cells they were pulling and Sue mentioned to us the cells were really small. I know it was summer time. But still. But I also know they are cranking out the queens and are a big operation.


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## jeff123fish (Jul 3, 2007)

it just surprised me there was a list and it was sooo long that there was no way i was going to get on it


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## stangardener (Mar 8, 2005)

i doubt that wording was meant for your eyes (much less all of beesource)


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## Jeffzhear (Dec 2, 2006)

stangardener said:


> i doubt that wording was meant for your eyes (much less all of beesource)


Heard that Stan....ouch


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## Bizzybee (Jan 29, 2006)

Think your right stangardener, it wasn't meant for jeff. I see nothing wrong with the statement though. There's no reason to think that there was any malice in what was said. It may not be what he wanted to hear but doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with a short answer.

I got a few queens from her late last year. They cut off production pretty early because of their climate and mating conditions there. I was right at the wire and she was reluctant to sell me queens but I assumed the responsibility. She was blunt and to the point which I appreciated very much! But she was never less than cordial.

Unless someone is very elequent with their use of the english languge or any other for that matter I suppose, typed text leaves the soul of the person out and can be easily misunderstood. I wouldn't put to much in this statement! I don't think it does her any justice.

The queens have done fine by the way, I wouldn't hesitate for an instant to go back to them if I needed more!


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

jeff123fish said:


> this is a paste from strachan apiaries when I asked how much breeder NWC queens were going to be this year. I guess my question is are they always this calous? or was my question out of line for an e-mail?
> 
> "Last year's price was $500.00 each.
> 
> ...


I must be dense. Which part of this reply is callous? The price? The fact that they have a limited number of breeder queens? The fact that they have a limited number that are already promised to those on a list that you aren't on?


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## jeff123fish (Jul 3, 2007)

"I'm sold out for this year. I have a couple names saved and he's not one
of
them. Refer him to Tom Glenn (Glenn Apiaries), even though he doesn't have
NWC he's cheaper

my question to them was simply how much was a breeder queen for this year going to be?

for me to get an e-mail saying "I have a couple names saved and he's not one
of them." seems a little harsh. a simple sorry we're sold out for this year would have been suffitiant(sp?).

And if it wasnt for my eyes why was it sent to me? I just thought it odd


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Okay, I see your point now. Did you go somewhere else for your breeder queens? I have a friend who raises quite a few queens. He paid about $500.00 each for two nucs a couple of years back. I guess that's about the going rate for breeders.


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## peggjam (Mar 4, 2005)

Jeff

Get ahold of Tim at HoneyRun, he is a great guy to deal with, and he has NWC breeder queens. I was on that list last year.....but never got my queen, or a decent response....And I was in touch early Oct of 07...:s


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## Dan Williamson (Apr 6, 2004)

peggjam said:


> Jeff
> 
> Get ahold of Tim at HoneyRun, he is a great guy to deal with, and he has NWC breeder queens. I was on that list last year.....but never got my queen, or a decent response....And I was in touch early Oct of 07...:s


I had to read that several times before I realized you were on the list at Strachan. Somehow I read that you were on a list with Tim at HoneyRun Apiaries and nover got your queen or a decent response. After I read it a couple of times I think I got what you were saying..... 

I'm slow....


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## peggjam (Mar 4, 2005)

Actually, it was the list with Sue. I'm slow too, so that makes two of us. Tim has excellent breeder queens....mine survived a bear attack, although the fact that she was still in her cage, and the frames landed correctly on the ground had alot to do with it.


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## jeff123fish (Jul 3, 2007)

I plan on it (going thru tim) But I know that he gets very busy so I was shopping around to see what others were getting for breeders. being that they where a major supplier i was just trying to do due dilegence and check there web site but they didn't have any info on it. what i sent was just a small note thru the e-mail. I wouldn't have been able to spend that much on a breeder queen anyway maybe 250 but for what I am looking to do that just would have been to much (i.e. my wife would have killed me:lookout


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## Bizzybee (Jan 29, 2006)

OH LORDY! I can see peggs next ad in the for sale forum now. "BEAR RESISTANT BEES!" 


Sheesh jeff, you had no plans to buy anything from them and still decided to sling mud at their reputation for something that?


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## peggjam (Mar 4, 2005)

"OH LORDY! I can see peggs next ad in the for sale forum now. "BEAR RESISTANT BEES!" "

Boy do I wish. If that queen had been killed you'd seen the smoke in GA. As it is, her hive is still going strong.


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## Kieck (Dec 2, 2005)

Am I missing something on this thread? The order desk at Strachan forwarded the request to the "owner," who responded.

Does Sue Coby now own Strachan?

I suspect that the person quoted in the e-mail response is not Sue, but maybe I'm wrong on that.


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## mudlake (Nov 26, 2007)

Am I missing something?? Tony


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## peggjam (Mar 4, 2005)

"Does Sue Coby now own Strachan?'

I don't think so, but suspect she outlets some of her breeder queens through them.:lookout:


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## jeff123fish (Jul 3, 2007)

Bizzybee-Sheesh jeff, you had no plans to buy anything from them and still decided to sling mud at their reputation for something that? 


1) if i had known that they were 500 dollars i wouldn't have needed to send an e-mail requesting how much they would be(cause it wouldn't have been an option) 


2)how am I slinging mud i just posted what there e-mailer sent me. If the rudeness of the "owner" was ment for me or not it was still sent to me. 

3) isn't that what this section is for to have discussion good or bad about business dealings?


I guess in all of this all i was wanting to know was if others saw this as i did, based on what I am getting for responses i must be taking this the wrong way. I mean I own two bussinesses and if I or anyone who works for me treated potential customers that way(intentionally or not) I would be ashamed of myself. now there is probubly alot of truth in what they said but if my wife asks me if that dress makes her look fat i'm not going to be the one to say yes either. maybe i just hit somebody having a bad day maybe the e-mailer was mad at there boss i dont know


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## NashBeek (Feb 15, 2008)

Bizzybee thinks he is a psychic instead of a Moderator, how does he know what your plans were and since you said it was a paste from the E-mail how can it be derogatory


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

jeff123fish said:


> I plan on it (going thru tim) But I know that he gets very busy so I was shopping around to see what others were getting for breeders. being that they where a major supplier i was just trying to do due dilegence and check there web site but they didn't have any info on it. what i sent was just a small note thru the e-mail. I wouldn't have been able to spend that much on a breeder queen anyway maybe 250 but for what I am looking to do that just would have been to much (i.e. my wife would have killed me:lookout


So you didn't just want to know what they cost, you wanted to buy some? You've got me confused.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

jeff123fish said:


> I guess in all of this all i was wanting to know was if others saw this as i did, based on what I am getting for responses i must be taking this the wrong way.


Yes, I think that you are taking this the wrong way. It is hard to tell tone of voice and feeling thru e-mail or on line communications like these.

You own two businesses and can't afford to spend $500.00 for something you want? 
Why do you want a breeder queen? I'm just curious.


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## jeff123fish (Jul 3, 2007)

You own two businesses and can't afford to spend $500.00 for something you want? Why do you want a breeder queen? I'm just curious. 
cant and wont for my purposes. What I want to do is build up some nucs this summer to sell next spring. but I was only planning on making up about 25 or so and to spend 500 dollars on 1 queen seemed out of*my league for those who are making up hundreds or even thousands of queens I can understand.*


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## Aspera (Aug 1, 2005)

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Tom Glenn's breeder stock. You might what to take the advice from the good people at Strachan's and give Glenn apiaries a call.


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## jeff123fish (Jul 3, 2007)

I think all just get ahold of tim at honeyrun and stick with my original plan seems to keep me out of trouble.


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## NashBeek (Feb 15, 2008)

I think that too many people can't read a post or the large Beekeepers have taken over this forum when you can't shop around for good deals on Bee' or Products. I think you received a rude response to a simple E-mail and it seems that you're being chastised for posting their response. I thought this was a Forum for Beekeeping not for Commercial only but hobbyist as well, some of the responses have been rude and condescending and I'm surprised that Barry hasn't stepped in. I have learned and relearned a lot on this forum and personally the $300.00 Breeder queens are expensive but $500.00 is ridiculous and why you are being subjected to all this criticism for asking for a price is ridiculous.


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

I'd be real interested to see the original note that Jeff sent to them before I decided that their reply was rude. How does a simple query about price result in the statement 'I have a couple names saved and he's not one of them.'
There may be more here than meets the eye.
Jeff, are you willing to post your original note in its entirety?


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

jeff123fish said:


> You own two businesses and can't afford to spend $500.00 for something you want? Why do you want a breeder queen? I'm just curious.
> cant and wont for my purposes. What I want to do is build up some nucs this summer to sell next spring. but I was only planning on making up about 25 or so and to spend 500 dollars on 1 queen seemed out of*my league for those who are making up hundreds or even thousands of queens I can understand.*


*

I wonder if the term "breeder queen" is misused or misunderstood by some. If you wanted to make up 25 or so nucs to sell, why would you want a breeder queen, when you could just buy 25 or 30 queens for less than $500.00?

People that I know that make up hundreds of nucs usually do so w/ queens, queen cells or they let the nucs or splits raise their own queens. They don't buy breeder queens to raise queens w/. I do know one person who has done so.*


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

NashBeek said:


> I think that too many people can't read a post or the large Beekeepers have taken over this forum when you can't shop around for good deals on Bee' or Products. I think you received a rude response to a simple E-mail and it seems that you're being chastised for posting their response. I thought this was a Forum for Beekeeping not for Commercial only but hobbyist as well, some of the responses have been rude and condescending and I'm surprised that Barry hasn't stepped in. I have learned and relearned a lot on this forum and personally the $300.00 Breeder queens are expensive but $500.00 is ridiculous and why you are being subjected to all this criticism for asking for a price is ridiculous.


If you are refering to my responses I would appreciate being told so here or through a PM or whatever. As I stated before emotion is hard to raed in cyberspace.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

beemandan said:


> How does a simple query about price result in the statement 'I have a couple names saved and he's not one of them.'


Is this statement rude? It is a statement of fact. How is that rude? Blunt maybe. It could have been put differently perhaps. But when one is busy, straight forward statements of fact are often what is called for.


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

I buy some of my queen stock from strachan apiaries , 

I have been very happy with the queens performances.


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

sqkcrk said:


> Is this statement rude?


I believe that you missed my point. Reading the reply without having seen the original inquiry one cannot determine if the response was short or totally appropriate. Without reading the original inquiry one cannot take the reply in context.

Example
Inquiry: How much do you charge for your breeder queens?
From that question where does the reply 'I have a couple names saved and he's not one of them.' come from???????
Now...if the original inquiry was: 'My friend Joe say he's on your list for a breeder queen and he tells me that you refuse to tell him how much its going to cost. How much are you going to charge my friend Joe for his queen?????'
Then the reply seems to make sense and is perfectly appropriate.

It appears to me that the original inquiry was more than a simple request for pricing information. Without that inquiry I can't place any context in their answer. I am in no way suggesting that the reply was rude. I'm saying that I can't even begin to comprehend the reply without a clearer sense of the original question.


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## Bizzybee (Jan 29, 2006)

Nash, I have personally said almost exactly those words an uncountable number of times and heard them said even more. And almost everytime they were half hearted humor in their delivery. You must also be guilty of not reading what has been posted as well or you would have seen what was an attempt to point the possibility out. Or you simply elect to ignore it? Which ever the case may be. 

The fact remains that without any consideration of there being a misunderstanding in the "text" included in the message. Here it sits in front of "thousands" of would be customers, deciding where they would like to be buying queens this year. Can you put a $ on how much this has potentially costed them? What exactly is a slight worth if that's the case, in your estimation?

You call for the site Administration to step in as if they are somehow responsible. This site is here for "all" beekeepers, big and small. And I don't see that anyone is playing the size game here. Just opinions that obviously don't align with your own. Everyone gets to speak and be heard, whether you or I like it or not.

The only out lash in this thread has been your own, and now this in response. Personally I hope the mod for this forum takes out both, as a matter of fact it would suit me just fine to see the thread disappear.

There's NO need for such a harsh exchange here and certainly not over such a petty issue!


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## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

jeff123fish said:


> this is a paste from strachan apiaries when I asked how much breeder NWC queens were going to be this year. I guess my question is are they always this calous? or was my question out of line for an e-mail?


Jeff, all the responders here including myself, with the exception of NashBeek, think you mistook the response you received as rude. While we do not know the exact phrasing of your inquiry, the response seems to be factual and to the point; something we should all value.

If you have other concerns about Strachan please start another thread, this one has been closed.


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