Desperate Dan 12 Posted March 4, 2018 Just heard some more news in lovely Masterton from the Watson ranks. Apparently Watsons Sales director finally through his toys out in a big way last week and quit. A few more about to walk I am told very soon. lots of new consultants and accountants joining Watsons though. Must be how beekeeping with the big boys is done? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frazzledfozzle 7065 Posted March 4, 2018 Is it Watson’s itself or is it Ngai Tahu’s part of Watson’s ? when Ngai Tahu and Watson’s parted company Ngai Tahu took the beekeeping side and Watson’s the pharmaceutical side, or so I believe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alastair 7576 Posted March 4, 2018 20 minutes ago, frazzledfozzle said: when Ngai Tahu and Watson’s parted company Ngai Tahu took the beekeeping side and Watson’s the pharmaceutical side, or so I believe If so, probably a pretty smart move by Watsons, and Ngai Tahu got the short straw. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Desperate Dan 12 Posted March 4, 2018 Definitely from the Ngai Tahu side of Watsons 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frazzledfozzle 7065 Posted March 4, 2018 12 minutes ago, Alastair said: If so, probably a pretty smart move by Watsons, and Ngai Tahu got the short straw. Completely agree and also shows how little Ngai Tahu knew about the beekeeping industry before signing the big cheque. played big time Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frazzledfozzle 7065 Posted March 4, 2018 56 minutes ago, Desperate Dan said: lots of new consultants and accountants joining Watsons though. Must be how beekeeping with the big boys is done? Yeah who needs beekeepers anyway, anyone can do it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Desperate Dan 12 Posted March 4, 2018 Agree we know a lot of the Watsons boys and girls down here. Talk is that they got less than 10kg per hive this year and all low very low UMF. No wonder the sales director quit. We just get one crazy story after another coming out of that place. they got this CEO from the apple and pear business and she thinks beekeeping is similar! Such a mess ... will we hear bring back Denis? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frazzledfozzle 7065 Posted March 4, 2018 (edited) 6 minutes ago, Desperate Dan said: Such a mess ... will we hear bring back Denis? I hope not, the further away he is from bees the better. with the change in standard I can see even the big boys taking a hit. Edited March 4, 2018 by frazzledfozzle Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Desperate Dan 12 Posted March 4, 2018 The Denis bit was a joke of coarse. I think you are right. If your harvest is low on volume and on grade it is going to hurt no matter how big you are. If you keep losing the people with knowledge it just makes it harder for the newbies Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RUAHINE 4 Posted March 5, 2018 4 hours ago, frazzledfozzle said: I hope not, the further away he is from bees the better. with the change in standard I can see even the big boys taking a hit. Id imagine he's splitting hives as we speak 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jamesc 3637 Posted March 5, 2018 (edited) The way I see it with the Big Boys .... a bad year is just a glitch in the system ..... next year will be the best ever .... full steam ahead. One has to keep shareholder confidence up so no negative comments please. Why is everyone so blinkered with manuka . Agreed the price is up there, but the yields are up and down like a whore's drawers. One always needs a plan b where the risk is spread between a variety of crops so that when the high roller fails to return the goodies one can at least pay the grocery bill. But then .... what do I know. Edited March 5, 2018 by jamesc 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tommy dave 997 Posted March 5, 2018 46 minutes ago, jamesc said: Why is everyone so blinkered with manuka . Agreed the price is up there, but the yields are up and down like a whore's drawers. One always needs a plan b where the risk is spread between a variety of crops so that when the high roller fails to return the goodies one can at least pay the grocery bill. sounds like you're saying that in some ways the manuka thing is well suited to the sideliner with a day job then eh one who would love a wage top-up, but will survive on rice and beans in the years it doesn't pan out Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jamesc 3637 Posted March 5, 2018 (edited) 5 minutes ago, tommy dave said: sounds like you're saying that in some ways the manuka thing is well suited to the sideliner with a day job then eh one who would love a wage top-up, but will survive on rice and beans in the years it doesn't pan out No ..... oris that maybe yes ..... it's a bit like when you loose the front wheel of yer bike on the gravel at the bottom of the hill into Pigeon bay and all the eggs for yr tea are in the front panier, you go hungry. Edited March 5, 2018 by jamesc 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Philbee 4670 Posted March 5, 2018 10 hours ago, frazzledfozzle said: with the change in standard I can see even the big boys taking a hit. The big boys are the ones that get hit the hardest IMO 31 minutes ago, tommy dave said: sounds like you're saying that in some ways the manuka thing is well suited to the sideliner with a day job then eh one who would love a wage top-up, but will survive on rice and beans in the years it doesn't pan out Commercial Beekeeping isnt for part timers Part timers are called Hobbyists 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ali 537 Posted March 5, 2018 Yet that is how it is for many.....farming operations in the back ground, other profitable business interests/enterprises etc etc but because of the size of their operations they are not called part timers............ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Philbee 4670 Posted March 5, 2018 Tough players are busy expanding right now This guy Watson will be back big time because he is a fighter 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tommy dave 997 Posted March 5, 2018 9 minutes ago, Philbee said: Tough players are busy expanding right now This guy Watson will be back big time because he is a fighter agree completely. For anyone who doesn't agree, go to the companies office and search for the companies that Denis Watson is a director of, here, this should help. https://app.companiesoffice.govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/individual/search?q=denis+watson&roleType=DIR&indEntityTypes=ALL&indDirStatus=ALL&indEntityStatusGroups=ALL&addressKeyword=&advancedPanel=false&mode=standard#results https://app.companiesoffice.govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/companies/5833041?backurl=%2Fcompanies%2Fapp%2Fui%2Fpages%2Findividual%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Ddenis+watson%26start%3D%26entitySearch%3D%26addressKeyword%3D%26postalCode%3D%26country%3D%26addressType%3D%26advancedPanel%3Dfalse%26mode%3Dstandard%26roleType%3DDIR%26indEntityTypes%3DALL%26indEntityStatusGroups%3DALL%26indDirStatus%3DALL%26sf%3D%26sd%3D etc. Then do some background reading on those companies, particularly the newer ones... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jamesc 3637 Posted March 5, 2018 20 hours ago, Desperate Dan said: Agree we know a lot of the Watsons boys and girls down here. Talk is that they got less than 10kg per hive this year and all low very low UMF. No wonder the sales director quit. We just get one crazy story after another coming out of that place. they got this CEO from the apple and pear business and she thinks beekeeping is similar! Such a mess ... will we hear bring back Denis? Did'nt Forrest Gump buy an apple business. It went quite well for him! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stoney 1190 Posted March 6, 2018 On 3/5/2018 at 8:32 PM, tommy dave said: sounds like you're saying that in some ways the manuka thing is well suited to the sideliner with a day job then eh one who would love a wage top-up, but will survive on rice and beans in the years it doesn't pan out All our decent farms with Manuka want maximum beehives in at the right time and strength and access is sometimes freshly dozed/ tidied up clay tracks, or sometimes goat tracks.. Part time/small time beefarmers would struggle to keep up with the commercials running traceability programs, h&s policies , reliability with vehicles, timeframes and income shares.... And simply wouldn't have the hive numbers to make it stack up. Then of course there's the guys that promise the huge hive numbers and profits, lock in 5 yr contracts but deliver only hot air. News travels fast.. bad news even faster, there's some staggering bs yarns spun to farmers about Manuka profits to get feet in the door. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Philbee 4670 Posted March 6, 2018 (edited) 23 minutes ago, Stoney said: All our decent farms with Manuka want maximum beehives Funny you should say this I know an East Coast Landholder who has some of the best producing Manuka in the country on lease to a large corporate. One of his gripes is that the Corporate consistently fails to meet hive number targets and it doesn't appear to be about prudent stocking rates but more to do with an inability to supply ( not Watsons) Edited March 6, 2018 by Philbee Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stoney 1190 Posted March 6, 2018 Promises promises, honey and bees get discussed by these neighbouring cockies over a few beers every week.. who's got which beekeeper on their place and how they perform, how much they make off it and even who's honey tests were best etc.. good solid reputation, not over committing and being honest goes a lot further than numbers on paper only good for lighting the fire. IMO. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frazzledfozzle 7065 Posted March 6, 2018 I just wanted to make a comment after seeing @Bron reaction to @Stoney post above It used to be the cup emoji was for top answer which I think is a good emoji to have for a post you think is really spot on but apparently its now a "Thanks" emoji which is a bit weird really. I dont think there is a "two thumbs up/ awesome answer " kind of emoji anymore or is there? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stoney 1190 Posted March 6, 2018 Thanks cup is weird, your right..... where's that agree emoji.... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frazzledfozzle 7065 Posted March 6, 2018 agree is still there its the green tick but sometimes you need more than an agree, you need a damn thats a good post kind of icon 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
