Knowledge about a craft like beekeeping spreads unevenly: some topics (varroa control) get constantly refreshed coverage, others (queen rearing) stay niche and thin.
engagement(t+1) = engagement(t) + pubRate*wobble - forgetting*(1-retention)
- Topic grid size — resolution of the beekeeping subject map — journals, guides, forums, extension bulletins.
- Reader coverage target — the fraction of beekeepers a topic needs to reach before it counts as 'well covered'.
- New publication rate — how often fresh books/articles/journal issues are released on a given topic.
- Reader retention — how well readers hold onto and re-apply what they read, versus forgetting it.
Good reference material (Hooper's Guide to Bees and Honey, American Bee Journal, extension-service manuals) compounds over years — a well-stocked personal library measurably shortens a new beekeeper's learning curve.