And the hits just keep on coming. More on our pollenating friend.
Hard winter for honeybees Local beekeepers attribute unusual loss of hives to strange disorder, many other factors
And the hits just keep on coming. More on our pollenating friend.
Hard winter for honeybees Local beekeepers attribute unusual loss of hives to strange disorder, many other factors
I am. Thanks. When I'm out, orchestrating my garden, I know that I have very little idea as to what is actually going on.
When I see bees in the garden, I start to relax because I know mother nature will take it from there.
So it appears that bee keepers don't have just Colony Collapse Disorder to worry about but a myriad of other nagging problems as well. Problems that are possible but not predictable.
I am curious, though, in producing organic honey, how do you get a bee to go just to organic flowers?
Billy expounded:
You can manage your bees organically, but you really can't claim to provide organic honey. Unless you're in the middle of 8,000 square acres.
phorbin expounded:
What then does organic bee keeping mean, if the product isn't organic? Is 8,000 acres a legal definition or hyperbole?
That was my thought.
My wife (organic gardener and activist) was, if I recall correctly pointed to the site by the Canadian Green Party Agriculture Critic, who is an organic beekeeper.
Do you keep bees?
It starts with not forcing the bees to grow unnaturally large. The rest amounts to philosophy of maintenance and the substances used for maintenance.
It's not hyperbole. Bees will travel substantial distances.
What is unnaturally large and what is the philosophy? Why do you respond to a question that you do not answer?
What, you nitwit, is substantial? Do you mean 10,534.75 feet? I asked a specific question. Do you have a specific answer? Next time get your caca together before you respond, or don't respond if you don't know what the freak you're talking about. We are supposed to be adults here. I'm not your babysitter.
Oh, I know you tried, now be quiet and try to look presentable.
Billy expounded:
No, it's not hyperbole, Billy. That's the radius a honeybee will forage within.
Organic beekeeping means putting nothing in the hive but the honeybee and comb and managing all of the pests/problems organically.
phorbin expounded:
Yes, we do. We have three apiaries and right now have ten hives, but that will grow this season. We're 'backyard beekeepers', we do it for the enjoyment of it, we do sell honey, but it isn't a major portion of our income - heck, it'll take us years to pay back the investment in equipment! But it's lots of fun, and the learning is amazing.
My memory was prompting 4 miles or more for long-range foraging (as the bee flies) depending on the investment-return to the hive. It was late in my day and I was fading quickly.
Relevant numbers are published on the net within easy reach. Imperial metric converters are all over the place.
So FWIW
We are as you say, "supposed to be adults here." Adults are polite.
I asked for specific information, not the way you felt about it or excuses. What was the question anyway? Do you remember or don't you read so good? Is 8,000 acres a legal definition (for the production of organic honey) or hyperbole?
Did I ask about metric conversion? Do you have any idea what 10,534.75 feet represents? Try 3.22 km. Still nothing?
product isn't organic? Helloooo.
Oh, you felt I was disappointed with your your response? You are absolutely clairvoyant.
Lastly, that was a persona?
Adults, Pollyanna, know when to talk and when to keep their mouths shut. Engage mind before letting the clutch out on your mouth. You didn't bring humor to the table. You didn't bring information to the table. You didn't address the questions that were asked.
Oh, I know you tried, now be quiet and try to look presentable.
OK. I'll google my questions.
Billy expounded:
Hoping to find something to disprove me? Knock yourself out.
I wonder if your googling will lead you here?
phorbin expounded:
Not nice, just polite. That way he can call you anything he likes, as long as he couches it in 'polite' terms.
I understand that there is a whole "freak" of paranoids out lookin' for you. Good luck with that.
Meantime I came up with:
At the Bee Yard:
Organic honey must come from organic bees. Hives that have existing honey in them are forbidden to become organic. Organic honey must be produced from naturally foraging bee colonies that are located at least
2 miles (straight-line flight) from any source that could cause the honey to contain pesticides or herbicides. Within this 2 mile radius no pesticides or herbicides may be used, and must not have had any chemical application in the previous 3 years. Feeding of bees is prohibited. If feeding is necessary to prevent starvation, the honey produced is not organic.(Note: A circle with an area of 8,000 acres [square or not] has a radius, to two places, of 3.2 km or 10,534.75 feet. Yeah, yeah, I know, the last four digits are noise and the 5 in the third place should have be rounded up. I'm off the clock, OK?)
Hives need to have all of their parts (supers, queen excluders, etc.) numbered to prevent accidental use in non organic hives. All hive parts must be made of wood. Comb foundations must be made from organic beeswax.
The extraction facility must be certified organic.
All organic honey must be certified by an approved organic certifying agency. The USDA's NOP program (National Organic Program) certifies the agencies. Dutch Gold and McLure's are certified by PCO (Pennsylvania Certified Organic) who inspects our facilities on behalf of the USDA. Dutch Gold only accepts honey from areas that are certified organic by an NOP approved certifier; furthermore the certifier must have physically visited the organic producing area.
Terramycin for treating foulbrood disease,
Apistan for Verroa mites,
GardStar for treating small hive beetles, nor
Bee Go to chase bees instead of using a smoker.
We meet all the standards of Organic Certification including: GMO Free, Land Certification, Beehives Certification, Producer Certification, Processor Certification.
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I gave a cursory look at the site you posted Ann (still with us?)
Another case solved Kato, my little friend. To all of our readers, I want to wish you 'appiness;-)
With your attitude, you're not worth time or trouble.
Killfiled as a Troll.
Billy expounded:
Never with you, buddy.
That's one nasty 'tude you got on you girl.
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