On Sat, 18 Feb 2006 19:30:20 -0500, Eric Brown 
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:


>So to get back to Brian’s claim that the “sustainable” way to keep 
bees is
>to sell high dollar (very high dollar) honey to suburbanites, I strongly
>object, despite the fact that he’s presumably making very good 
money while
>avoiding a number of objectionable “shortcuts” that a lot of other
>beekeepers take.  First of all, I don’t think we can say
>we’re “sustainable” and at the same time say: “whether a farmer 
buys my
>honey or not is of no concern to me.”  I asked before, what quality do
>suburbanites possess that farmers lack?  A couple answers I could 
suggest
>are ignorance and paranoia.  If Brian isn’t able to sell to farmers 
because
>they’re in more of a position to judge the real value of his product, 
then
>I’m seeing red flags.
>


Eric and all

I live in an area that has seen the price of 40 acres of rural land go 
from $50,000 in 1994 to somewhere around a half a million. My 
property taxes are soaring out of sight. Between property taxes and 
insurance (counting medical insurance) I pay around $500 per month. 

People blow by my 1989 bee truck in Humvees and Huge gas 
Guzzlers on their way to work with no other passenger in the vehicle.  A 
bag of groceries costs $50-60 dollars. Fancy cups of coffee cost $5.00 
and half of it might be dumped out 20 minutes later.  Folks drop $100 
for an evening out ... no big deal. 

Sorry I just don't feel too bad getting $5.00 for an 8 oz jar of honey, it 
lasts a lot longer then a cup of coffee. 

Funny thing about farmers now a days around the Midwest. They 
finance $150,000 tractors and combines, they're annual chemical bill 
is in the tens of thousands of dollars. They get nice government 
subsidies. Many seem clue-less to the environmental impact they 
leave in our rivers. The notion they are tied to the land is well kinda 
funny. Some spend about much time out doors as the guy in a shirt 
and tie blowing by me on the way to the office ( those guys golf alot).  
Those new combines and tractors have air conditioning you know.  
Maybe even TV's ? I dunno...

I find that the urban and surbuban folks who value interesting "real" 
food spend more time out doors then many farmers I know.  They 
have a pretty good idea of real vs non-real on a grocery shelf too. Quite 
a few farmers I know really could use a better diet and more excersize. 

So its an interesting world that has evolved, and I think that people like 
beekeepers who have some notion of the land, are thrifty and work 
hard should be compensated at a good yearly wage so we can keep 
doing what we do and bring some of that country back to the city even 
if its in a small jar for a piddly $5.00.

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