Some thought for Food for Thought:

I have heard some good news and some bad news regarding the 2005
California almond pollination.

Some of the good news - from a very good source that is taking 500 hives
from North Carolina to California this week -is that some growers are now
paying $125 bucks per hive.

Some of the bad news -and a lot of talk- is that nobody knows just what
the result of millions of hives from all over the country placed into a
450 mile long 70 mile wide melting pot will turn out, once back "home".
There has been a lot of talk about "Super Varroa" and resistant strains of
American Foulbrood. Could it be that California's fertile valley, which
supplies the world with almonds and America with fruit, berries, and
produce become a Pandora's box to the beekeepers all across this country;
time will tell.  And, what will some of the same be like next year:
pollination prices, hive losses, varroa, etc., etc.. Could we be
accelerating the expansion and progression of a myriad of unwanted strains
of pests to our own honeybees; that too, will tell in time.

If you wish to keep up to date with the progress of this year’s almond
crop the following link, http://bluediamond.com/growers/field/index.cfm,
covers activity of all three almond producing regions.

Regards,

Chuck Norton

Norton's Nut & Honey Farm-Chuck Norton
330 Irvin Street
Reidsville, NC 27320-3648

Tel: 336 342 4490

Home of: www.sourwoodhoney.com

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