?

We finally have things in place enough to estimate costs, and start taking 
registrations.
http://beeuntoothers.com/index.php/conferencesevents/2011-treatment-free-conference

I have been beating the same old drum for years on BEE-L. Have said many 
times to the USDA-ARS and our own jerry Brumenshenk that they need to go and 
run experiments on the bees of Dee Lusby <Kirk Webster and others in the 
above movement.

Quit looking through the deadouts and go find out why the above people are 
having success without treatments of any kind.

The rest of us are checking nosema spore counts, varroa loads etc.

The beekeeper (Allen) Peter talks about said:

"I'm very concerned ,I've lost 50% or MORE five out of the last 6 years on 
colony collapse.The parasites, viruses and new back tier yaz are devastating 
the industry at times"

I wished I could have saw the beekeepers video (instead of reading the 
transcript) but I am sure I have seen what was on the video tens of 
thousands of times before .

My point is Dee is keeping bees without treatments (and as proof ships 
organic honey into the U.K. . Many have tried but few have passed 
inspection. The U.K. has tough honey import rules) and maintains her 
operation without having to buy queens ( have you priced this springs 
queens?)

I am a money person with a calculator I use almost hourly. Take away having 
to pay for varroa treatments , nosema treatments and the labor involved . 
Eliminate hive loss yearly and eliminate the cost of queens each year and my 
operation would  be making serious bucks.

Allen Dick is a money man (easy to see if you read his commercial beekeeping 
diary for long as he always figures the bottom line) and I believe he would 
agree with the above . True the bees are aggressive which might rule out 
their keeping by many but it seems Dee's & Kirk's methods are sustainable 
and as many (such as Deknow) have pointed out the road many commercial 
operations are on is not sustainable.

thoughts?

Bob

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