>A major cost item that I don't see on your list, is labor. My >understanding is that "organic" is expensive because is more >labor-intensive than standard commercial practice. Fuuny, you are right. I didn't mention labor. I am not sure why you think it should take more labor. There is less to do in an organic operation, unless maybe you mean its more labor because the bees are more productive and you need to get to the bees to get the honey off, but of course I am not sure where you were going with this since you didn't say why you think organic beekeeping is more expensive. Of course higher productivity requiring more labor is a curse I think many would be willing to bear. My experience is that healthy happy bees are a very productive lot. Does your understanding come from a successfully sustainable organic beekeeper, an unsuccessful organic beekeeper, or from a non-organic chemical using beekeeper? Scot McPherson McPherson Family Farms Davenport, IA ****************************************************** * Full guidelines for BEE-L posting are at: * * http://www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm * ******************************************************