Randy:
The organic beekeeping group are to be commended for keeping bees with
minimal synthetic inputs, but I would prefer that they not be so self
righteous. "Natural beekeeping" would mean that colonies would not be
crowded into yards, hives would be up in trees, no honey would be extracted,
so that colonies would swarm freely, and a large percentage of colonies
would die naturally each year.
Reply:
If I had/have my way organic beekeeping would be ZERO treatments and NO artificial feeds, and I admit I am hardheaded also, promoting linebreeding more and more, and modified outbreeding to acclimitize colonies back to local/regional living again.On this I will not give in for in looking at what is happening I cannot see any better long-term solution. I see no problem with small to normal sized beeyards of 10-60 hives in a given area, but I do see a problem with large staging areas as done in wholesale large migratory outfits to the detriment of the honeybees so put there fwiw. Hives in nature are not all up in trees, for many are found naturally occuring in naturally occurring holes on sides of cliffs, and other hollows, including the ground, and yes, I am saying living down inthe ground having had to dig a few out for various ranchers up and down arroyos, and fields with sink holes, etc. and I am not even talking naturally living in cacti, and
buildings or anything else they seem to call home! Honey would be extracted for even in nature honey has been extracted for centuries, by early man and bears and other animals and is how we originally got set in our sweet tooth loving ways for it. Further, honeybees set up in colonies mimicing nature do not swarm as seen today in most beekeepers yards with hodpodged comb positioning, but that is something many here should be aware of by now with pov from me too.As fpr large percentage of colonies dying each year............well: it goes in cycles and for the most part the colonies are healthy and strong if let to grow up from tonka toys size used as standard hives today. But in saying this where drought and fire and other come into play problems can arise for 1 to 3 to 5 years and you learn to roll with the bees following them and help without overdoing, which again to me means no treatments or artificial feeds in hives, for stores can be moved
around manually and is nothing hard for clean beekeepers to learn, for if I can do it going on 62 as a poor old beekeeper woman then see no problem with the men.
Recently it was said I was not commercial but yet I keep about 700 hives and anticipate increasing this coming year. Haven't made much honey this year as have only sold about 20 barrels full and 30 still in honeyhouse and still 18 more yards to finish extracting and beeding down......but with gasoline and other bills are there and I am but a poor old beekeeper woman and you know ranch/farm life is hard, tight and you never get caught up for I hate paying taxes and all these bills and things to buy for reconditioning keep coming in.........It is just so terrible.....but I still got bees..... and with the 200 out of 300 lost last fall that Dr Loper went thru for Dr Bromenshenk saying CCD symptoms like he was seeing.... and then personally taking samples for Dr Bromenshenk that I believe JIM FISCHER here on BEE-L and on the organic list demanded results on which were posted I just don't know what to say.........but right now having done what I posted
here I was going to do to correct the problem and is in archives here for all to read and on organic list also to read, I must say, with me still bedding down, I have bees, they are strong and looks great for next year....................the weak seem gone, but only time will tell if it repeats itself with large percentage dying each year..........but so far haven't seen that at all this year though last year I cryed.(so a yearly event??? dunno).......So been working coloines back up and is it a sustainable commercial model? Well I am property zoned 100% commercial agric, have all those bills to pay making no money it seems with agric bills, and some honey this year so far and sure hope it gets better for the pool old woman.........
In ending, leaving for Nebraska, see you all in about a week...
Dee A. Lusby
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