Hi all,

I would like to comment on some very interesting posts in re: to
sustainability, long and short term gains,etc.

Mr Yoon writes:
<<Recently there were two major posts explaining how commercial beekeepers
must maintain the status quo because they must pay their employees, among
others, so that their children too can go to school, etc.  Given such “cut-
throat” business environment, as Bob agrees to disagree, one must do
anything and everything to keep his/her business afloat, including such
unproven measures as shop-towel methods, perhaps, out of desperation. 
Hence the constant blame against the scientists for being so slow in
developing a quick shot in the arm so that they can go on business as
usual, and hence the rationale as to how the bee-researchers are always
years behind the practical commercial beekeepers, as if the researchers
were intellectually challenged blooming baboons.  Not so

We are talking about short-term and long-term gains here.>>

Mr. Yoon also goes on to comment on future vision and has made some great
points on the auto industry, ie., American auto industry. I couldn't agree
more on the short sightedness on US industry. We just had fuel that was too
cheap and we had no reason to get more fuel efficent. But I think the
metaphor doesn't translate fully to commercial beeks.

As a commercial beek, we do send bees to Florida from Michigan to make up
increase, make our own cells (bee breeeding here), send bees to Cal. for
almonds(amen..need the income), and make some nice honey up here in northern
Michigan. 

You can bet your butt that we are picking out queen stock that does what we
want. Our crew made up 100 singles from just one queen supplier last June so
I could pick out 4 or 5 to breed from. Also getting some breeders from
Glenn's with some degree of mite resistance to get some of that stock into
our general production hives. 

Like Bob H. says, the Italians can lay up some brood. Well...that's number
one for us. We need bees and brood. Can't make increase with stingy
tentative queens that are reluctant to lay up the nest until a big flow.
Again, the farmer need lots of bees in the hive to pollinate their crops and
that takes queens that will lay down some eggs. Italians will winter with
larger clusters, again good as we ship ours bees to Cal. in deep winter in
Jan. Dang cold. Have to keep 'em plowed out. 

But then again, we also want bees that have other characteristics, like MITE
resistance. (Sure miss the good ol days). So...some of us commercial beeks
are trying like hell to be progressive(is taking an active role in breeding
progressive?) and take a multi pronged approach to beekeeping. 

Pragmatism. We are doing the best we can we the tools we have. We still have
to keep mite loads down. We have bills to pay. Believe me, I am proud that
our operation has succeeded(so far) where others have fallen. It's not a
perfect world where we can risk everything, ie., just letting the chips fall
 in regards to letting the strong survive for the long term good of bee
genetics. 

Remember, the bees do us great service to bring some food to the table.   So
don't beat us commercial beeks up for "shortsightedness" with mite
treatment, transporting bees across the country, and of course, making money
to pay bills. I think all beekeepers, big and small have something to bring
to the table. 

Kirk     

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