"Beekeepers should reconsider as they bite the hand that feeds them"

Interesting opinion piece.

Certainly not what i see as beekeeping history.

I came from humble beginnings.

My family could not afford to buy my brother and I a Future Farmers of America (FFA) jacket.

Beekeeping was my FFA project

H.B. and I sold honey for ten cents a jar to get lunch money. Maybe was a quarter? I can't really remember.

I remember a 55 gallon drum brought around sixty dollars.

Beekeeping is hard back breaking work.

The only consulation I tell my help is the work changes
With the seasons.

(Which means in beekeeper jargon when the season is over you will be looking for work) 
 
The success of todays beekeepers is from hard work and in many cases a couple  bankrupts.

My opinion is the huge monocultures and use of pesticides,fungicides and herbicides is a big part of commercial beekeepings problems.

Those poor honeybees falling off flowers and twitching on the ground. Hard for a beekeeper to think about. Hard for me to even write about.

The one step out the poor house commercial beekeeper
With calluced  (spelling ?) Hands , taned skin ( future propect for skin cancer)  and back,knee, hernia and rotator cuff issues has had to survive best they can.

At the next bee meeting give the commercial beekeeper a hug and a big "Thanks for your service!"

Maybe I should send the above opinion piece to ABJ?

B. H.








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