Hi Erik,

It sounds like you have been spending alot of time over on the organic list. :>)

>And I can't remember which small cell advocate said the following, but
someone said that small cell beekeepers are all going strong except for
those who failed or gave up.

Several small cell beekeeping polls were conducted over on beesource. Only
about 10% of the respondents who tried small cell had given it up.

>My point is that the reason small cell stories are falling on deaf ears is
that they're not conveying much information that's useful to the rest of us.
We can congratulate you all on your successes, but what will do the rest of
good in our circumstances that isn't highly speculative?

I say let the stories(observations/experience) fall where they will. How
much can the deaf hear anyway? If there's not anything useful in those
stories don't let them bother you.

Concerning speculation, the very act of keeping bees is extremely
speculative. It's not for the risk adverse, especially if you are a
commercial beekeeper. Almost every aspect of modern beekeepings equipment
and management is based upon trial and error by some beekeeper. And it
didn't originate in the lab.

>And then small cell advocates say or imply that to really experience the
benefits of small cell one must not feed bees anything but honey,... must
not so much as use powdered sugar on his bees, must manufacture his own
foundation, must not use any electricity, must not wear protective clothing
made of synthetic fibers, must not work his bees before a full moon...and
then we too can ascend to the higher plane of small cell existence.

I think a few new items will soon be added to the no nothing list on the
organic beekeepers home page :>))

This has been the trend in every aspect of organics. Thirty years ago I
moved from neat little rows of fertilized vegetables to wide beds, that were
double dug; incorporated lots of organic material and used a covering mulch.
 That garden was phenominal and I've never gone back to the little row
garden. Those concepts, that were so speculative back then, are standard
practice now.

I think the full moon and sythetic fibers stuff fell out through time. I
don't know as I never really got into those aspects of organic gardening.
And I think those kinds of things will disappear from small cell beekeeping
as well.

>And then they lament that the beekeeping mainstream doesn't adopt their
ways. Of course, I'm exaggerating now, but this is the spirit, if not the
letter, of what I hear from small cell advocates.

So then, some use their beekeeping stories for other purposes than sharing
useful information. And they wail and gnash their teeth when anyone
disagrees with them. I found this behavior isn't limited to a single issue
of beekeeping. Rather, it's often associated with those who have a strong
personal investment in their own ideas and view beekeeping in moral terms of
right and wrong. It's definately involves more than just keeping bees.

>And finally small cell advocates try to hijack the words organic and
natural, as if the definition of natural were 4.9 mm, or puffing smoke in a
hive were an abomination of organics.

Well, not if you use organic burlap bags for smoker fuel and organic
matches! :>))))

And so it is with most things organic. The focus is most often on the method
and not on the product. And many absurdities, which are often quite
humorous, arise.

But my gardening is much better for its organic component. And my beekeeping
is much improved because of the small cell influence.

Running a small cell test is a great idea. If given an honest shot and some
careful observation, one will see some things not seen previously. And a
beekeeper may even have a few new stories of his own. But if a beekeeper is
looking for an reason to reject small cell observations, then a test isn't
even necessary. Just look at some of the personalities involved. Or look at
some of the absurdities connected with it. That should be enough.

Regards
Dennis

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