From: Eugene Makovec <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: Natural 
treatments I do not consider anything derived from Petroleum as a 
natural treatment. That is not to say it is somehow bad nor ineffective. 
I haven't tried it and will leave to others comments on it's efficacy. I 
think it wrong however to advertise honey as "pure" from hives that have 
been treated in that way, absent tests showing no contamination. If 
someone wants to use an exotic treatment (thinking Oxalic Acid) the onus 
should be on them to demonstrate that their honey is not contaminated. 
There are utopian views of past agricultural practices that don't match 
up with reality. I understand people who fear food contamination by ag 
chemicals - and if truth be told - I don't have the greatest confidence 
in science to tell us what is healthy and what is not. Current results 
are what we know now and not what we will know in the future. About 10 
years ago my wife and I purchased property in Downeast Maine containing 
a 5-10 acre wild blueberry field. Under the previous owner using the 
recommended fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides, the 
field produced 20,000 pounds of berries. Although I initially intended 
to keep up commercial berry harvesting, two things concerned me: One, 
the field is adjacent to a tidal river (runoff) and two: no birds or 
other wildlife could be seen or heard in the immediate area. So we've 
done nothing but pruning and not harvested any berries for commercial 
purposes. Our results - to the good - an increase in birds and native 
pollinators; to the bad - no revenue from a crop; field succession is in 
high gear with sweet fern, goldenrod, aster, field roses leading the 
charge - and I am spending more time than I'd like keeping alders out of 
the field. (My bees appreciate or make use of the forage though) I write 
this not to imply I have "the" answers; rather lots of questions about 
what responsible land stewardship consists of and how that should mesh 
with modern agricultural practices.

> Here's a question: is food grade mineral oil, fogged into the hive, a natural treatment?
> Eugene Makovec

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