----- Original Message -----
From: Tim Townsend <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2001 7:37 PM
Subject: Re: Tracking honey



 Producer-packers in Canada are encouraged to put lot numbers on each barrel
 packed but I don't know anyone who does so. Is there an inexpensive machine
 that will apply permanant codes to glass and plastic? This would be much
 more convient than making up seperate labels.

Hello all,
I don't mark the glass or plastic jars with a code but can narrow the source
to one or possibly two yards.  When the supers are brought in from each yard
they are stacked together in the honey house and the yard they come from
noted. Then I wait to make sure the moisture is 18.5% or less before
extraction. We fill drums from the large tank with only honey from each
yard.  We put a strip of duck tape on the drum top with the yard
name,location, a number for for order  the drum was filled and we start with
the number 1 each year and then the date.  The lower numbers are the
lightest honey and the higher numbers are the darker honey.  We write the
information on the duck tape with a majic marker and have never had a
problem with the system. Each batch of jars bottled for stores the drums are
noted so we can trace quickly back to the yard the honey came from if there
is a problem(which there never has been). We pull the tape after the drum is
MT.  I called two of my commercial beekeeper friends  and all they do is
weigh the drum and mark the MT drum weight and the full drum weight. They
say the have a general idea of the location from records they keep on drum
lots but nothing is marked on the drum itself. They do mark which state the
honey is produced in on the drums. They have never had a problem or have
heard of a problem comming from contamination from a yard. Hope I have
helped.
Sincerely,
Bob Harrison
Odessa,Missouri
PS. For those thinking about commercial beekeeping you should read the
article by Dr. Roger Hoopingarner "Economic Plight of the American
Beekeeper" on page 9 of the January 2001 American Bee Journal. The survey
was done of commercial beekeepers in 1988 ,1996 and last in 1999.
                                               1988            1996
1999
% return on investment             -3.7%            1.2%           -22.9%
net income                              -$16,647
7500         -$163,467
1996 was when honey prices went through the roof in the U.S. because of a
world shortage. First time I ever saw prices for honey in barrels go so high
and don't believe I will ever see those prices again. even with prices
around $.90 per pound in drums you can see the commercial beekeeper only had
a 1.2 % return on investment. Hmmm.