I have just subscribed to this service and thought it would be a good
thing to introduce myself, and to invite anyone who feels so inclined to
get in touch.
 
I am a second generation bee farmer in Coupar Angus, Perthshire,
Scotland. Our enterprise, trading as DENROSA Ltd., started as my fathers
hobby in 1950 with 6 hives. Now we have a migratory operation of around
1700 colonies, travelling all over eastern Scotland to the crops in
season, and our principal crop is the famous Heather honey, much of
which we export.
 
We currently employ 18 people, although several of these are involved in
the production of 'spin-off' products and handling of exotic honey
varieties from several countries in which we specialize, rather than
directly with the bees, which are run by myself in conjunction with my
brother and two other staff. Seasonally we employ other labour, and this
year we had an excellent beekeeper from Alberta working with us.
 
Our normal production would be around 60 tonnes per annum from the
current numbers, split about 50-50 between heather and all other types.
this year proved to be a slightly below average year for normal honeys
but a record breaker (for us!) on heather.
 
Our bees are a mixture of types. We have some native black bees
(a.m.mellifera type), some Italian crosses whose parentage is from both
New Zealand and USA Starlines, some Caucasians, and New World
Carniolans. Of all these the last mentioned are beyond question the most
successful for us, and were originally purchased from Sue Cobey when she
had Vaca Valley Apiaries in California.
 
We sell our products to many countries including USA, Chile, Australia,
Japan and most European states. In addition we do many specialised types
of honey private label for leading stores, mainly in Britain.
 
My main interests in subscribing to this list is to hear of current
advances in bee breeding which may be of use to us, learn of experiences
with races of bee with which I am unfamiliar, read general discussions
about issues of a genuinely practical nature, including sensible methods
of dealing with mites, and to make a few contacts, which may be of
mutual commercial benefit or on a purely friendly level. (We are always
interested in hearing from beekeepers with speciality honey of types we
do not already carry, although we only buy small (about a tonne upwards)
quantities of any particular type.)
 
Full details are as follows:-
Murray McGregor, Managing Director
Denrosa Ltd.
Victoria Street
Coupar Angus
Perthshire PH13 9AE
Scotland, UK
 
Tel 00 44 828 627721
Fax 00 44 828 628262
e-mail  [log in to unmask]
 
I look forward to hearing from anyone interested.
 
 
--
Murray McGregor