Hello All,

As a member of the Sierra club ( as is Randy Oliver) I can say the club has
members with some very high IQ'S . Many with PhD's !

Also from speaking with other members the
club looked hard at all the research before taking a stand.

Its one thing for the maker of the neonicotinoids to sue the president of
the French beekeepers to shut him up but quite another to speak out against
the Sierra club.

I think the best quote which fits the situation does not come from Albert
Einstein but from Rachael Carson ( Silent Spring).

"As man proceeds toward his announced goal of conquest of nature, he has
written a depressing record of destruction, directed not only against the
earth he inhabits but against the life that shares it with him"

This week in my operation:
I have had many discussions with growers on the neonicotinoids lately. One
big future issue comes in the year 2012 when the most common pesticide now
used in apples ( organophosphate) will no longer be available.
The growers ask will I still come.
My answer has been if you chose to use the neonicotinoids in the spring of
2012 then good luck finding pollination.

I have said I may be the last beekeeper standing and will be around after
the last Missouri orchards close their doors. there were 17 orchards within
60 miles of my bee farm 20 years ago. Now there are three.

Six commercial bee operations and now there are two.

Both the bee farms and the orchards closed their doors never to open again.
Not one new bee farm or orchard has been started.

I am not trying to brag but the other bee farm does not chose a med or make
a move without checking with me. We work together but he will quickly tell
you his success is tied to our friendship and the insight to *trust the
advice* I provide. He is my best and closest friend! He retired this spring 
and no longer owns Bell Hill Honey.

The next conversation has been with farmers which want bees on their land in
area of row crops. I warned several last week that when the bees leave the
apples or holding yard they are going into cattle range country on large
Missouri ranches in spring 2010.

After my trials I find problems happen in row crops. Not a doubt in my mind.
A completely different scenario in range county. In row crops entombed
pollen and bee loss at certain times.

In range country no entombed pollen and honey produced.

I tested for four years before deciding on a course of action. Most of these
farmers want the bees on their property for selfish reasons like.

A dozen fruit trees.

the honey I provide.

their garden.

pumpkins

All I have spoke with have tried to change my mind but will not happen.

There are people ( even on BEE-L) which seem to think the studies out there
are reason enough to discount what my eyes see. I wish the situation was
different but the only place to get away from the neonicotinoids is the
rural ranch country.

Each beekeeper has to make up his or her own mind.

consider:
You are a hobby beekeeper on BEE-L keeping bees in areas of corn & soybeans
and over the last five years you have seen poor crops while observing ( like
this year in Missouri) solid fields of white Dutch and other honey plants.
You are finding entombed pollen which you never saw before. lots of dead 
hives at times outside the entrance.
All I ask is to think about what I have said and do not simply take the word
of those which say what we are seeing is due to the weather , mites or other
problems.

Sincerely,
Bob Harrison
"fifty year professional beekeeper this year"

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