From: Barry Birkey <barry@birkey.com>
Date: Sun, 06 Jan 2002 20:03:03 -0600
To: <BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: Food chambers

From: "Allen Dick"

> That's exactly what I said, and out of fairness, I also said:

Yes, that is pretty much what you said and I was merely emphasizing that
part of it. Making a point to agree with you on the "if" and asking how much
honey is there that really isn't suitable for bees to over winter on. I
don't see this as being unfair, the fact that I kept the quotes to that
which I was replying to. We all have read what you wrote that followed, and
I thought it was good too.

> That is because you have not lost thousands of hives over the years from
> trying to winter on the honey from *some varieties* of rapeseed and canola
> *under some conditions*. These plants are now grown in many arfeas of the
> world.

No, I have not. I think we need to keep in mind here that you are a
commercial beekeeper and I am not. You have a couple thousand hives in your
area, I have a few (yep, just a few) in my area. There is a lot of ground
outside of our two areas. Even if rapeseed is grown in many other areas, we
must still keep this in perspective as to the total effect it may have on
all bees. Unless there are reports that show what percent there is grown
around the world, it's a mere guess to use it as support in your argument.

There are MANY more hobby, small scale beekeepers around this country than
there are commercial, and concerns you may have in your beekeeping operation
may not be the least bit of concern for a small scale beekeeper. Another
dynamic that plays into how we use the information Clay read to us from
Root. Perhaps we are both justified in our view seeing that we are both
looking at it from opposite ends?

>> "Generalization of limited personal observations into universal 'truths' was
>> common." I think the practise of a few in certain circumstances has become
>> a universal truth, yes?
>
> Well, if you are here referring to what I wrote, perhaps you might read my
> carefully qualified statements in the previous post and think again.
>
> Please do not selectively quote me out of context.

I'm referring to people who say feeding sugar to bees is as good or better
than letting the bees winter on their own honey. Maybe it's kinda like the
history of foundation. Once one started doing it, everyone did and now it
seems to be common practice, even for those of us who don't make our living
from beekeeping.

I'm sorry it came across that I was taking you out of context. Then again, I
certainly didn't pick up on your lighthearted comment the other day. Usually
you use a <G> for clarification. I hope I've made things more clear this
time.

Regards,
Barry