From: "Helmut E. Garz" <hommes@olympus.net>
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 11:50:49 -0700
To: <BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: Just what is Biological Beekeeping?

Hi to all !
I have trouble with definitions since they are for the most part
argumentative and they are based on opinions rather than consensus data.
I therefore, can only present MY thought and interpretations bearing in mind
that my Opinion is just as valid or invalid as everyone else's , at best
flawed if not outright subjective.
My location could be called by some "Organic" since there is no agricultural
activity using pesticides , etc. BUT ---- I cannot claim to know what my
neighbor uses to combat to him or her undesirable so called "Pests" in
their garden.
My pest control for instance relies solely on bats , Hornets . Yellow
Jackets and birds.
Generally speaking the term Organic cannot be applied since too many unknown
factors get into the picture as far as the foraging area of bees are
concerned. One could under specific circumstance term something organic
whereby there is nothing but wilderness and bare of any human activity.
Another matter is the organically managed of herb ( No man produced
fertilizer and pesticides) and other produce since the control is within
specific areas.
Now to the biological matter.
ANY foreign substance introduced into the colony is NOT biological whether
it be hard or soft chemicals to combat any disease or critter .
A pure biological situation would be a "wild" colony of any race in an
environment chosen to make "HOUSE" by the bees themselves.( Beetree or Trash
can).
What we do to manage the harvest and various manipulations of the colony
is to our ease and convenience , hereby NOT interfering with the natural
pattern and behavior of the social order of the bees. As matter of fact ,
with our regard to a living entity we are helping the insect to survive. (
For our selfish interest mostly).The difference between a beetree and a Lang
hive is simply the FORM and dimensions and nothing else ,unless one would
consider the plastic frames and expanded foam contraptions as "foreign".But
here again , bees find their home in a variety of materials and personally I
would not find it against "biological" to use man made matter as long as it
does not emit harmful particles , gaseous , solid or liquid.
That's about it and I am sure that a lot of added thoughts are in the
making.
Helmut