From: cslade777@aol.com
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 19:03:06 EDT
To: BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: Just what is Biological Beekeeping?

Interesting question, Dee. To a chemist "organic" just means "containing
carbon" which applies to all bees and bee products however they are kept. A
well meaning pressure group with high ideals, not all of which are practical
or even logical, has hi-jacked the word to give it a precise and narrow
meaning, but they haven't exactly decided what it is.

Biological beekeeping is even less precise. To me it means that the
beekeepers are interested in the bees for their own sakes; that they want to
work with them rather than merely exploit them; that they are concerned with
their health and welfare; that use of substances not naturally found in a
hive or gathered by the bees themselves is best avoided. However these
ideals are tempered by practicalities and transitional circumstances.

To boil it down to 2 words, one is dogma, the other is hope.

Does this add to the confusion?

Chris