From: bab5doll@aol.com
Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2001 12:08:01 EDT
To: BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: Just what is Biological Beekeeping?

Hi Dee
Organic and biological.
I have been an organic Gardner for over 40 years so I am going to start with
gardening.
I have an organic garden. The reason it is organic is because I do not
use any chemicals, pesticides, herbicides or commercial fertilizers. The
three secrets to organic gardening are "Ground Preparation" "Ground
Preparation" and "Ground Preparation". I use compost, kelp from the ocean and
manure. I can use anything that is created organically from plant or animal
waste. All of this preparation creates a very healthy plant that can fight
off insects and disease. This is an ORGANIC GARDEN.
I now can use BIOLOGICAL METHODS to keep the garden organic. Biological
treatment can be many things. Releasing lady bugs into the garden. Covering
cabbage plants with screen cloth to keep the moths out. One other very
important issue. You need a certain amount of bugs in the garden. There has
to be a constant battle going on under to microscope. All bugs and disease
are constantly killing each other so not one can become dominant to destroy
the plant.
Now bees. You want to be an organic bee keeper. You have a hive on 5.2mm
comb. You stop all methods of chemical control of pests and disease. You now
have an organic hive. This hive will die. You have to use biological methods
to keep it alive. Through your work Dee, we have downsizing to 4.9mm cell
size. Feeding back honey that the bees have stored. Breeding queens for
shorter emergence time. Breed for grooming behavior. Physical control of
drone cells. Bottom screen boards. Proper ventilation. Very important is the
war going on under the microscope. Hive preperation. The hive can't be
sterile. You have to have a certain amount of mites and diseases to fight the
war but at a level the bees can help fight and live with. Now the ground is
prepared. The bees will grow and prosper.
One other important fact. In organic farming, you have to be farming
organically for a set amount of years before you can sell your produce to the
public as organic. Your land has to be purged of chemicals. My question to
others. What is this time frame with bees?
This is not a perfect world. The bees are going to bring things into the hive
that are not organic. We have very little control over this. When industry
sets the standards for organic bees kept with biological methods, certain
tolerances have to be accepted.
forrest