smoker fuel bonanza

[squarepeg]

the cotton has been harvested here.

i got permission to gather up some that was left over, underneath where the big bales once stood.

i filled up a couple of bags in just a few minutes.

should be good for next season.

[AmericasBeekeeper]

Congratulations, i hope the did not spray it as they usually do for Bole Weavel and fungus. I would hate to lose your frequent posts to cancer or something.

[squarepeg]

me too ab. aren't those usually applied pre-bloom?

[gone2seed]

The only thing applied before harvest is a defoliant.

[Rader Sidetrack]

The only thing applied before harvest is a defoliant.

That isn't particularly reassuring. Agent Orange was also a defoliant.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defoliant

However, its not likely that the defoliant used on US cotton is Agent Orange. Bayer has a cotton defoliant product, Ginstar, that appears to be fairly benign, at least after the liquid has dried on the plant.
http://www.agrian.com/pdfs/Ginstar_E...2004)_MSDS.pdf

[squarepeg]

googled bole weavil spraying, looks like they're not spraying much for that anymore. not sure about the fungus.

i do appreciate the concern ab. there's a bee supply place nearby that sells cotton for smoker fuel, and that's what gave me the idea.

i'll try not to inhale.

[johno]

Hi Squarepeg,
do you not have any pine trees in Alabama.
John

[squarepeg]

plenty of those johno, and thats what i've been using. a bit of a pain to get the smoker going though and the smoke is pretty harsh. i'm told that the cotton burns longer and cooler. ab has got me thinking though, and i think i'll be calling the supplier to see if there is anything 'special' about his cotton.

[Michael_C]

the cotton has been harvested here.

i got permission to gather up some that was left over, underneath where the big bales once stood.

i filled up a couple of bags in just a few minutes.

should be good for next season.

I had the same idea and gathered several bags a few weeks ago. I used some in my smoker a few days ago to my satisfaction. I was a little concerned about chemical residue, but considering my bees pollinated the cotton while they were spraying all year long and the bees and their keeper survived short term exposure. The verdict is still out on long term exposure. Any residual hopefully won't do much more harm. The cotton gin does not wash cotton, so I wonder if the cotton sold as smoker fuel has been washed. I read a post (http://www.beesource.com/forums/show...-a-smoker-fuel) and thought on the subject has been stimulated.

[squarepeg]

wow michael, thanks for that link. makes you wonder what was going on with the op's bees.

[Michael_C]

wow michael, thanks for that link. makes you wonder what was going on with the op's bees.

You are welcome. I sure would like to know if it is bad for the bees. I would stop using it. I just can't imagine it being worse than the bees pollinating a sprayed or bt field.

[squarepeg]

same here. i guess any smoke is toxic to a degree, and any chemicals applied to the cotton would be combusted, for better of for worse.

[squarepeg]

just had a conversation with a neighbor, who thinks he can find out what this cotton may have been sprayed with. he said an herbicide is typically used when the cotton is mature, which makes the plants drop their leaves, and enables an easier harvest.

[arrowwood]

2,4-D is still commonly used as an ag herbicide - it was one of the active ingredients in agent orange

[cerezha]

....i'll try not to inhale.

what about bees?

[Dubuquer]

I like to use sumach (sp?) berries which are plentiful this time of year. Seems to be a good, cool, smoke and burn quite well. Don't have to worry too much about any chemicals as I collect them out in the woods away from potential contaminates.

[squarepeg]

someone recommended that i contact the state apiarist about using the cotton. plan to email him tomorrow.

still haven't gotten in touch with the bee supply place that sells it.

[squarepeg]

here's their ad for it:

http://www.greenbeehives.com/rawcotton.html

[squarepeg]

here's the reply i got from my state apiarist:

"Good morning Kevin,

I have asked a couple of people but no response.



I suggest you use at your own risk!



But on a personal note, I would be hesitant to use. With the chemicals used and we do not know what chemicals are emitted during burning………………..?



Thanks

Dennis "

americasbeekeeper, sincere thanks for calling my attention to this.

[AstroBee]

Thanks for following up with this. I've seen several beekeepers use cotton too, but I was always concerned for reasons outline here. At this point I'm glad I followed my gut and never used it.