Anyone experienced this?

[Russel]

Craig, there is a lot of Ivy on the walls but this was our summer crop so probably not but who knows.

There's a lot Laurel in the car parking area but being removed at every opportunity by the WT. They felled a large fir earlier in the year , you may recall my cornflake propolis.
There's an agricultural college close by, an ordinance factory, golf course, garden center, loads of sheep and cattle grazing and some rape on the edge of their flight range(?) HiD's will be home soon, cup of tea with toast and honey on the cards

 

[Tom Bick]

I am trying to think of the name of that yellow weed that horse people hate toxic or something to horses? Its a late summer plant round my way but I understand makes pretty nasty honey.

Got it Ragwort.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I am trying to think of the name of that yellow weed that horse people hate toxic or something to horses? Its a late summer plant round my way but I understand makes pretty nasty honey.

Got it Ragwort.

Dreadful stuff! The effect on equines is progressive destruction of the liver and leads to unpleasant death. No one seems to have investigated its effect on entering the human food chain.

 

[Luminos]

Dreadful stuff! The effect on equines is progressive destruction of the liver and leads to unpleasant death. No one seems to have investigated its effect on entering the human food chain.

French people like eating horses - I've yet to hear of any dying of ragwort poisoning

 

[hiveabee]

Usually, according to my lectures on food safety. Numbness on the tongue, tingling on lips is due to a mild allergy of what your eating.

 

[Philip]

The following can be found re effects of Ragwort on humans, I guess its like most things in life, intensity of exposure is key.

@ > http://www.ragwortfacts.com/ragwort-poisoning-in-humans.html

I also recall once reading a ministry study? on ragwort contamination of honey, if I recall correctly it concluded that there was little / no concern in its presence.

Ragwort Facts

Information on Ragwort in the UK from a scientific perspective

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Ragwort Poisoning in Humans

There are no cases that have ever been reported in the UK where poisoning to human beings has been found to have been caused by ragwort. Furthermore the research is clear that it is very unlikely to ever occur. Ragwort tastes so bad that animals are repelled by it. The amount of ragwort that would need to be consumed by a person to damage them would be enormous. It is only mildly poisonous and there is no serious risk of liver damage from handling the plant, from its pollen or from being contact with it in any way.
There are mild toxins present which can be absorbed in minute amounts through the skin but these do not pose any significant risk to the public. What is more the evidence from the experts and the scientific literature says that the alkaloids in ragwort that do pass through human skin are harmless. They only become toxic to humans or to animals after they have undergone chemical changes in the gut. There are many many more dangerous substances present in other plants and alcohol consumption is a far bigger risk to the livers of the general population.
There are many scare stories around but they are generally without any substance or foundation.

The one exception is the allergy that causes dermatitis that Ragwort can cause, in common with many daisy family plants. This is caused by different substances and poses no risk to the liver.

For more detailed technical information and a fuller explanation of the research please see this page. Ragwort humans

There is also a simple fuller non-technical explanation here Ragwort poisoning Humans
T

For information on ragwort and the law. See The Weeds Act 1959 and in the Ragwort Control Act 2003.

Return to Ragwort Facts index

 

[beeno]

Hi all,
Be interested in what toothpaste you guys are using. Had mouth problems myself (slowly recovering), put it down to Aquafresh extreme clean after googling. No aftertaste to my honey.

 

[Luminos]

Ragwort tastes so bad that animals are repelled by it.

Perhaps - but apparently becomes palatable when it's dead, e.g, cut and dried within hay.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Ragwort tastes so bad that animals are repelled by it.

Perhaps - but apparently becomes palatable when it's dead, e.g, cut and dried within hay.

Therein lies the major problem for horse owners. It is an impossible task to separate out once hay is cut and baled. That is why I religiously destroy any I see which is within windblowing distance of my fields. - one years seeds = ten years weeds!

A smaller problem lies in overgrazed fields where the grass has been eaten down leaving animals no alternative but to eat it. Even with the reportedly bitter flavour some horses then develop a taste for it and will continue to eat it even if other forage becomes available. That is a result of poor management and should not happen.

On that basis my bees should not be significantly collecting from ragwort

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I'm not sure whether I read somewhere that the Americans produce an exclusive ragwort blossom honey I know they do Knotweed honey it may have been in 'The Beekeeper's Lament' that I read it (different name for the plant obviously) but then again - some fools eat Manookoo honey.

 

[farbee]

Do you used thymol?
If you don't fine but if you do seems very strange to me that this has been completely ignored.
Taste like listerine and thymol is an ingredient of listerine.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Do you used thymol?

I think it was mentioned and the possibility dismissed early on

 

[farbee]

I think it was mentioned and the possibility dismissed early on

Well maybe but I have not seen any reason given why it should be dismissed as a possibility.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Well maybe but I have not seen any reason given why it should be dismissed as a possibility.

I'd have thought if there was thymol present it would flavour the honey:

not the taste but a slight numbing of mouth and tongue.

 

[farbee]

I'd have thought if there was thymol present it would flavour the honey:

Not really low levels would have exactly the effect they describe.

 

[MuswellMetro]

I had all my honey tested by Trading standards as someone at a Fete I donated honey to complained of the taste of thymol on honey sold at one of the stall, fortunately it was not any of mine, but cost me 4 jars of honey for them to test.

Turned out it was a beekeeper who put apiguard on in June prior to taking off his supers

He bought two individual apiguard trays and there is nothing on the single trays to tell you when to apply it

 

[VEG]

They have to pay for it same as everyone else


Craig

 

[beeno]

Harvest first then treatment, so why should it be thymol etc. in honey????

 

[Russel]

" Here we are Mr's Russ, some honey from our WT apiary"
Slurp "yummy" says she. Wait, wait "Can I have some please?"
Well either it's me or HiD's taste buds are kaput. Neighbors next?