Cut Comb

[jackbee]

But what does "organic" mean? Why would "organic flowers" (whatever that precisely means) be impossible? Are all flowers and meadows in the UK sprayed??

I was of the opinion that it is wise to start with residue-free wax and then recycle one's own (closed circuit?). In the city, at least, the chances then (according to those in DE who have tested) of contamination are minimal.

didn't say organic flowers would be impossible but guaranteeing that your bees only visit such organic flowers would be! (unless you own a big enough organic farm and place your bees in the middle!)

 

[jackbee]

While I have no possibility of (or interest in) producing organic honey, I'd have expected that producers of 'comb honey' would have been the most interested in residue-free foundation. No more than that.

You'll recall the recent discussion about the low quality of wax traded-in for use in foundation manufacture. Would you intentionally sell that for people to eat?

I use thin starter strips for cut comb - bees draw all wax then. But then if they vist flowers that have been sprayed won't there still be residue.

Sounds like a bit of a holy grail

 

[itma]

But what does "organic" mean? Why would "organic flowers" (whatever that precisely means) be impossible? Are all flowers and meadows in the UK sprayed??
...

There are different certification authorities, with different standards.

If the bees can work 5km from their hive, that (area of a circle) gives them a potential foraging area of over 75 sq km. It is simply not possible for almost all UK locations to guarantee that within the foraging area there is no chemical spraying and all purchased seeds are untreated and from untreated stock.
For UK 'organic' vegetables, IIRC the land must not have had chemical treatment for the previous seven years ...

 

[itma]

I use thin starter strips for cut comb - bees draw all wax then. But then if they vist flowers that have been sprayed won't there still be residue.

Sounds like a bit of a holy grail

Have you tried that with sections?

Foundation should give more even comb, and a bigger crop (due to less wax-making).

I strongly suspect that the principal residues in wax would be pyretherins from Apistan/Bayvarol.

 

[alanf]

English organic honey for sale though... which I have always thought... odd.

Where? There are some places that sell 'English Honey" and "Organic Honey". The wording, on their web sites at least, is carefully constructed. It might give the impression that their organic ranges are also from bees in England, and that might be what they want you to think. But that's not what it actually says, "production" to organic standards in England can be just the blending and packing of honey from bees elsewhere.

But what does "organic" mean? Why would "organic flowers" (whatever that precisely means) be impossible? Are all flowers and meadows in the UK sprayed??

Organic means certified by the recognised local authorities and in the UK that means someone like the Soil Association who say:

The standards for bee keeping cover everything from what the bees can be fed, to where the apiaries can be sited. For example:

The siting of the apiaries must:

* Be on areas of land that are certified as organic
* Ensure enough natural nectar, honeydew and pollen sources for bees and access to water
* Be such that, within a radius of four miles from the apiary site, nectar and pollen sources consist essentially of organic crops and/or uncultivated areas (spontaneous vegetation) and crops not subject to the provisions of these standards but treated with low environmental impact methods such as those described in programmes developed under Regulation (EEC) No 2078/92 which cannot significantly affect the organic description of the beekeeping
* Maintain enough distance, if necessary, from non-agricultural production sources that may lead to contamination, for example: urban centres, motorways, industrial areas, waste dumps or waste incinerators.

However, these rules effectively mean that UK producers can not produce organic honey.

There are organic honey bees in Spain, where there are large enough tracts of uncultivated land to support hives for example. Much of the organic honey on sale in the UK is New Zealand in origin where there is native forest (inc manuka/teatree) or enough tree plantation and unimproved sheep pasture that qualifies as low environmental impact. The problem with spread out habitation in the UK is that you can't say a garden or farm within range isn't dosed with whatever they can buy at the garden centre or farm supplies. Where there are areas in the UK away from cultivation such as moors and islands, the forage in areas remote from farms and habitation isn't going to produce both enough nectar to keep hives there all year round and a surplus that is worthwhile farming and getting commercially certified.

 

[Poly Hive]

I think you know who I mean. Small and on the other side?

PH

 

[drstitson]

organic wax

AFAIK all comes from africa

eg from website of supplier of lipped polyhives:

"REFINED ORGANIC BEESWAX 500G
Organic beeswax from sub-Saharan Africa. The wax is harvested by traditional beekeepers using log hives in areas without intensive agriculture. The wax is yellow in colour and supplied as small granules or chips.
This wax is offered as an organic option for the first coat of wax on our plastic frames, ensuring your bees start off chemical free. The wax is also suitable for cosmetics use and with the batch number printed on each bag the requirements for traceability are met.
Each bag carries a batch number and is certified organic by Soil Association Certification Ltd.
"

so avoid CCD etc. but increase risk of SHB or similar getting into UK.

 

[Into the lions den]

Organic wax IS available from numerous sources. I researched this topic thoroughly when working on a project for Duchy Originals which involved the Soil Association.

The company NZ Beeswax is a primary source for organic wax, already milled or in bulk form. We also found good makers in Turkey, Bulgaria, and Spain.

Yes you can get it from Africa too, usually Nigeria. Usually bulk supply only. African origin foundation, mainly from South Africa, is normally the cell size for A.m.scutellata