Treatment-free label

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Shook swarming
Drone culling
Queen trapping

None of which are natural, the first two is bee abuse.
'Pure' is now a term many TS officers find questionable if not downright misleading.
'Raw' is going the same way.

 

[Erichalfbee]

It has never crossed my mind to label any of my honey treatment free. I have two Carnica that I don’t treat, except one accelerated OAV drop around now. I would never dream of isolating their honey and labelling it TF. Like Emyr. Spring/Summer and heather suits me

 

[Millet]

Shook swarming
Drone culling
Queen trapping

 

[Hachi]

Customer will wonder what on earth is going on with all the references to chemicals and treatments. Few have any idea of what treatments beekeepers use. A label like that, I'm afraid, would put me off buying.
Simply stating it's "Pure natural honey" would be better IMHO.
Then they understand what they are buying.

Often its just as important what something doesn't say as much as it does. My initial reaction was that there is an implied suggestion all other honey is full of chemicals which could have possible repercussions for the honey market.

My honey is definitely not treated but my bee's are and for good reason.

For the reasons above I agree with Beefriendly, a conversation with a buyer extolling the virtues and benefits of "pure honey" will do the job well.

 

[Madge]

Fair enough I suppose; my label states I do not feed sugar.
Is it sustainable though? ...

Don’t you feed them when there’s a food shortage, or it’s a new nuc of bees? And won’t you put some foundation above their heads mid-winter as a safeguard against isolation starvation?

I’m sure none of us feed sugar when the bees are foraging well and making honey for us - so, why do you mention it as though feeding sugar is common practice, and your honey is an exception?

 

[Finman]

and your honey is an exception?

IT is like we have "happy hen's eggs". There are real cocks in the hen house.

Happy bee's honey. Especially happy, when you have robbed their stores.

 

[Noddy]

Some people appear to be confusing straining with filtering, or vice versa ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Erichalfbee]

None of which are natural, the first two is bee abuse.
'Pure' is now a term many TS officers find questionable if not downright misleading.
'Raw' is going the same way.

Yes....I agree but there are beekeepers that shook swarm as a method of swarm control. See queen cells? Chuck the bees out into a new box and throw the brood away.
Springtime..... My God! These bees have been in the same box for six months.
Throw them into a new one...see how they bounce back!
I just can't fathom some people at all.

 

[olriley]

Don’t you feed them when there’s a food shortage, or it’s a new nuc of bees? And won’t you put some foundation above their heads mid-winter as a safeguard against isolation starvation?

I’m sure none of us feed sugar when the bees are foraging well and making honey for us - so, why do you mention it as though feeding sugar is common practice, and your honey is an exception?

Some people seem to find it difficult to grasp, but generally* I do not feed my bees at all. Not in any of those circumstances you have mentioned. This takes a bit more planning, careful observation and a judicious hand with taking honey. When I explain to people they seem to like it. That’s why I mention it on the jar.

* I say generally, because I am prepared to feed if necessary. I’m not stupid. I just haven’t for two years.

 

[Finman]

* I say generally, because I am prepared to feed if necessary. I’m not stupid. I just haven’t for two years.

What is your honey yield per hive, and how much your bees eate honey during winter per hive.

By the way.... You beekeeping style has been named " catch and release".

 

[olriley]

What is your honey yield per hive, and how much your bees eate honey during winter per hive.

So far this year I have taken roughly 30kg per hive, there might be more to come from the balsam and ivy. I know this won’t break any records. And I am sure it is less than your yield. In fact I don’t have to ask because you have bragged about it so often on here!!! You have more hives, more experience, higher yields than I. There: you can zip up your trousers.

I haven’t made any claims, nor have I criticised you or anybody else for feeding. Far from it. I accept that if profit is your concern, it is likely more profitable to do so.

But I am free to keep bees as I wish, am I not?
Likewise the treatment-free gang. It’s their prerogative. (That one I don’t buy in to).

I do agree the label about chemical treatment has potentially damaging ramifications to Joe Public and to my mind is mildly irresponsible. I think it’s more generally understood -and less controversial - that commercial keepers feed sugar.

 

[Finman]

.
IT is a huge yield in your country. You have taken 30 kg and you leave for winter 20 kg. And the most important, you have a sugar free ego.

 

[olriley]

I’m sorry if it came across that way. I don’t shout about it; it came up in context on this thread, and it’s written in 2mm tall text on the foot of my labels.

I’m not saying I won’t change in the future either... At present this is working okay for me and the bees.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Some people seem to find it difficult to grasp, but generally* I do not feed my bees at all. Not in any of those circumstances you have mentioned. This takes a bit more planning, careful observation and a judicious hand with taking honey. When I explain to people they seem to like it. That’s why I mention it on the jar.

What you are doing basically is implying to the unknowledgeable leyman is that other beekeepers feed their bees sugar, ipso facto their honey is laced with sugar.
Not fair albeit - in an attempt at being sanctimonious, an unintentional slur

 

[olriley]

implying

The note simply says: ‘our bees are never fed sugar’. What this implies, if you must draw implications, is that other beekeepers *sometimes* do feed sugar, and if asked I am always careful to explain the circumstances under which one might do so.

I started putting it there was because feeding was one of the routine basic questions I was getting asked.

I think you underestimate the consumer. They have already made the choice to step away from the supermarket. They typically are interested, intelligent and there’s nothing at all unfair about giving them information to make an informed choice.

 

[Finman]

I think you underestimate the consumer. They have already made the choice to step away from the supermarket. They typically are interested, intelligent and there’s nothing at all unfair about giving them information to make an informed choice.

You invent your own alternative truths. What you say, such is not happening. Reality speaks controversy.
Nothing wrong in supermarkets.

And the sugar consumption. UK people consume 93 g/day per capita. 34 kg / year. It is among of the most consuming countries in the world.

 

[olriley]

You invent your own alternative truths. What you say, such is not happening.

All getting a bit Trump-esque in here. What am I supposed to have said?

 

[Finman]

All getting a bit Trump-esque in here. What am I supposed to have said?

Think, what you wrote. Nothing to be supposed.

Sugar is popular food stuff and supermarkets do well. And you sell sugar free honey. Label says that honey is 75% Sugar.

 

[olriley]

Okay, well ‘invent alternative truth’ is another way of saying ‘lie’ so please clarify. And I don’t understand which part you meant when you said ‘such is not happening’.

All I say is: our bees are never fed sugar. It’s a simple fact.

 

[olriley]

And you sell sugar free honey.

Hahah okay you have misunderstood something I!think