Treatment-free label

[Madge]

... What am I supposed to have said?

Nothing. You’re making a misleading claim and, by implication, as Jenkins have said, slurring other beekeepers.

 

[olriley]

Nothing. You’re making a misleading claim and, by implication, as Jenkins have said, slurring other beekeepers.

Sorry, but I take umbrage at the accusation of being misleading.

My label makes a simple statement, referring solely to my own methods, which is entirely factual.

If I’m asked why people feed sugar, I explain: it’s either to build up a weak colony or to provide winter stores after taking the honey. That’s largely an economic decision by the beekeeper and doesn’t affect the quality of the honey produced. I don’t say it’s wrong, worse for the bees or anything else. I definitely do not slur other beeks. It’s just a choice.

I can see this upsets you and others, but there is really no need to feel threatened and it would be nice to see some respect for one another. I wonder if we had met in a pub or at the local BKA you would say the same things.

 

[Finman]

There are another same kind of claims, that you cannot extract honey from frames, which have had brood. And many other self made beliefs in beekeeping. And some succeed "to force " their bees to gather big yields. Some love their hives and others not.

 

[Finman]

Sorry, but I take umbrage at the accusation of being misleading.

My label makes a simple statement, referring solely to my own methods, which is entirely factual.

If I’m asked why people feed sugar, I explain: it’s either to build up a weak colony or to provide winter stores after taking the honey. That’s largely an economic decision by the beekeeper and doesn’t affect the quality of the honey produced. I don’t say it’s wrong, worse for the bees or anything else. I definitely do not slur other beeks. It’s just a choice.

I can see this upsets you and others, but there is really no need to feel threatened and it would be nice to see some respect for one another. I wonder if we had met in a pub or at the local BKA you would say the same things.

No one is upset about your choice. There are much more terrible claims on forum than yours. And every day. Couple of guys have misunderstood your unfair marketing. No more.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I would say exactly the same thing - I'm beginning to think that your unintentional slur on othe of the beekeepers was nothing of the sort.
The fact that you have taken pains to advertise the fact you do not feed sugar implies that there is something wrong with feeding it - not everyone will feel the need to engage with you to discuss it but will walk away believing that it is so.
You are doing a great disservice to other beekeepers just to fuel your own smug self righteousness.

Finny is right - you are just engineering your own 'alternative truth' with your implied 'sugar free' honey. Having spoken to trading standards officers regarding similar non legislative descriptions I am certain they would be of the same opinion.

 

[victor meldrew]

Sorry, but I take umbrage at the accusation of being misleading.

My label makes a simple statement, referring solely to my own methods, which is entirely factual.

If I’m asked why people feed sugar, I explain: it’s either to build up a weak colony or to provide winter stores after taking the honey. That’s largely an economic decision by the beekeeper and doesn’t affect the quality of the honey produced. I don’t say it’s wrong, worse for the bees or anything else. I definitely do not slur other beeks. It’s just a choice.

I can see this upsets you and others, but there is really no need to feel threatened and it would be nice to see some respect for one another. I wonder if we had met in a pub or at the local BKA you would say the same things.

What would you do , should we have ( it has happened in the past ) a bad winter followed by a late late Spring ?
It is not unknown for bees to have had to be fed until June !
During WWII beekeepers were allowed extra sugar rations for this very reason !


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[olriley]

What would you do , should we have ( it has happened in the past ) a bad winter followed by a late late Spring ?

This, and stop using those labels. They are only a little tuppence sized round label that I add to the lids.

I am prepared to feed if necessary. I’m not stupid. I just haven’t for two years.

 

[olriley]

I would say exactly the same thing - I'm beginning to think that your unintentional slur on othe of the beekeepers was nothing of the sort.
The fact that you have taken pains to advertise the fact you do not feed sugar implies that there is something wrong with feeding it - not everyone will feel the need to engage with you to discuss it but will walk away believing that it is so.
You are doing a great disservice to other beekeepers just to fuel your own smug self righteousness.

Do you advertise your honey as Welsh? That's not fair, I can't do that! It implies that Welsh is better! Do you explain to everyone that this is not the case, because if you don't they might think it, so its just not fair!!

Finny is right - you are just engineering your own 'alternative truth' with your implied 'sugar free' honey. Having spoken to trading standards officers regarding similar non legislative descriptions I am certain they would be of the same opinion.

I'll post a pic of my label. Share it with whichever authorities you wish. You, or they, will find me trading at Hertford Farmers Market.

 

[olriley]

Here you go. The front label is bog standard and in compliance.

Sorry, got to go. There's Trading Standards at the door.

 

[Ian123]

Theres nothing wrong in that label provided statements made are true there’s no trading standards guy that will waste there budget. You’ve not slated any beek/producer directly and just stated facts that if asked to am sure you could prove I would however change may contain pollen to does because if not it’s not honey!!! And I would remove the contains wax bit as most punters experience of wax is that tasteless chewy sh1t that surrounds more tasteless cheap cheese in regards to others worried about defamation of other beeks then hell ive not met a beek that does not!!!!! It’s normaly in response to why can I buy 5kg of honey at Holland and Barrat for £5 and yours is so expensive, the general response is that’s foreign crap. Or maybe even welsh. Ok only kidding but you get the idea

 

[Ian123]

I would be saving any indignation for the chap the other day that said his honey was organic because the apiary was on an organic farm although in fairness he did not say he sold as such. If however he said honey from bees sited on an organic farm then he’s making no claims to the honey but simply making a statement of fact as to location of the hives. As an aside I would not go around quoting the beeks got extra sugar during the war but. Sugar was coloured green to stop it hitting the black market and there was an awful lot of green honey that year. just to add I mix my sugar in plastic drums and mix with a plasterers paddle

 

[victor meldrew]

This, and stop using those labels. They are only a little tuppence sized round label that I add to the lids.

Not even a little fondant as insurance ?[emoji6]


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[olriley]

And I would remove the contains wax bit as most punters experience of wax is that tasteless chewy sh1t that surrounds more tasteless cheap cheese

Good points, thanks. Re wax, I use the same sticker for my comb sections... only printed one batch

 

[olriley]

Not even a little fondant as insurance ?[emoji6]


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Winter just gone, no fondant. And it was a long old winter. But I may come a cropper yet...

 

[victor meldrew]

Winter just gone, no fondant. And it was a long old winter. But I may come a cropper yet...

Tugging your leg lad ! [emoji3]


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[olriley]

Tugging your leg lad ! [emoji3]

Ha, I bit!

 

[victor meldrew]

I would be saving any indignation for the chap the other day that said his honey was organic because the apiary was on an organic farm although in fairness he did not say he sold as such. If however he said honey from bees sited on an organic farm then he’s making no claims to the honey but simply making a statement of fact as to location of the hives. As an aside I would not go around quoting the beeks got extra sugar during the war but. Sugar was coloured green to stop it hitting the black market and there was an awful lot of green honey that year. just to add I mix my sugar in plastic drums and mix with a plasterers paddle

Potatoes ear marked for feeding pigs was dyed purple .
Lots used for human consumption though !
Your reply has just evoked a memory, a friend of my was waxing lyrical about his mother taking him to a beekeeper for some special honey .
It was green he said .
I smiled !
It was war time he was talking about .


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[Finman]

.
In EU it forbidden to use "raw honey" product name.

You have taken all cliches to usage, which do not present fair marketing. As a small honey producer let it go. I hope that you get double price as compensation that you bees eate half of your yield.
.

One guy here sells "artisan honey". And one sells "treament free honey".
It seems that this is global movement.
.

 

[Ian123]

Hi vic I have heard the storey a couple of times but did get my version off an old beek I used to help when I first started. I am not that old myself. ��

 

[olriley]

.

In EU it forbidden to use "raw honey" product name.



You have taken all cliches to usage, which do not present fair marketing. As a small honey producer let it go. I hope that you get double price as compensation.

.

I didn’t know that, thanks. I’ll check it out. Surely comb section honey cannot be described otherwise than raw? With the extracted honey I’m really pertaining to it not being blended, fine-filtered, or otherwise adulterated. Again, I am not saying any beeks worth their salt do this, but there are such honeys out there.

Like it or not, people want to know more nowadays. They are interested in provenance behind a product.... so I want to tell them something... Double price would be nice but it is not so.

This (no sugar) is an experiment for me, and I am not concluded yet whether it will continue. Circumstances may force my hand. My view may change. Certainly interesting to see how it ruffles feathers! However I am satisfied I am not doing anything wrong, unethical or underhand.