What did you do in the Apiary today?

[JamezF]

Probably but you have to ensure that the bees don't have access to plants that have be treated with non organic substances. In theory a garden in the forage area (3km from apiary) could be a problem.

The 3km isn't even a physical limit as far as I'm aware -- more of a rule of thumb, so it could be very awkward to demonstrate for certain. I guess there would need to be some artificial rule created that gave a set of criteria to be met for honey to be called organic.

James

 

[JamezF]

three kilometres! I had apiaries bringing in substantial amounts of heather honey from between 3.9 and 4.4 Km this season

I've read that in extremis honey bees will forage over distances as much as 10km, so I'm not that surprised. Obviously the return is poorer the further the bees have to fly, but if it's a good source perhaps that tips the scales.

James

 

[Newbeeneil]

three kilometres! I had apiaries bringing in substantial amounts of heather honey from between 3.9 and 4.4 Km this season

https://www.soilassociation.org/media/15931/farming-and-growing-standards.pdfBottom of page 188

 

[ericbeaumont]

As for Organic Varroa treatments ? Well ... if you are treating them can you really call that organic

Apilife Var is approved for use in organic beekeeping (although I cannot locate the approval authority).

 

[Wilco]

You're missing the point. I'm sure that Mark isn't offering his beekeeping services for free, so the people employing him accept that they are already paying over the odds to have bees and honey. The marginal cost of a bit of fancy fondant will be neither here or there to them.
Good on Mark for having sufficient confidence and for having the ability to handle this (presumably) corporate contract.

Agreed- providing someone else paying and @Curly green finger's hopefully being paid too, there's no skin off his nose. Well done even if it sounds a bit OTT.

 

[JamezF]

https://www.soilassociation.org/media/15931/farming-and-growing-standards.pdfBottom of page 188

I didn't know that existed! There are some interesting bits in there though:

"You can sell bees and bee products as organic when you have kept them to full organic standards for at least 12 months."

But "organic" is not a reserved description, is it? So you couldn't legally label it as organic even if the Soil Association standards have been met?

"When choosing your breed or strain, you must give preference to local ecotypes of Apis mellifera."

Shall we not go there?

"You must not mutilate bees, for example, clipping the wings of the queen bee."

However you are allowed to kill drone brood for varroa control. Only drone brood though. There's no allowance for worker brood that happens to be somewhere inconvenient. I wonder how tearing down queen cells fits in? Or introducing an undesirable queen to a handy gatepost?

James

 

[JamezF]

As for Organic Varroa treatments ? Well ... if you are treating them can you really call that organic ... check out the Soil association website and see what they allow.

They apparently allow "formic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid and oxalic acid, ..., menthol, thymol, eucalyptol or camphor, ..., veterinary treatments which are compulsory under national or community legislation" (from the above document).

James

 

[pargyle]

They apparently allow "formic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid and oxalic acid, ..., menthol, thymol, eucalyptol or camphor, ..., veterinary treatments which are compulsory under national or community legislation" (from the above document).

James

Its just a pity that the VMD are less enthusiastic ...

 

[The Poot]

What is that Poot? Did you look it up ?

Yes it’s a Pale Tussock Moth caterpillar. Looking to find a sheltered place to pupate over winter.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

https://www.soilassociation.org/media/15931/farming-and-growing-standards.pdfBottom of page 188

that may be so, but I think they need to revisit that - this wasn't just dribs and drabs this year but a serious heavy flow which gave me the best heather harvest ever, the yield at each of the apiaries I mentioned was unbelievable, all in all, ten times what I usually get

 

[JamezF]

I received an email yesterday afternoon offering me a potential new apiary site which looks quite convenient. I'm not actually sure I want another at the moment, but on the other hand I'm loathe to look a gift horse in the mouth. It could be tempting to set up a bait hive there in Spring and perhaps put a nuc or two on the site, just to stake out the territory as it were, and see how things go next season.

James

 

[drex]

I would grab it. Perhaps just put an empty hive there to stake your claim

 

[buffon]

Probably but you have to ensure that the bees don't have access to plants that have be treated with non organic substances. In theory a garden in the forage area (3km from apiary) could be a problem.

From my reading of the soil association document, the use of the word "essentially" means a garden wouldn't be a problem.

 

[a-way-with-the-faeries]

I made a stand and eke for this nuc

 

[Curly green finger's]

Agreed- providing someone else paying and @Curly green finger's hopefully being paid too, there's no skin off his nose. Well done even if it sounds a bit OTT.

Interesting I’ve meet a gent from the soil association who has been to work now twice to take samples ,we talked at length about the bees treatments and feeding and also about soil of course.
Yes I’m paid well for my service I provide

 

[madasafish]

Done little except heft, feed nucs and mini nucs.
Standardised on BS Honey nuc feeders: using Maisemore broods and deep roofs with home made UFEs. Bees seem to like them - build up well.
Push to sell more early season nucs.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Walked to the apiary to do nothing but watch this

View attachment trim.2192149C-5CB2-4C23-A590-626CB84E260E.MOV

 

[a-way-with-the-faeries]

Walked to the apiary to do nothing but watch this

View attachment 34107

 

[a-way-with-the-faeries]

Having its breakfast

 

[pargyle]

Interesting I’ve meet a gent from the soil association who has been to work now twice to take samples ,we talked at length about the bees treatments and feeding and also about soil of course.
Yes I’m paid well for my service I provide

What .. do they actually take soil samples then ?