Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => NATURAL & ORGANIC BEEKEEPING METHODS => Topic started by: BeeFor on September 18, 2007, 11:17:06 am

Title: Organic Commercial Beekeeping, possible?
Post by: BeeFor on September 18, 2007, 11:17:06 am: Does anyone know if anyone out there is running a commercial beekeeping operation (300+ hives) using organic methods? How do they do it? What are their honey yields compared to others in their area?

By organic I mean no use of antibiotics/fungacides or organic acids and chemicals like formic acid, oxalic acid etc. I personally include Thymol in this as well.

Websites and any contact details would be much appreciated!

Thanks.
Title: Re: Organic Commercial Beekeeping, possible?
Post by: Understudy on September 18, 2007, 11:34:00 am: Quote from: BeeFor on September 18, 2007, 11:17:06 am
Does anyone know if anyone out there is running a commercial beekeeping operation (300+ hives) using organic methods? How do they do it? What are their honey yields compared to others in their area?

Is it possible, Yes. Easy, No.
They use no chemicals. And only natural means for pest control. The yields can vary based on crop. You are likely to have healthier bees. Because the chemicals weaken their immune systems.

Quote
By organic I mean no use of antibiotics/fungacides or organic acids and chemicals like formic acid, oxalic acid etc. I personally include Thymol in this as well.

Websites and any contact details would be much appreciated!

Thanks.
Organic has a very specfic definition to it and is strictly regulated in labeling. You cannot just not use chemicals and be organic. Any farm you bring your bees to must also be chemical free and any area within two miles of it.

Michael Bush has a great deal more information on organic beekeeping than I do. I am only chemical free on my hives. Not organic.

Sincerely,
Brendhan
Title: Re: Organic Commercial Beekeeping, possible?
Post by: BeeFor on September 18, 2007, 11:44:58 am: Thanks for your reply. I probably mean non-chemical then :-D

I would appreciate some more detail as to how one manages to run a large number of hives over years on a non-chemical basis. With regards to honey yield - I know that it varies with crop - I was asking for a comparison vs other hives on the same crop.

Thanks again.
Title: Re: Organic Commercial Beekeeping, possible?
Post by: Jerrymac on September 18, 2007, 12:46:52 pm: If you have been reading up on all of this for awhile then surely you have heard of Dee Lusby. She has around 1,000 hives and puts nothing in them that the bees don't put in there themselves.

http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/index.htm
Title: Re: Organic Commercial Beekeeping, possible?
Post by: Kirk-o on September 18, 2007, 06:50:51 pm: Dee Lusby does it over a thousand hives 30 yards does it herself now since her husband passed away.She is a great gal I talk to her from time to time and have went and got bees from her.There is going to be a Organic beekeepers convention in Febuary in Oracle Arizona.The info is in August Bee Journal or you can go to the organic beekeepers site on yahoo
see you there kirko
Title: Re: Organic Commercial Beekeeping, possible?
Post by: TwT on September 18, 2007, 07:41:00 pm: there are a few out there that keep bee's without chemicals, there are a few out there!!! alot are smaller
than 300 hives but here are some that are bigger

http://web.mac.com/dannpurvis/iWeb/Purvis%20Brothers%20Bees.com/Home.html

http://www.beeweaver.com/home.php

http://www.rweaver.com/http://www.owa.cc/