What is YOUR Definition of Local?

[Papakeith]

I'm seeing a blurred line from some keeps in my area. 
Local, to me, means within 20 miles or so. 
What does it mean to you?
Terms I see are local and or regional.
thoughts?

[BoilerJim]

If you are talking "Local Honey" for the health benifits I have read that pollen from plants within a 50 mile radius of where you live has the benificial stuff people seek for the allergy relief. Thus, that is what the local health food stores sell and can/do advertise as local.

[iddee]

In my opinion, local honey is anywhere the plant that you are allergic is grown, even if it is 300 miles. Goldenrod honey will help anyone that is allergic to the same kind of goldenrod the honey is made from. Locality has nothing to do with it.  Vice-verse, spring honey won't help with fall flower allergies even if it's from the same field.

[apisbees]

A few years back, the save the earth environmentalists were pushing the buy local, reduce your carbon footprint by reducing transportation. At first they were promoting the 25 mile diet, quickly changed to the 50 mile diet and after finding the 50 mile radius to limiting, have adopted the 100 mile diet.
Local to me is that the honey is being produced by the beekeeper in the area, so It is local to him. As Iddee posted the sales pitch I hear from beekeepers of the benefits of local honey with regards to the immune system and the desensitization because of pollen in the honey is flawed. Most of the pollens found in honey are a result pf the bees picking up the pollen while foraging for nectar. Pollens that are coming from plants that produce non or little nectar will have little pollen in the honey. Also pollen that is in the environment at times when the bees are not readily collecting and storing nectar in supers that will be extracted will not be found in the honey.
Pollen that is trapped and fully blended from the different sources throughout the year, or collected while the offending plants are in bloom cane provide effective allergy relief.

[LazyBkpr]

Apis;   Your saying bees do NOT collect pollen on purpose, but that it is a secondary result from collecting nectar?

[apisbees]

That is not what i am saying. Bees either collect pollen or nectar on a flight. Not both at the same time. Some plants give off nectar but very little pollen. Other plants will give pollen and little to no nectar or the nectar is low in sugers and another plant that is blooming at the same time is much more desirable to the bees. So i can not lie to a customer and tell them that the pollen from the plant that they are sensitive to are present in the honey. That being said if the body is in a defensive mode because it is already building its defense mechanism to breaking down the foreign proteins when the offending pollens do come in contact with the person their immune system will be more prepared to cope with them quicker.

Sent from my LG-P500h using Tapatalk 2

[LazyBkpr]

   I have HEARD/read that the bees collect what they are in need of most, be it pollen, nectar or propolis, and it is what I have always believed.. That does not mean what I "know" is correct, so took the opportunity as it arose to ask.

[tbonekel]

Also pollen that is in the environment at times when the bees are not readily collecting and storing nectar in supers that will be extracted will not be found in the honey.

I can totally see this. Around here, one of the major allergy "offenders" is cedar. My bees were bringing in this pollen in force mid February when the cedar was in bloom. I can understand that if it is not blooming now, then it would not be in the honey or nectar the bees are bringing back. I know that they are getting nectar from many sources including some allergy causing plants, but I don't think cedar is one of them at this time.

[apisbees]

   I have HEARD/read that the bees collect what they are in need of most, be it pollen, nectar or propolis, and it is what I have always believed.. That does not mean what I "know" is correct, so took the opportunity as it arose to ask.

This is a very good point and they do. But we have to break beekeeping in a hive onto many segments through out the year. But for this part of the discussion I will stick to Just 2. In the progression and build up of a colony, at first you have bees doing what is needed to keep the colony expanding and the bees do what you are saying (" I have HEARD/read that the bees collect what they are in need of most, be it pollen, nectar or propolis ") but once the colony develops to a population that exceeds the needs the bees change form basic survivor in-stinks, to excessive foragers and a hording machine. It is this instinct that has attracted mankind to the honey bee. The fact that if we can manage them past their basic needs then we can reap the rewards of a surplus honey crop.

[riverbee]

"Bees either collect pollen or nectar on a flight. Not both at the same time. Some plants give off nectar but very little pollen. Other plants will give pollen and little to no nectar or the nectar is low in sugers and another plant that is blooming at the same time is much more desirable to the bees. So i can not lie to a customer and tell them that the pollen from the plant that they are sensitive to are present in the honey. "

i would agree with what you said apis, but i would also say that nectar forager bees will collect pollen incidentally from a plant that provides both. i also do not make any claims to a customer regarding the pollen content of my honey.

" I have HEARD/read that the bees collect what they are in need of most, be it pollen, nectar or propolis, and it is what I have always believed."

i do believe this to be true scott, from everything i have read myself and observed in the hives.  i also think bees can be hoarders of pollen just as much as they can be hoarders of nectar/honey in anticipation of or over anticipation of the colonies need for pollen/bee bread.  i think it was ef recently that posted something about the amount of pollen coming in and filling his frames, and apis ? replied to, the overabundance of pollen available that was collected and stored in the hive, ie....hoarding. 

[LazyBkpr]

but once the colony develops to a population that exceeds the needs the bees change form basic survivor in-stinks, to excessive foragers and a hording machine.

   This too was always sort of locked away in the knowledge banks, but I had not actually thought of it phrased perfectly. Sort of makes it click. Thanks Apis!