Interesting NPO in Boston. Funds used to study Colony Collapse Disorder

[CpnObvious]

I came across this article.  The video explains pretty what they're trying to do, for the most.

The comment about bananas was new to me... I'll have to keep that in mind.  The only thing stocked better than bananas at my house is oranges... So, you can imagine, we eat them with great regularity (no pun intended )





http://www.bestbees.com/

[apisbees]

He states in the video about being organic. How can he claim the honey is organic when you have no control over or knowledge of what is being sprayed with in the bees forage area?

[CpnObvious]

That will depend on your definition of organic.  If you want to get THAT technical, no one will ever know if their honey is truly organic, without boatloads of lab testing.  As far as the general public is concerned, honey, unless modified during the collection/bottling process, is organic.

As a comparable debate, I had an interesting conversation with a Comcast employee (a TV/Phone/Internet provider) yesterday about their most recent advertising.  They claim to offer the "fastest in-home wifi".  Wireless connectivity speeds is locked and limited by the frequency and/or the FCC.  802.11g, for example, can not exceed 54mbps.  I don't care WHO provides the hardware, it will not, can not, exceed that data transfer rate.  His argument is that they're taking advantage of the general public's ignorance.  They understand "wifi" as meaning the internet connection.  Comcast can offer up to 305mbps... The general public doesn't know that the speeds their commercials speak of is from the modem to the C/O... NOT from the client PC to the modem. (sorry for boring you all with useless technical data )

[riverbee]

"That will depend on your definition of organic.  If you want to get THAT technical, no one will ever know if their honey is truly organic, without boatloads of lab testing.  As far as the general public is concerned, honey, unless modified during the collection/bottling process, is organic."

okay, the good the bad, and the technical.............

from the national honey board:
Organic Labeling Requirements
in part:
"A growing number of consumers look for the word “organic” on a label. “Organic” is not just an adjective, nor is it synonymous with “natural.” The USDA has implemented a set of national standards that foods labeled “organic” must meet, whether produced in the United States or imported from other countries. Before a product can be labeled “organic,” a USDA-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. The USDA accredits state, private and foreign organizations or persons to become these “certifying agents.” If you wish to produce or handle agricultural products that can be sold, labeled, or represented as “100 percent organic,” “organic” or “made with organic ingredients,” you must be certified by an accredited certifying agent."

USDA National Organic Program

USDA Labeling Organic Products

and a great article written by kim flottom of bee culture:
ORGANIC HONEY by: Kim Flottum

just some of the 'technical' check list :

1) Forage: What the bees eat and drink

2) Where they live and what they live in and on.

3) What the beekeeper feeds them

4) How the beekeeper treats them for parasites

5) How the beekeeper processes the honey they produce

6) How the beekeeper labels that honey

7) How the beekeeper keeps records

[camero7]

Lot's of misinformation in this... I really dislike people promoting their product like this. Honey bees are not in trouble. 2 million hives to the almonds in the spring speak to that.

[riverbee]

what camero7 said.....i thought i recognized this guy, the funds are being used for his research.  his name is noah wilson rich, i recognized him from a TED talk.  link is on his website.  his credentials (education) are impressive.  he claims organic, this is not possible in urban settings, and also he claims to have patented a vaccine called apivax, but cannot find anything on his website about it.  just a snip:

"Is there a way to help? Oral supplements and bee yogurt filled with probiotics can help strengthen their immune systems. Immune boosters are added to a mixture of water and pollen, forming a peanut butter-like consistency. The goop is shaped into paddies and placed into hives for consumption.

Hardest part of the job: Although I patented a vaccination for these diseases, it’s been impossible to get funding from grants. Best Bees Company is a way to raise money for my research."

Noah Wilson-Rich, Ph.D. Noah is a behavioral ecologist, a beekeeper, and the founder of The Best Bees Company™. He is a 2007 graduate from the Bee School at the Essex County Beekeeper’s Association in Topsfield, MA. Noah earned his B.S. in Biology at Northeastern University (2005) and his Ph.D. in Biology at Tufts University (2011) at Tufts University. (Note that The Best Bees Company is in no way affiliated with either institution.) As Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Noah oversees all Company activities,

[tecumseh]

my old computer doesn't do videos any more..... I cannot view this tape but here are my totally uninformed comments anyways......  first off you should note that the person obtained his phd in 2011.  this means he has perhaps a total of 3 years of experience under his belt.  being located in south Boston the likely hood of him complying with USDA requirements for 'organic' honey status is zero.  this program is not unique in that there is a similar program in Austin Texas ( and if you pay attention you get the clear signal that this particular venture is nothing more than a scam).  Tufts is a quite exclusive and expensive university...  this should not carry over in your thinking that a phd degree in behavior ecology means you know squat about keeping bees.  Like many that go to places like Tufts and other elite (read extremely expensive) educational institutions many come out of such institutions with their heads all blown up with grand ideas and absolutely no ideas or the real limitation of the world.   

[Intheswamp]

tec, I gotta agree with you...but I'll also state that lots of older  people who have had doctorates for years actually know little about what they present.  There was a lady in our town who had a PhD, had been a university instructor, and wrote a book dealing with southeastern Native Americans and the cult complex between Spiro AR, Moundville AL, and Etowa GA.  Nice book, good photography, blah, blah, blah.  I had bought a copy of her book and being local decided to drop by her house and get her to sign it for me.  I carried a few artifacts with me for her to comment on and give me her thoughts on...surface finds in local fields.  Well, we got to talking and as we talked I began to sense that I knew more about the people that use to walk the earth here than she did.  What made me pack up and leave, though, was when she picked up two of my pieces and started hitting them against each other in a *very* lame demonstration of how the utensils were made.  Basically she had researched and compiled a book at knew little of what she had "compiled".  At least the young buy with the bees was trying to practice some of what he'd learned.

A couple of things noted in the video... 

Notice how nicely and slowly he rolls those bees with the brush?  I'm sure the ladies were happy after that.

Also, the banana remarks... Everybody can make there own choice about mixing bananas and bees, but I've never had a problem with them.  I've mixed them with oil in shb traps that were placed in hives and the bees paid no attention to them. 
Here's a short youtube video that Scott from Alysian Apiaries down in Florida made that includes bees and bananas.


Ed