Author Topic: Organic Honey (Read 8042 times)

brooksbeefarm · « **on:** November 25, 2017, 11:50:07 am »

Is there any such thing as Organic Honey??? some people claim they have organic honey, but i don't think they can get it certified? Any thought's? Jack

neillsayers · « **Reply #1 on:** November 25, 2017, 12:34:25 pm »

My personal opinion is, it is a very difficult claim to make. One would have to know with certainty that the bee's forage is chemical free over a 3 mile radius. That's 28 square miles. In addition, foundations, feed etc.. would all have to be sourced organically. Many foreign countries and the EU have organic certification.

There has been a lively conversation on BEE-L recently on just this subject.

tedh · « **Reply #2 on:** November 25, 2017, 07:38:37 pm »

Out of curiosity I've looked into this. The FDA creates the guidlines for "organic" then a "third party" makes the inspection and certifies organic or not. There are no FDA guidlines for organic honey. You can however have your BEES certified as organic under the livestock guidlines. I'll withhold my personal opinion on "organic" honey. Ted

Perry · « **Reply #3 on:** November 25, 2017, 08:01:02 pm »

Terms that burn my butt.

-Pure
-All natural
-Raw

Organic isn't far off the list.

Riverrat · « **Reply #4 on:** November 25, 2017, 10:07:43 pm »

Always said "Latte" is french for you paid to much for your coffee. IMHO same holds true if you buy Honey labeled "organic"

brooksbeefarm · « **Reply #5 on:** November 25, 2017, 10:42:31 pm »

I now have found a new reason too use the terms that contain All Natural, with Pure, Raw, Joy.

Jack

Wandering Man · « **Reply #6 on:** November 26, 2017, 10:55:58 am »

Quote from: tedh on November 25, 2017, 07:38:37 pm

Out of curiosity I've looked into this. The FDA creates the guidlines for "organic" then a "third party" makes the inspection and certifies organic or not. There are no FDA guidlines for organic honey. You can however have your BEES certified as organic under the livestock guidlines. I'll withhold my personal opinion on "organic" honey. Ted

We only eat organic bees. I especially like the six little drumsticks.

apisbees · « **Reply #7 on:** November 26, 2017, 04:57:56 pm »

I prefer to hear it phrased as a beekeeper practicing Chemical Free Beekeeping. That is stating that you are controlling the part of beekeeping that you have control over. Organic honey is a hard one to prove, or disprove. You can get your honey analyzed, but they will only find things that should not be in the honey that they are testing for. I know of a couple of operations in Canada that produce Organic honey One in northern Quebec in the middle of nowhere the other on an isolated island off the BC coast.
http://mckenzieshoney.ca/ Is on the shelves on major grocery store chains but I would question their organic honey. Yes they can place the bees in Pristine non polluted areas but to call your honey Organic you whole operation should be organic from the bees to the honey house extracting line, all the way to the nectar the bees are collecting. Unless they have a totally separate organic operation, It leaves room for doubt.

CBT · « **Reply #8 on:** November 26, 2017, 07:33:23 pm »

You could (if you were less than reputable) name your business organic honey as a play on words not meaning your product was organic.

Bakersdozen · « **Reply #9 on:** November 26, 2017, 07:54:13 pm »

Quote from: CBT on November 26, 2017, 07:33:23 pm

You could (if you were less than reputable) name your business organic honey as a play on words not meaning your product was organic.

If that becomes common practice, we will find the government regulating honey labels even further.

SmokeyBee · « **Reply #10 on:** November 27, 2017, 07:34:30 am »

I'm with Neill on this. I'm still a beginner but I understand the math he's referring to. Our local recycling dropoff is about 1.5 miles "as the bee flies" from my house. The aluminum can dumpster is always full of honey bees going after Pepsi and beer.

I hate to think that some of them are "mine", making dumpster honey.

Perry · « **Reply #11 on:** November 27, 2017, 08:44:35 am »

Quote from: SmokeyBee on November 27, 2017, 07:34:30 am

I'm with Neill on this. I'm still a beginner but I understand the math he's referring to. Our local recycling dropoff is about 1.5 miles "as the bee flies" from my house. The aluminum can dumpster is always full of honey bees going after Pepsi and beer.

I hate to think that some of them are "mine", making dumpster honey.

The marketing part of me would see a plus in that, marketing it as "re-cycled" honey.

neillsayers · « **Reply #12 on:** November 27, 2017, 11:38:12 am »

Quote from: Perry on November 27, 2017, 08:44:35 am

Quote from: SmokeyBee on November 27, 2017, 07:34:30 am

I hate to think that some of them are "mine", making dumpster honey.[/b]

The marketing part of me would see a plus in that, marketing it as "re-cycled" honey.

SmokeyBee · « **Reply #13 on:** November 27, 2017, 05:47:56 pm »

apisbees · « **Reply #14 on:** November 28, 2017, 12:08:20 am »

Be careful I an less than a block from a bottle depot and is fall I lost huge quantity's of bees to them trapping bees over their. Populations in the hives plummeted the last Half of Sept and Oct. Stopped it but not before lots of bees were killed.

brooksbeefarm · « **Reply #15 on:** November 28, 2017, 11:25:34 am »

In the world we live in today, it would be hard to claim most anything is purely organic when it comes to a food source! I have been treatment free for several years now except for shb traps, No chemicals in my hives and i leave plenty of honey on my hives for winter and rarely have to feed. Yes, i have lost some hives because of treatment free, But i lost hives when i did treat also! The way i look at it, someday (not to long off now) i won't be here and they are going to be on their own, so they need to learn now! My hives will be sold, but the swarms from them will have a better chance to survive. I'm Hoping! Jack

yukonjeff · « **Reply #16 on:** December 02, 2017, 03:54:24 pm »

I was wondering about organic certification is possible here. We have no agriculture, pesticides, herbicides, or industry here, we have clean water no pollution outside the village, mine are now on the edge of the village, but if I moved them three miles out there would be just pristine wilderness.
Of course I treat though.

Perry · « **Reply #17 on:** December 02, 2017, 04:51:53 pm »

Quote from: yukonjeff on December 02, 2017, 03:54:24 pm

I was wondering about organic certification is possible here. We have no agriculture, pesticides, herbicides, or industry here, we have clean water no pollution outside the village, mine are now on the edge of the village, but if I moved them three miles out there would be just pristine wilderness.
Of course I treat though.

I guess it would all depend on what you treat with.

yukonjeff · « **Reply #18 on:** December 02, 2017, 10:49:05 pm »

I treated with MAQs on my big hives. My nucs I used Oxy. I would guess that even though they say you can treat with MAQs not sure you should with supers on, or is it ok ? I did this year because I was leaving the supers for winter feed.

Perry · « **Reply #19 on:** December 03, 2017, 09:41:51 am »

MAQS can be used with honey supers on, but Oxalic cannot.
That is why MAQS were "revolutionary" compared to most other treatments, you didn't have to choose between treating or honey crop when it became necessary. Formic in many forms has been used for a very long time, but never in a manner safe enough to do with honey supers on.