Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Other regulations pertain, especially in the treatment of bee diseases, which, of course,
must be organic (for example, varroa must be treated without the use of synthetic
chemicals). Overall, however, the rules are designed to ensure a clean, pure, organic
product.
Another point worth mentioning here is that, as every beekeeper knows, bees will
forage as close to home as possible. Therefore if there is sufficient wild forage for them
they will happily confine themselves to an area within a radius of 3 km (2 miles). While
bees have been known to forage up to 13 km (8 miles) or more from a hive, this occurs
only when there is nothing else nearer. If this is the case, you shouldn't be in the organic-
honey production field, or even in beekeeping at all. In effect, therefore, a beekeeper can
control the flowers or areas over which their bees forage only if they are lucky enough
to have sufficient land with a known wild or organic crop on it.
My holding in Spain encompassed approximately 1,500 acres (600 ha) of wild land
and was surrounded by vast areas of the same. It was populated by numerous wild
flowers and trees, none of which were sprayed, and I doubt the bees went anywhere else.
Whether this is achievable in more populated countries I'm unsure, but I firmly believe
that, if you can do it, you should go for it.
Hobby beekeepers
Beekeeping as a hobby is large in scope but little known about. Many beekeepers - in
fact most - remain hobbyists, and they enjoy their beekeeping immensely to their dying
day. It is these beekeepers who add so much to the world of beekeeping because they
have time: it is a hobby. Because they have time, they notice things, and many an idea
put to commercial use in beekeeping has been dreamt up by a hobbyist.
Hobbyists are also experimenters. While the commercial operator simply hasn't got the
time to experiment, the hobbyist will try things out and buy new-fangled devices from
bee-supply shops they don't need but do want. They will use them and either debunk
