Ross Conrad and Natural Beekeeping

Master beekeeper Ross Conrad spoke with us at Apeiron's Sustainable Living Expo in Rhode Island in the summer of 2008.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• beekeeping
• PostCarbon
• Rhode
• Island
• Ross
• Conrad
• apiculture
• bees
• organic
• farming

[fotohogger]

Very proactive. Good video. It is very rewarding to keep bees naturally as possible.

[tradernorton05]

@longliverocknroll5

Please read carefully as the will be my last reply.

1. yes, transporting hives is necessary for pollination, but doing so is completely un-natural to the bee-it deprives them of rest and weakens their immune system which LEADS to diseases.

2. Not ALL diseases are imported....but yes, most pests(mites and hive beetles) came from foreign lands.

3. I dont know what constitutes an "expert", but I have about 275 hives, and have been keeping bees for a looong time.

[littlemountian]

I think this man has some great ideas about running an apiary. It's too bad that in order to earn a good standard of living, you have to contend with so many pests and diseases that can turn your lights out in a hurry. I don't see hive beetles or mites going away anytime soon. We either find natural means to handle them or continue to poison a truly wondrous creature that we need to maintain the food chain.

[tradernorton05]

@guitarthroat

I'm not a natural beekeeper, so I'm puzzled as to why you're replying to me.

Perhaps you're confused or just having a bad day.

[guitarthroat]

This guy Conrad is a very good salesman for his publication. Layman and amateurs who know nothing about running an apiary thinks his ideas are pure genius. As far as I know he is not a scientist, entomologist, or otherwise. I think you are jealous of commercial beekeepers that have 2000+ hives and make shitloads of money because you aren't a successful businessman. You are jealous so you have to have all this negative bullshit you rabble-rouse about migratory beekeepers.

[guitarthroat]

@tradernorton05 Yes, pests, mites and beetles came from foreign lands. And so did the honey bees. Entomologists say there are NO honeybees native to North America. They were brought here from Europe. And their is nothing natural about keeping bees. Beekeeping by definition is not a natural process. Bees in the wild do not build Langstroth supers that are stacked 5 or even ten high to trick themselves into producing 10 times the honey they ever would in the wild. You are full of shit.

[longliverocknroll5]

@tradernorton05 how would you pollinate the crops then? magic?

[longliverocknroll5]

@tradernorton05 yes i know about diesease but that is being brought in from other places from bees that are already infected into canada and the united states from hawaii and most prominently china

and the reason that people would move hives is because of the major lack of beekeepers to help pollinate the crops that people eat so watch what you say

are you an actual expert or have you been reading articles (serious question would like to have an idea who i am talking to)

[tradernorton05]

@longliverocknroll5

Many commercial guys haul their bees from coast to coast several times per year, and commercial beekeeping is far from being natural.

Evidence is mounting that stress from commercial beekeeping is weakening the honeybee, and therefore leading to disease and CCD.

[longliverocknroll5]

@tradernorton05 don't know what commercial beekeepers you know that haul bees thousands of miles but really all beekepping is "natural" as it comes from nature

[tradernorton05]

@tlamboxford

I agree with you.

Its up to the natural beekeeper to keep the bees alive and healthy.

These commercial beekeepers are slowly destroying the honeybee by taking all their honey and feeding them corn syrup. Not too mention stressing them out by hauling them thousands of miles across the country.