Sitting with a cup of coffee. (coffee lovers)

[Mr MKK FARMS]

We use to have honeybees but they died of unknown causes....

The current thought is that the poison coating on seeds for planting is the main cause of colony decline in bees. The poison floats in the air and remains in the plant. The flowers of the plant will poison the bees too.

Another theory is that radio towers mess with the bees sense of direction and so they can't find their way back to the hive. A lot of different things play into the decline of bees (along with honey) I think. I like bees.

 

[ronott1]

Another theory is that radio towers mess with the bees sense of direction and so they can't find their way back to the hive. A lot of different things play into the decline of bees (along with honey) I think. I like bees.

A lot of things play into it for sure.

Pesticides seem to be a major cause:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way...bans-pesticides-in-move-to-protect-honey-bees

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Another theory is that radio towers mess with the bees sense of direction and so they can't find their way back to the hive. A lot of different things play into the decline of bees (along with honey) I think. I like bees.

A lot of things play into it for sure.

Pesticides seem to be a major cause:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way...bans-pesticides-in-move-to-protect-honey-bees

Yeah, on Almond trees they spray heavily, I think. I don't know much about this kind of stuff.

EDIT: Beekeepers don't have enough money to change anything and no one else wants or feels a need to change anything. Or at least that is what I have seen from the few videos I have watched on this...

 

[chickisoup]

I am completely organic with my plants and as much as possible with my critters. I planted flowers in amongst my crops long before it was "discovered" by some new age gardener. I have seen fewer pollinators this year than ever before but we did have the worst,as in coldest and deepest, winter on record. My other problem is I am not far from some large potatoes fields and that farmer has the definite "nuclear holocaust" approach to farming.

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

I am completely organic with my plants and as much as possible with my critters.  I planted flowers in amongst my crops long before it was "discovered" by some new age gardener.  I have seen fewer pollinators this year than ever before but we did have the worst,as in coldest and deepest, winter on record.  My other problem is I am not far from some large potatoes fields and that farmer has the definite "nuclear holocaust" approach to farming. 

What are your crops anyway?

 

[3goodeggs]

Also, there are mites, beetles and wax moths that are aggressively attacking the hives.
As the Dadant man told us, it was easier on the bees twenty years ago. They have more environmental pressures now.
When one thing gets out of line, everything else is affected.
I have noticed less pollinators period, wasps, bee flies, bees. Everything has been drastically reduced.
When we first became washed over with fire ants, we lost our frogs. We are seeing fewer fire ants now and more frogs. I assume it just takes a while before the pendulum swings back to center.

 

[subhanalah]

Also, there are mites, beetles and wax moths that are aggressively attacking the hives.
As the Dadant man told us, it was easier on the bees twenty years ago. They have more environmental pressures now.
When one thing gets out of line, everything else is affected.
I have noticed less pollinators period, wasps, bee flies, bees. Everything has been drastically reduced.
When we first became washed over with fire ants, we lost our frogs. We are seeing fewer fire ants now and more frogs. I assume it just takes a while before the pendulum swings back to center.

I let the wasps make nests on my house.

Now, IN my car is a different story!

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Also, there are mites, beetles and wax moths that are aggressively attacking the hives.
As the Dadant man told us, it was easier on the bees twenty years ago. They have more environmental pressures now.
When one thing gets out of line, everything else is affected.
I have noticed less pollinators period, wasps, bee flies, bees. Everything has been drastically reduced.
When we first became washed over with fire ants, we lost our frogs. We are seeing fewer fire ants now and more frogs. I assume it just takes a while before the pendulum swings back to center.

Yeah, hopefully.

 

[chickisoup]

Quote: mostly German stiff neck garlic and multiple herbs for cash crop but we also do a lot of paste toms and beans for our own use and some farmer market.
BTW-picked my first beans last night so I need to go dig a few gold potatoes and pull some garlic and a couple onions.
Toss them all together in a pot with some good honey smoked bacon and................supper! YUM!!!

 

[sourland]

mostly German stiff neck garlic and multiple herbs for cash crop but we also do a lot of paste toms and beans for our own use and some farmer market.
BTW-picked my first beans last night so I need to go dig a few gold potatoes and pull some garlic and a couple onions.
Toss them all together in a pot with some good honey smoked bacon and................supper! YUM!!!