Letters on organic beekeeping and more... Part II

PART I

Letters on organic beekeeping and more...
PART II
Michael Thiele

Second letter - normal organic standards

Twentyfifth letter

When you look at the socalled "Bio-szene" or "Organic-szene" especially in Germany and see how subjects like honey and beekeeping are being discussed, what are the prospects for that? -- not at all very good, and this at least in two different ways: either the customer and also the beekeeper suppose good honey to be creamy or at least a socalled "bio-honey" or "organic honey" which is being produced "according international known rules for organic apiary" (1) About the real quality of honey and the way of beekeeping they don't worry so much.

A reason to get excited? No, certainly not. But you have to call it something - and this needs to be done clearly. Well, those who prefer cream honey should be clear about this honey: it is a somehow processed product. Why? The honey is, anyhow, being stired over several days and warmed up again. This honey-stiring-manner has been described by Mr. Binder-Köllhofer: "How do I get cream honey? Very simple: First of all you fill the stired honey - already stired over several days for instance with the help of a drill (the author) - in a bucket or container and let it cristalize. It becomes hard but can easily be heated again (35 to 38°C over 2 to 4 days in a special cupboard). Then stir once more (if the stir-drill can be easily moved into the honey) and fill it into jars. After this, let the air bubbles vanish and skim the foam. In the end put it in a heated room (22 to 25°C) and fill it in temperate jars" (2). Depending on how often you stir, once, several times thoroughly or very intensive, you'll get according to Mr. Binder-Köllhofer a "fine-stiff", "creamy" or "Creamy-flowing" or better "over-stired" honey. This is the one.

Later I'll discuss methods how to get good honey without manipulating it. But the other is the question of quality regarding organic honey and organic beekeeping. How must it be, the socalled bio-honey or organic honey? Let's ask Mr. Walter Lang, an expert on honey. What does he say? He says: "Allos. So must it be, the bio-honey" (3). Concealing a total emptyness is neither a thankful nor an easy business. Mr. Lang can be attested, that he didn't save any trouble. The result is, even if he gives us many details about his different kinds of honey, alarmingly superficial. Why? Later more on this.

But how must it be. The organic honey? It is "produced according international known rules for organic apiary" (4). Mr. Langs astonishing fluency in these kind of sentences changes very quickly into mere coast. But we'll have a look into his honey-booklet. You can find in his booklet a lot of reasonable and right things, often one is urged to respect it. Good for him! I thought myself again and again - only that I needed to start yawning. In an old edition of his honey-booklet (5) he started out from facts and facts of the cases and left many hollow spaces. In his new edition (6) however, he wants to start out from a central hollow space and this he wants to surround by facts and consider it from all sides. What he is telling about storage of honey is not altogether very bad: "In case honey is being stored in dark, cool and dry places, it will keep for several years according to kind, ph-factor and watercontent. The optimal temperature to store honey for a long time is 14°C" (7).

I only wouldn't recommend so many materials, for who preferably wants to store his honey in enamel, tinplate, black plate or sheet-steel?: "For storage of honey only the following materials must be used: glass, enamel, tinplate, varnished black plate or sheet-steel without rust. Not allowed is sheet-zinc because noxious zinc oxide can be the result. As well not suitable is sheet iron, because honey turns black, if it comes in contact with iron" (8). - But why do you want to be surprised about this inconsistancy? It is just the smallest of those which escaped from him. However, I promise to find out the reason for these inconsistancies (although I still don't know how?), if you listen to the following.

The faith in the idea of fulfillment of one's duty, the categorical imperative, the "seriosity" (see also letters on organic beekeeping part I) - These are his initial positions, the state as the highest form of an integrated whole of law and morality - That's what Mr. Lang is striving for, that's his aim and the central subject of his texts. If he gets the opportunity he refers to the minimum requirements of rules, especially EEC Regulation N° 2092/91; as a result of this, working closely according these minimum requirements is his most important step to improve the quality of his apiaries and his honey: "The results of the inquiry are being listed in the examination record of the quality management-handbook" (9). That's the reason why Mr. Lang would offer all his honey as "organic honey" in case he had not to deal with pressures inherent in the situation: "We try to improve the situation in principle to offer honey from certified organic apiaries" (10). In principle yes, - but? What's the matter with all the other apiaries and honey varieties? Does certification causes too many costs? He says: "The price of the honey would increase very much as a result of certification" (11) - What follows? Does his honey may get difficulties to compete with organic honey produced in Germany? Mr. Lang blows his own trumpet: "Honey of high quality is very much demanded; that's the reason why our exporters are able to sell their honey very easily. The additional "organic" lable imply almost no advantages for them" (12). However, there is the chemical analysis, thus why do I need this lable, he thinks himself: "In order to make an objective judgement about the honey and to cover the quality, we test the honey for sensorical and chemical-physical properties as well as residuals" (13).

Thus, the most important pillars of Mr. Langs system are the chemical analysis "to cover the quality" and if necessary the organic certification carried out by "BCS, the certifier of Allos" (14). This central hollow space - chemical analysis and certification according minimum requirements of the rules - he wants to surround by facts and consider it from all sides. What on earth is the matter with him? What does Mr. Lang mean by that? Is there any connection between this hollow space and beekeeping considering the character of bees? Not in the least. Nevertheless he insists on what he suppose to be important regarding honeyproduction - and this already for 25 years: It is honey production "according international known rules for organic apiaries (only use of organic remedies, natural materials, paintings without noxious compounds, hives sited in areas with almost no pollution). Annual inspection by independent certifiers" (15). What does it mean? It means that Mr. Lang is only interested in products free of residuals. The ways of beekeeping, especially if the character of bees is being considered, seems to be not so important to him. He is not concerned at all because the minimum requirements of the rules, according which he is being certified, mention this topic with no word.

Neither he was able to provoke or even stimulate the scientific world. - Regarding this matter I don't need to enter a debate on Mr. Kirsch or Mr. Grosch. I did it at other places (letters on organic beekeeping part I).

Mr. Lang, "one of the pioneers of natural food" (16) as he describes himself without getting tired, has an audience in the natural-food-szene. Here he is the darling of the public because he has withhold nothing from them and at the same time demand nothing. But how does it occur, this on a phenomenal misconception based "Allos" - fashion in German natural food stores? Is it the pseudophilosophical depth when he talks as a "specialist on honey and natural foods" (17) about the "wondergrain of the inkas" (18)?

A conjunction of keen perception with a certain limitedness, in fact even a finesse and such a surprising as well as disarming simplicity? It's not that he's conscious of it, it simply corresponds to the personality, the mentality of Mr. Lang. He wanted to make it clear straight out for his honey customers, how the world of honey basically was and how thoroughly Walter Lang was able to see through. This mentality, which naturally must get on the nerves of many people, especially his colleages, resulted in his lively and at the same time fussing morality; this striving to enlighten the people and always a little naive optimism, which incidentally didn't let itself be put off by any real developement and which obviously was approved by countless natural food customers (19). The extraordinary good success in natural food stores has reduced his selfcontrol regarding the important and unimportant in Beekeeping in a fatalful way. I consider this man to be senseless overrated.

Anyhow there is an increasing number of newcomers who are selling organic honey in the natural-food-scene: for instance Mr. Martin Evers. He only wants the best for his customers and this of course from "certified organic apiary" (20). He let us know some details:

"Martin Evers beekeeper's honey is your guarantee for real bio-honey! This means:" (21) -- Oh really? That I'd like to see!

	"The bees collect nectar in an intact surrounding - without industrial plants, motorways and without pesticides.
	During careful processing of honey no synthetic chemicals or bee remedies are being used.
	The queen's wings are not being clipped.
	The bees get enough own honey and pollen for overwintering.
	The apiary is being inspected and certified several times a year." (22).

"During careful processing of honey no synthetic chemicals or bee remedies are being used" (23). Did you ever have seen that synthetic chemical are being used during processing of honey? No single beekeeper get this idea. If this is the particular of an organic or bio-apiary, I indeed don't know what the particular of an organic apiary is!

"The queen's wings are not being clipped" (24). Correct, nevertheless he is withholding the truth: the queens are being artificially inseminated and the socalled queen rearing by grafting left its marks on the queen as well as the colony.

"The apiary is being inspected and certified several times a year" (25). I guess the inspectors are camping near the hives.

But who wants to infer the level of modern beeliterature or literature on organic beekeeping in Germany from the texts of Mr. Evers, would be thoughtless. This level is considerably higher.

Following the line of least resistance attracts successful honey sellers in a comprehensible as well as dangerous way; anyhow, Mr. Evers frowned upon it: Regarding his new attempt to sell his honey and to write advertising copies, routine can be hold against him not in the least. On the the contrary: while his other advertising copies or information texts are all too well known in the natural-food-scene, the new phraseology, with which Mr. Evers dares to take the first step on the honey market, gives more the impression of an announcement written by a very beginner, who is not being aware of his possibilities and limitations.

Briefly: Who wants to know more about beekeeping considering the character of bees as it is described in our courses and as it is claimed by leading institutes is, in respect of Mr. Lang and Mr. Evers, being knocking at the wrong door.

MT

(1) Schrot & Korn. Das Naturkostmagazin 6/2001, p. 2, Schaafheim/Germany
(2) Bindeler-Köllhofer, B., 2001: Cremiger Honig, ein Kinderspiel? ADIZ/Die Biene/Imkerfreund 6/2001, p. 14-15. Berlin/München, Germany.
(3) see note 1.
(4) Ibid.
(5) Walter Lang/Allos, 1995: Honigbroschüre. Mariendrebber, Germany.
(6) Walter Lang/Allos, 2001: Honigbroschüre. Mariendrebber, Germany.
(7) Ibid.
(8) Ibid.
(9) Ibid.
(10) Ibid.
(11) Ibid.
(12) Ibid.
(13) Ibid.
(14) Ibid.
(15) Schrot & Korn. Das Naturkostmagazin 6/1999, p. 18, Schaafheim/Germany. Regarding "independent certifiers" see also letters on organic beekeeping part II, #28ff. Bad Sooden, Germany.
(16) Schrot & Korn. Das Naturkostmagazin 7/1999, p. 16-17, Schaafheim/Germany.
(17) Ibid.
(18) Ibid.
(19) In the letters on organic beekeeping part I-III you may find from time to time a short note on those "organic moralizers". But please understand that I can't waste my time with those people. I really have better things to do than to enter a debate on who is the greater organic moralist, Mr. Lang or Mr. Evers?
(20) Schrot & Korn. Das Naturkostmagazin 10/2001, p. 55, Schaafheim/Germany.
(21) Ibid.
(22) Ibid.
(23) Ibid.
(24) Ibid.
(25) Ibid.