3 posts tagged “honey”
The last I heard, which was a year or more ago, imported honey had driven down the prices so much that it wasn't worth large-scale beekeepers' time to harvest and sell it. Evidently, things have changed. The Dept. of Homeland Security (!) raided a Washington state honey producer, looking for contraband.
In the U.S., where bee colonies are dying off and demand for imported honey is soaring, traders of the thick amber liquid are resorting to elaborate schemes to dodge tariffs and health safeguards in order to dump cheap honey on the market, a five-month Seattle P-I investigation has found.
This should help responsible local honey producers, many of whom already are getting a premium for their honey.
Read about it here from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Honey Laundering -- International Trade Increasingly Rife with Crime.
And don't forget the bee club's regularly scheduled meeting, January 13 (the second Tuesday of the month) at the Rotary Wildlife Center at Lake Merritt.
June 24 begins National Pollinator Week. This brand-new, um, holiday? was established last September by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to celebrate all the creatures that bring pollen and pistil together.
From the official proclamation:
WHEREAS pollinator species such as birds and insects are essential partners of farmers and ranchers in producing much of our food supply; and
WHEREAS pollination plays a vital role in the health of our national forests and grasslands, which provide forage, fish and wildlife, timber, water, mineral resources, and recreational opportunities as well as enhanced economic development opportunities for communities; and
WHEREAS pollinator species provide significant environmental benefits that are necessary for maintaining healthy, biodiverse ecosystems; and
WHEREAS the maintenance of healthy pollinator populations is critical to the continued economic well-being of agricultural producers...
I call upon the people of the United States to join me in celebrating the vital significance of pollinators to agriculture and to public lands as well as the Department’s conservation assistance to farmers and ranchers and its management of ecosystems providing valuable pollinator habitats throughout the Nation.
The USDA also is participating in the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign -- and every backyard beekeeper is doing her or his part, too.
If you don't keep bees yet, why not celebrate Pollinator week by helping out at our booth at the Alameda County Fair? If you can spend a few hours in our booth, leave a comment and we'll make it happen.
The Alameda County Beekeepers Association will make its first official appearance of the year at the Livermore Wine Country Festival on May 5 and 6.
If you’re one of our beekeepers, come on down with your honey or other hive products to sell. Make sure they’re properly labeled and priced. Set-up is 6 a.m. to 8 a.m.
If you're not -- yet -- a member, this will b a terrific introduction. In addition to wonderful, locally produced honey and other goods, we’ll have an observation hive on both days. If you want to learn about bees, find a beekeeping mentor, or simply enjoy the bees’ work, come to space #65 on First St. between McCleod & L St.
There’s more than bees and wine at The Livermore Wine Country Festival:
Premium Wines from local wineries
Two stages of live entertainment
Livermore Valley wine tasting in four locations
Lifestyle pavilion with culinary and olive oil presentations
Fine arts and crafts
Children’s area with activities and games
Location: Downtown Livermore, including 1st street.
Admission: Free Admission.
Times: Sat: 10-6, Sun: 10-5
More info: 925-373-1795
