The Rural Voice, 2003-04, Page 6PRICE, SERVICE
& SATISFACTION
2000 DODGE CARAVAN SPORT
Quad seats, moulded boards,
keyless, remote start, alloy
wheels, local trade.
517.900
2001 DODGE DURANGO SLT
Loaded, loaded!, V8, auto, 4x4,
heated leather, rear heat & A.C.,
moulded boards, CD & cass
overhead console.
$33,900
1998 DODGE RAM 2500
Quad cab sport, diesel, auto,
chrome wheels, keyless,
power seat, tonneau cover,
134,000 kms.
$25,900
2001 RAM QUAD CAB 4X4
V8, auto, SLT model, alloy
wheels, running boards, box
liner, sold by us new, low,
low kms.
$27,900
HANOVER CHRYSLER
DODGE JEEP
664 -10th St.,
Hanover
1-866-788-8886
Phone: (519) 364-3570
9
(IIRYSLLR
Dodge
Jeep
2 THE RURAL VOICE
Feedback
Bee breeding more
complicated
than it appears
I have read several letters about
the bee industry in The Rural Voice
and other papers. The Ontario
Beekeepers Association in
conjunction with researchers,
support a bee breeding program
which is being used as a model for
Mexico, South America and the
USDA. These programs are open to
all.
Before I go any further I would
like to give a brief example of what I
saw and learned as a 4-H member
growing up in Saskatchewan. There
are three examples to look at:
1) a farmer who continually used his
own stock and would inbreed —
result, they looked worse than a
Texas longhorn.
2) farmer No. 2 would try to always
improve by listening to what was
happening with other breeds and
wanted a better beef cow. He would
keep crossing other breeds rumoured
to have good qualities and although
they were better than No. 1 they still
were poor profit makers.
3) farmer No. 3 stuck to a purebreed
beef animal and raised prize-winning
stock. The last year I was in 4-H his
steer was grand champion for the
province. His method: weigh, test
then breed from the best. His bulls
and cows were sold across Canada.
I knew all three men personally
and grew up with their children.
Beekeeping and raising excellent
stocks of bees is no different. There
are over 20 bee breeders in
association with the OBA. We have
our bees tested and put on trials to
4•
prove their quality before they are
used. There has probably been over
$1 million in time and effort put into
this program by OMAF along with
volunteer work by its members. This
is a co-operative effort that has been
very successful for the industry in
Ontario and North America.
Is there more room for bees for
pollination in Ontario? Yes, but if
you go into it as a business, sideline
or a hobby there are some realities
that you should know. The good
management practices you have will
affect your neighbouring beekeeper,
and conversely if you have bad
beekeeping practices you will affect
them negatively through genetics
and diseases transferred. These
characteristics will reach out 10 km.
to affect your neighbouring
beekeepers. Apiculture is like any
other industry including the farm
sector — we have to make a profit or
we are out. As a responsible industry
we have learned as much in the last
15 years as we had from Langstoth
and the moveable frame hive in the
1800s to 1988. Yes we can multiply
our hives but what happens when we
find there is no sale for this
multiplication.
We in Canada have some
excellent breeders across the country
now. We can no longer let the bees
randomly mate as was the case when
I started. Bees are now a
domesticated animal, they cannot
survive on their own. We do not
need breeders who do not understand
what is going on raising bees that
pollute their neighbour's stock. Bees
will fly several kilometres to mate so
what each one does affects his
neighbour. Bee considerate of your
neighbour. -.
A wise man once told me "If they
are giving it away, it is probably an
indication of its worth".
More information and links can
be found on the OBA web page
http://www.ontariobee
— Bill Ferguson
Member of the OBA bee breeders
Ferguson Apiaries
Hensall, ON NOM 1X0