# TF in the Ozarks



## herbhome (Oct 18, 2015)

I met this fellow online in the UM master beekeeping course. He is doing interesting things with hygienic lines raised in 8-frame mediums.

https://www.fitzshbarhranch.com


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## 1102009 (Jul 31, 2015)

He places his hives like I do, nice. Very professional beekeeping, it seems.



> Terry maintains an intensive, integrated pest management program to maintain a high degree of healthy beehives.


herbhome, do you know his IPM program? What does he do?


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## CLSranch (May 15, 2017)

with my swarm trapping last year I may want to give him a call. But I think (after finding a vacant house that got re swarmed into last year) I will have better luck this year. He's only 1 state away from me. H-H not the house.


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## herbhome (Oct 18, 2015)

SiWolKe said:


> He places his hives like I do, nice. Very professional beekeeping, it seems.
> 
> 
> 
> herbhome, do you know his IPM program? What does he do?


I don't know if he uses Screened Bottom boards, I do know he does periodical alcohol washes to determine mite loads and treats as necessary. When I asked recently he said his pol-line bees hadn't required any treatments.


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## Buzz-kill (Aug 23, 2017)

herbhome said:


> I don't know if he uses Screened Bottom boards, I do know he does periodical alcohol washes to determine mite loads and treats as necessary. When I asked recently he said his pol-line bees hadn't required any treatments.


So why title your topic tf in the ozarks if he treats?


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## herbhome (Oct 18, 2015)

Buzz-kill said:


> So why title your topic tf in the ozarks if he treats?



That's easy, he doesn't treat. I just said it in the quote you posted.


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## CLSranch (May 15, 2017)

herbhome said:


> I don't know if he uses Screened Bottom boards, I do know he does periodical alcohol washes to determine mite loads and treats as necessary. When I asked recently he said his pol-line bees hadn't required any treatments.


 It also says treats as necessary.


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## herbhome (Oct 18, 2015)

It was not my intent to be misleading. If I knew how to do it, I would edit the topic to say "working toward TF in the Ozarks"

I have been an adherent of IPM for 35 years for livestock, orchard and produce crops. The statement "I use IPM" implies "treat as necessary". I am new to honey bees and I realize many are almost religious about treatments, ascribing to a "live and let die" method. This fellow, as I understand, requeens with queens from treatment-free colonies when the mite counts indicate problems. the majority of his hives are in this category. I thought it would be of interest to this forum but if it should be moved elsewhere, could a mod please do this for me?


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## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

herbhome said:


> This fellow, as I understand, requeens with queens from treatment-free colonies when the mite counts indicate problems. the majority of his hives are in this category. I thought it would be of interest to this forum but if it should be moved elsewhere, could a mod please do this for me?


if that's the approach then it's definitely of interest to this forum. 

all that i could find on the website you linked in the op is:

"Terry maintains an intensive, integrated pest management program to maintain a high degree of healthy beehives. All hives are inspected regularly and records are meticulously kept on each hive."

please consider inviting your friend to join the conversation here if he is so inclined.


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## herbhome (Oct 18, 2015)

Thanks Squarepeg,

I will do so.


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## CLSranch (May 15, 2017)

I guess it also depend's on your definition of treatment.
In Bee's I think apiva?r... some kind of chemical. Re queening no. Bottom Boards to count no, etc...

Sorry to imply, but A LOT (that I've seen) think TF means not very many chemicals like my McDouble without onions just doesn't have very many Or 2 out of three don't have any. I didn't say not very many. I asked politely NO ONIONS not, oh not very many.

Also the word treat could mean chemicals or re queen. Just usually implied as treat with chemicals.


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## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

we recognize there is no universally accepted definition of 'treatment free' but for the sake of facilitating meaningful discussion 'unique forum rules' have been established:

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?253066-Unique-Forum-Rules

a few excerpts:

"The Treatment-Free Beekeeping Forum is not a standard or a certification program or a benchmark. It is a forum with the stated purpose of discussing how to keep bees by letting them cope with disease on their own."

"Treatment: A substance introduced by the beekeeper into the hive with the intent of killing, repelling, or inhibiting a pest or disease afflicting the bees."

"Treatments do not include items considered to be manipulations or equipment including but not limited to the following:" (click on the link if you are interested)

"Any post advocating the use of treatments, according to the forum definition of treatment will be considered off topic and shall be moved to another forum or deleted by a moderator, *unless it is employed as part of a plan in becoming treatment free.* Discussions of the definition of "Treatment-Free" will be deleted." (bold and italics mine)

tending to be somewhat of a square peg 'rules' and i usually don't agree very well. as moderator of this subforum i'm not looking for opportunities to play 'gotcha' with respect to violating the rules. on the other hand we don't want to see potentially informative threads devolving into spitting contests.

camden county missouri is located in a part of the country where we have had others reporting success keeping bees off treatments. my hope is that herbhome's new friend will accept his invitation and share his experience here with us.


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