2008/08/08

BESS & ALOE VERA - TWO YEARS ON THE FIELD

Dear fellow beekeeper,

After two years of involvement in the the world of beekeeping, we believe that the time has come for an assessment of the challenges that all beekeepers face.
These challenges are, in the main, as follows:

Nosemosis (Nosema Apis), Dysentery, Paralysis, Virus of Chronic Paralysis, Black bees Illness, Poisonings, Colonies Collapse Disorder (C.C.D.), Chalkbrood (Ascosphaera Apis), Sacbrood (virus SBV), American Fool Brood , European Fool Brood and of course the Varroasis.

The ALOE VERA CENTER of Greece was created for resolving the problems with which beekeepers are confronted with the use of natural products only and with absolutely easy handling of beekeeping practices.

There are now 448 Greek beekeepers, as of 31/7/2008, who have joined us and applied the solutions that we proposed to them, notwithstanding how impressive it appears, it is evidence of how well we have accomplished our aim so far.

The above Greek beekeepers are spread, geographically, all over the country, as below:
Number of beekeepers - 9 ...... Thrace ( North East Greece)
Number of beekeepers - 53 ..... Macedonia (North Greece)
Number of beekeepers - 37 ..... Epirus - Eptanisa (West Greece- Ionian Islands)
Number of beekeepers - 25 ..... Thessaly ( Central Greece)
Number of beekeepers - 132..Central Greece
Number of beekeepers - 78 ..... Peloponissos (South Greece)
Number of beekeepers - 59 ..... Aegean Islands
Number of beekeepers - 60 ..... Crete Island
Number of beekeepers - 1 .... Cyprus
TOTAL OF BEEKEEPERS COOPERATING: 448
GREECE HAS THE 2nd LARGEST NUMBER OF BEEKEEPERS IN EUROPE.
Total of registered beekeepers Greece (2006) ..... 20,111
Out of which Professional beekeepers............... 6,234
BEEKEEPERS COOPERATING WITH US....................... 448
THEREFORE 7,18% OF THE PROFESSIONAL BEEKEEPERS
OR 2,2% OF THE TOTAL BEEKEEPERS.


What we have achieved in only 2 years is as that we have assisted the majority of these 448 Greek beekeepers to:

-Convert into a profitable business, a business which for a long time has been loss-making and frustrated profession. This at a time when beekeepers in Europe and in the rest of the world are suffering and bitterly complaining about losses, disasters, diseases, collapses, disappearances of bees etc. -

-To enjoy incredible increase of a new strong "army" of healthy bees' population, throughout the year, by eliminating population losses, notwithstanding the cause.
-Eliminate the problems arising from the transportation of the apiaries and change of flora.

- Avoid the so many damaging bees' diseases, and change the philosophy, psychology and the mentality of the management of the apiaries. The moaning, the pessimism and the disappointment and the expenses have given way to the joy and the happiness of being a beekeeper.

- Finally putting money into the pocket of apiarists.

Record quantities of honey have been harvested (10-15-20 kgs/hive), at the same seasons, from the same regions, where other apiarists cannot harvest even a few kilos honey. Beekeepers who were used to harvesting honey once or maximum twice per year, are harvesting now more than three or four times per year.

However, it was not easy at all times for us.

-Some of them tried the products and had unsuccessful results from the first applications. Though were disappointed, they didn't quit and they tried again. They were highly rewarded results for their determination

- Some of them , a very few, being disappointed from the initial results abandoned the applications. It was their decision. We arranged for the money that they had paid for the products to be returned to them.

However, these successful results, under no circumstances give us the right to claim that we became "Masters¨ or "Guru" in beekeeping, at least not yet. We still have more to learn.
In all honesty what we would say is than our knowledge and experience in fighting the various bees' diseases with natural products has been tremendously broadened, though sometimes we are not in a position to offer a reasonable explanation e.g.; why varroa mites do not develop into the larvae, after treating the hives with the products...

We believe that you will find this assessment of great interest.

In our blog there are examples of our achievements.

We are in the process of enriching the blog with more and more incidents and results, though we have yet to translate everything into English.

However our blog is open to the comments of everybody who wishes to comment.
We like to be asked questions and even to be criticized.
The criticism, helps us to become better and better.

Therefore please do come, discuss and ask us questions about the problems that you are confronted with.
We will provide you with the appropriate solution..
- To inform you by e-mail or fax about the ways by which you can overcome and avoid the on-going problems.
- To learn how cooperation with us is leading beekeepers to make their colonies immune and resistant to the diseases, and how these diseases are disappearing from the apiaries .
- To learn how the beekeepers in our country have achieved the harvesting of record quantities of honey, throughout the year, whilst their colleagues are on the point of abandoning beekeeping due to losses incurred.
- Our seasonal and yearly programs for strengthening the immune systems of the bees and increase of their population, so that you always have available an "embattled and crowded army", ready to exploit every occasion and opportunity that is presented.

WHEN PREPARATION MEETS THE OPPORTUNITY = GOOD FORTUNE AND MONEY

ALL ABOVE SERVICES ARE OFFERED FREE OF ANY CHARGE AND/OR FEES TO BEEKEEPERS.

Our objective and our aim are to help in finding solutions to the problems.
We are not magicians, consequently certain failures will occur from time-to-time.
We are however here in order to confront, face and correct the situation.
We are learning and are taught by the experience of our trials and yours.

With friendly greetings
Alexandros Koutroumanides
ALOE VERA CENTRE
Athens-Greece
Phone +30.210.9823241 Mobile +30.6944.710993
e-mail: info@bees-aloevera.com