Chicago Honey Co-op Apiary Application

Application Date:

City: Chicago, IL

Please briefly tell us why you are applying to have your apiary be part of the Certified Naturally Grown (CNG) program.
We believe in using sustainable chemical free practices in our beekeeping and will soon be required to certify as a requirement for farmers markets.

Is the land on which your apiary sits currently certified (by CNG or another organization)? No

Is the land on which your apiary sits currently certified (by CNG or another organization)?

Which agency is the certifier (for example CCOF, PCO, NOFA, Demeter)? What type of certification (Organic, Biodynamic, etc.) does the land have?

Has the land on which your apiary sits ever been certified in the past? No

Who was the certifying agency (CCOF, PCO, NOFA, Demeter, etc.) and what type of certification did they provide (Organic, Biodynamic)?

When was the land certified, and why is it no longer certified?

You may use this space to specify where customers can purchase your honey (this will be displayed on your profile to help customers find you). Online web store

How many hives are in your apiary (or apiaries)? 60

For how long have you been keeping bees? How long have you been marketing your products? What has prepared you to do this successfully according to CNG standards?

Can you name one or two potential inspectors who you could ask to conduct your inspection?

Apiary Location Full Address 3740 W. Fillmore St Chicago, IL 60624

Briefly describe the landscape where this apiary is located. What surrounds the apiary? What are the nectar sources? The apiary is located on a block long former industrial property. Nectar sources are primarily white sweet clover form vacant lots and rail lines, linden flowers, wild white aster and goldenrod plus multiple sources in 2 large nearby public parks.

2nd Apiary Full Address

Other additional locations?

3rd Apiary Full Address

Any other locations?

How many total apiary locations do you have?

Do you own or manage the land on which your apiary is located?

Do you agree not to use on this land any synthetic materials that are not allowed under the CNG produce or honey programs?

Use this space to describe any land management practices you use to support the honey bee population.

Within each apiary for which you seek certification, do you manage any hives "conventionally" (using practices or substances that are not allowed under the CNG apiary standards)? No

Do your hives have any paint or chemical treatment on the interior surface of the hive? No

Do you have, or will you develop, a labeling system and schedule to ensure removal of at least 20% of brood frame per year, such that there is never brood comb present that is more than 5 years old? Yes

Describe your brood comb labeling and removal practices to date, and your plans for the coming seasons. Frames not needed by over-wintering bees are inspected and brood comb that is dark is removed from the supply of available frames. We intend to apply the recommendations of CNG beginning in late Fall/Winter of 2010/11 and continue from there.

Does your apiary contain brood comb that A) is from another beekeeper (including from purchased nuc), or B) has been exposed to Tylan, or C) has been exposed to three or more treatments of fluvalinate (Apistan, Mavrik) or amitraz (Miticur, Taktic, or Mitak)? No

Will you ensure that, through brood comb replacement or operation expansion, no more than 40% of the exposed comb will be present in the apiaries to be certified, AND that the exposed comb that remains will be marked and removed from your apiary within two years? Your apiary will have transitional status until all exposed comb is replaced.

Please indicate the month and year when you expect you will have replaced all marked brood comb (the comb that was purchased from another beekeeper, treated with Tylan, and/or exposed to three or more more treatments of fluvalinate or amitraz)?

Has any wax or comb in your apiary ever been exposed to coumaphos (CheckMite+) or fenpyroximate (Hivastan), or more than six indirect exposures of coumaphos (CheckMite+), hydramethylnon or fipronil (Max Force Gel roach bait) as closed trapping for SHBs? No

Describe how you maintain your bee population from one season to the next. Do you rely on survivor colonies, incorporate feral colonies, purchase new bees every year, or some combination of these and/or other practices? We have some survivor colonies and purchase new packages from a reputable bee breeder of mite resistant bees. We have also begun our own queen raising program and will attempt to over-winter our own nucs

Do you sometimes feed the bees when honey supers are on the hive, or within two weeks before honey super addition? No

If and when your bees require supplemental feeding, what do you feed them? Please be specific and include all ingredients. First, we feed new packages with our own honey supers. If necessary, we make up sugar syrup from cane sugar and water

Describe what measures you take to suppress the Varroa mite population in your hives. We get our stock of bees from B Weaver Apiaries. They have bred bees which are highly resistant to both varroa and tracheal mites. No mite suppression measures are needed. Should we ever discover a hive with an above (our) average varroa infestation we would treat with powdered sugar.

How do you monitor mite population levels? When and how often? We visually monitor for mites and signs of mite born viral illness such as deformed wing virus.

Before treating any hive for Varroa mites, will you monitor the Varroa mite infestation level to determine whether it exceeds the treatment threshold set by your local network? (If you run a survivor colony, and you never treat, please answer Yes). Yes

If you choose to treat colonies infested with Varroa mites, will you keep records of treatment methods, along with pre- and post-treatment monitoring results?

How do you prevent and treat American Foulbrood (AFB) and European Foulbrood (EFB)? (Even if you have not encountered these diseases before, you must have a prevention plan). We have never encountered AFB or EFB in our hives. AFB and EFB Prevention - comb rotation and use of only our own equipment, rubbing alcohol used to clean hive tools between inspections. Treatment - Apiary Law in IL requires burning of AFB infected hives. Have not needed EFB treatment.

How do you prevent and treat Nosema? (Even if you have not encountered this disease before, you must have a prevention plan). Have not prevented or treated Nosema.

What has been your experience with other diseases (such as chalkbrood, viral diseases, etc.)? How have you dealt with them? How will you deal with them if they recur? Wax moths - only a problem for us on stored wax taken away from the apiary. Extra frames with comb are stored over the Winter in an unheated shipping container and exposed to sub zero temperatures. The concrete pad our hives are on interrupts the hive beetle life cycle. No, or very few, larvae are able to pupate and reach maturity. Minor chalkbrood in a hive or two that resolved itself over the season. Should we have a serious problem with any of the mentioned diseases, we would seek non - toxic/chemical solutions.

What has been your experience with pests such as wax moths and small hive beetle? How have you dealt with them? How will you deal with them if they recur? Mice - smallest hive entrance possible and secure screened bottom boards. Skunks, Raccoons, Possums and Bears - Apiary is surrounded by a 10 foot high fence on three sides and a 20 foot high abandoned rail tack on one. We have a bigger problem with young boys than bears.

What measures do you take, if any, to protect the hives against pests such as mice, skunks, possums, raccoons, and bears?

Please describe any other practices you follow to help strengthen the bee population under your care. During Spring and Summer - monitoring queen health and brood pattern and replacing queens when necessary, equalizing hive populations when necessary. Leaving as much honey and pollen as possible in a hive over the winter. Checking food stores in the hives in early winter when the weather permits and adding more. Wrapping hives over the Winter (to begin in 2010).

Are your colonies engaged in pollination by contract? No

Are any crops on the land contracted for pollination managed with the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides during time of pollination or for the three months prior?

Do you agree to obtain a signed contract with the crop producer specifying that for the entire time the land is occupied by the bee colonies and for the three months prior, no prohibited pesticides herbicides or fungicides will be used?

Are any of your colonies moved more than three times per calendar year for purposes of pollination?

Are you a part of a local network of beekeepers using natural methods? This could be a formal network like a county beekeepers association, or it could be an informal network of beekeepers in your area with a commitment to using natural methods. Yes

If this is a formal network please indicate the name of the network below.

If this is an informal network, please indicate below the names of at least two other beekeepers who participate.

Please provide the name and contact information for at least one person in your local network who will vouch for your participation in that network.

I will only use the Certified Naturally Grown name and label on apiary products (honey, pollen, propolis) that are in fact from the CNG apiaries described in this application. Yes

I understand that CNG Apiary Certification applies to honey and sometimes pollen, but it does not apply CNG status to beeswax. Yes

I understand that I have to complete at least one Certification Inspection of another apiary in my area each year and will abide by the trading and repeat rules within the CNG Inspection Guidelines. Yes

I have reviewed the Certified Naturally Grown Apiary Standards, understand them, and will abide by them. I understand that if I have any questions I may contact CNG for clarification. Yes

You may use this space to tell us anything else you think we should know about your apiary: