Comments for sursumcorda.salemsattic.com/post/fruitless-fall

Comment #2135

2011-04-10T10:40:39Z

Too true. Not that antibiotics and some chemicals don't have their proper places—but the GM crops really scare me. Not in principle, but because they spread easily to neighboring farms, and most of all because farmers who don't even want them are being sued if "volunteers" are found in their fields.

Comment #2134

2011-04-08T22:05:27Z

Reading "Fruitless Fall" now (while watching Nova's wonderful program "Tales From the Hive". It is a very accessible book and terrifying as well. One comment though on your friends at Winterpark Honey. The problem is that despite what they do at their apiary, they can't control what a neighbor three miles does on their flowers or to their apple tree. Until everyone forgoes chemicals, genetically modified seeds, and antibiotics, we can't be completely sure what is in anyone's honey. (Unless you are lucky enough to be WAY the heck out in the country.)

Comment #2133

2010-10-05T00:31:51Z

I have not watched it yet, but I noticed that the PBS show, Nature, has an episode called "Silence of the Bees". The complete episode is on their website for viewing. S

Comment #2132

2010-10-01T12:24:48Z

Liz, it is truly a must-read. For one thing, there's a lot more to it than what I quoted; the sections on the history of beekeeping and how the hive works are worth the the cost of the book (i.e. purchase price plus reading time) in themselves. You will also know that by keeping bees yourself you become part of the solution. Those of us less adventuresome can grow flowers—the author includes a long list of particularly beneficial ones.

Janet, from what I understand, Europe is better in this also; at least the EU has higher honey standards. But I'd still be vigilant, it's not always the case. It's spotty; I think we do better at showing where unprocessed foods come from, and I know our vaccine standards are higher, at least in some ways—I remember a fuss last year about "effectiveness enhancers" used in Europe but not approved here.

DSTB, I agree about systems being broken, and a lot of it has to do with complication and lack of transparency, whether agricultural, financial, or political. But the main reasons I agree with your comment about the current members of Congress are (1) their larger number, and the size and complexity of their constituents, and (2) I think, overall, they're not as intelligent and well-educated a group, at least when it comes to rhetoric, discourse, and logic. But as I understand it, our Founding Fathers were an ornery lot, too. Maybe more ethical, although that's not clear. Good ol' Ben Franklin, who deserves a whole lot of credit for getting this country started, makes Bill Clinton look chaste.

Comment #2131

2010-10-01T11:33:05Z

wow. must read this book. thanks for passing along the info....

Comment #2130

2010-10-01T06:14:12Z

I'm tempting to think it's not my problem since usually you say Europe is doing better. I wonder if that's really true, but if it is, it makes me feel better for paying much higher prices for my food that I would in the US.

Comment #2129

2010-10-01T02:28:10Z

I agree that it was far more disturbing than Omnivore and Food Inc. The Chinese honey is truly frightening. There was a section where he talks about the various modern systems being broken - the farms, the bees. It extends to the stock market, which was supposed to be a transparent way for people to invest in companies they believed in but has become the playground of the insiders. I think the political system seems broken as well - it would be hard to imagine the current members of congress being able to sit down together and draft the constitution.

Comment #2128

2010-09-30T23:59:24Z

I'm glad you got a chance to read it. I ended up buying another copy for myself to read again at some point. S