Please briefly tell us why you are applying to have your apiary be part of the Certified Naturally Grown program.

I am planning to start selling honey at local community events.

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

no

Has the land on which your apiary sits ever been Certified in the past?

no

How did you hear about Certified Naturally Grown?

I am working with Long Beach Local and Farm Lot 59. They are planning on being CNG. I will be establishing a CNG bee yard there once they are certified.

Please check all markets where you sell your honey.

Farmer's Market Farm Stand Local Resaurants CSA's Coops Health Food Stores Groceries Wholesalers LocalHarvest.com Word of Mouth Other (please specify below)

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).

Community events, earth-day events.

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

2

Before continuing, please take a moment to review the 5 steps to Apiary Certification. (You may do this by clicking the link below.) Are they clear?

yes

Some beekeepers seek certification for more than one apiary. Please provide the location (or locations) of the apiary (or apiaries) for which you seek certification.

My home address. 2659 Chestnut Avenue Long beach, CA 90806

Briefly describe the landscape where the apiary is located. What surrounds the apiary? What are the nectar sources?

Back yard has raised vegetable beds. A coy pond. Avocado, Citrus and stone fruit trees. It is a residential neighborhood with lots of vegetation in neighboring yards. I also have a bee yard at a local teaching farm less than a mile from my home.

Do you own or manage the land on which your apiary is located? (If at least one of your apiaries is on land you own or manage, answer yes.)

yes

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

I do natural beekeeping and use absolutely no chemicals on my bees or in my yard.

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

I do natural beekeeping and use absolutely no chemicals on my bees or in my yard.

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

Are all hives in the apiary at least 6 inches off the ground?

yes

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

Please breifly describe your comb removal practices to date, and your plans for the coming seasons.

My hives are less than 5 years old. I do pull and gut frames from the brood area when I rotate boxes in the spring.

Does your hive 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

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 baite) 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?

My bees are local survivor Ferrel colonies taken from swarms and cutouts.

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.

2 years ago I used a 1:1 sugar solution for a newly hived swarm.

Varroa Mite

Please briefly describe what measures you take to suppress the Varroa mite population in your hives.

I use screened bottom boards. 3 years ago I tried a light dusting of powdered sugar. I have not done anything since. There is little or no current sign of varroa.

How do you monitor mite population levels? When and how often?

I observe the bees when I do my hive inspections.

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?

yes

American and European Foulbrood

How do you prevent and treat American Foulbrood (AFB) and European Foulbrood (EFB)?

I don't.

Nosema

How do you prevent and treat Nosema?

I don't.

Other Diseases

What has been your experience with other diseases (such as chalkbrood, viral diseases, wax moths, small hive beetle)? How have you dealt with them? How will you deal with them if they recur?

wax moth is an occasional problem with a week colony. I usual reduce the size of the hive and the entrances to a size the bees can defend.

Pests

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

My dog does an excellent job of keeping out pests.

Please describe any other practices you follow to help strengthen the bee population under your care.

I try to prevent swarming by providing sufficient space as the hive grows. My hive stands legs sit in cans of oil to keep the ants out.

Are your colonies engaged in pollination by contract?

no

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 it is not a formal network, please simply write "informal".)

Backwards Beekeepers (not sure if its formal or not). Also Organic Beekeepers, Long Beach Local Beekeepers.

If this is an informal network, please indicate below the names of at least two other beekeepers who participate. They do not need to be CNG beekeepers, but they do need to have some commitment to and knowledge of natural practices. (If you're part of a formal network, please simply write "see above")

Roberta Kato Barbara Sinclair dick Barnes

Please indicate your agreement with the following statements by entering your name/s in the spaces following the statements.

I/we 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.

Henry Kurland

I/we understand that CNG beeswax certification is a separate process (not yet available in 2010), and that the basic Apiary Certification doesn't confer CNG status on beeswax.

Henry Kurland

I/we understand the CNG work requirements: A) To complete at least one certification inspection of another CNG apiary in my area each year. B) To arrange at least two annual inspections of my/our apiary, to be carried out by qualified inspectors as outlined in CNG informational materials.

Henry Kurland

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

Henry Kurland

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

I had been using Bee-Go when doing trap-outs, but never in my apiary. I will now transition to Fischer's Bee Quick for my trap-out.