or not to , that is the question.
Posted on 06/29/2008 5:43:52 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
WASHINGTON -- Food prices could rise even more unless the mysterious decline in honey bees is solved, farmers and businessmen told lawmakers Thursday.
"No bees, no crops," North Carolina grower Robert D. Edwards told a House Agriculture subcommittee. Edwards said he had to cut his cucumber acreage in half because of the lack of bees available to rent.
About three-quarters of flowering plants rely on birds, bees and other pollinators to help them reproduce. Bee pollination is responsible for $15 billion annually in crop value.
In 2006, beekeepers began reporting losing 30 percent to 90 percent of their hives. This phenomenon has become known as Colony Collapse Disorder. Scientists do not know how many bees have died; beekeepers have lost 36 percent of their managed colonies this year. It was 31 percent for 2007, said Edward B. Knipling, administrator of the Agriculture Department's Agricultural Research Service.
"If there are no bees, there is no way for our nation's farmers to continue to grow the high quality, nutritious foods our country relies on," said Democratic Rep. Dennis Cardoza of California, chairman of the horticulture and organic agriculture panel. "This is a crisis we cannot afford to ignore."
Food prices have gone up 83 percent in three years, according to the World Bank.
Edward R. Flanagan, who raises blueberries in Milbridge, Maine, said he could be forced to increase prices tenfold or go out of business without the beekeeping industry. "Every one of those berries owes its existence to the crazy, neurotic dancing of a honey bee from flower to flower," he said.
The cause behind the disorder remains unknown. Possible explanations include pesticides; a new parasite or pathogen; and the combination of immune-suppressing stresses such as poor nutrition, limited or contaminated water supplies and the need to move bees long distances for pollination.
Ice cream maker Haagen-Dazs and natural personal care products company Burt's Bees have pledged money for research and begun efforts to help save the bees.
The problem affects about 40 percent of Haagen-Dazs' 73 flavors, including banana split and chocolate peanut butter, because ingredients such as almonds, cherries and strawberries rely on honey bees for pollination.
Katty Pien, brand director for Haagen-Dazs, said those ingredients could become too scarce or expensive if bees keep dying. It could force the company to discontinue some of its most popular flavors, Pien said.
Haagen-Dazs has developed a new limited-time flavor, vanilla honey bee, and will use some of the proceeds for research on the disorder. Burt's Bees has introduced Colony Collapse Disorder Lip Balm to "soften your lips while saving honeybees."
The House Appropriations Committee approved $780,000 on Thursday for research on the disorder and $10 million for bee research. The money awaits approval by the full House and Senate.
LOL! OK. That recipe has to be shared again!
Queen of Sheba Chocolate Cake
4 oz (4 squares, semi-sweet chocolate
2 Tbs rum or coffee
1/4 lb butter at room temperature
2/3 cup plus 1 Tbs sugar
3 egg, separated
1/3 cup finely ground almonds
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup cake flour, measured then sifted
*I also add a 1/2 cup of dried currants that have been soaked in rum or brandy to plump them up again; personal preference. You could also use dried cranberries if you don’t have currants available.
For the icing:
2 oz (2 squares) semi-sweet chocolate
2 Tbs rum or coffee
6 Tbs butter at room temperature
Melt the chocolate and rum or coffee in a pot set over simmering water, stirring to combine. Cream the butter and 2/3 cup (160 ml) sugar together until pale yellow and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks.
In a separate bowl beat the egg whites and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) sugar until stiff. Combine the chocolate mixture, butter mixture, ground almonds, almond extract, and blend thoroughly. Fold 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, followed by 1/4 of the sifted flour. Repeat until all the egg whites and flour have been incorporated.
Pour the batter into a greased and floured 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan, pushing the batter to the edges of the pan with a spatula.
Bake in the center of a preheated 350F (180C) oven for about 25 minutes. When done, the cake will have puffed up, the outer edges of the cake should be firm, and the center should move slightly when the pan is shaken. A toothpick inserted in the outer portion should come out clean, and slightly oily when inserted in the center. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run the blade of a knife around the inside of the pan and invert the cake onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before icing.
To prepare the icing, melt the chocolate and rum or coffee in a pot set over simmering water, stirring to combine. Remove from the heat and beat in the butter 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time. Place the pot in a large bowl filled with ice water and continue beating until the mixture has cooled to spreading consistency. Spread the icing over the cake with a knife or spatula and decorate with whole almonds.
Makes 1 cake to serve 6 to 8, or ONE if you’re baking it for my Husband as a Birthday Cake, LOL!
Check this out! This is the type of little shop I’m going to have one day! I’ve been working on pulling together a “Chocolate Garden” display at work. One day it will come to fruition! :)
http://www.chocolateflowerfarm.com/
My cukes are always alive with bees early in the morning and again late in the day. This year I have noticed many a wasp in my broccoli, brussel sprouts and butter beans.
Good luck w/your master plan, and thks for that recipe again!
visiting my garden area are Bumble Bees.
The Bumble Bee is a better worker then the Honey Bee. He covers twice as much territory because he is faster.
bookmark
Honeypuns?
&&&
Bee-have. Don’t wax poetic and give me the hives.
or not to , that is the question.
[’Civ straightens his tie]
Three words: Ed “Kookie” Byrnes.
Ed “Kookie” Byrnes.
***
OMW! You must be as old as I am! Do you remember the song, “Kookie, Kookie, lend me your comb!”?
That said, the reason for your reference to said character went right over my head here.
...lend me your...
I must know the connection between “honeypuns” and Ed “Kookie” Byrnes. Tell me!!
well, I guess my plot to buy some time through obscurity worked...
...the comb...
No, your obscurity worked because I did not have my head in the game! Aaaahhhh! You got me good!
This isn't new. I used to eat it back in the 80s, only it was called honey vanilla. They discontinued it until now. I recently devoured a pint of it. It's awesome!
I went with a local brand (Schoepp’s) that was on sale, today. I bought French Vanilla (boring, but I like it) and Badger Tracks for Husband which has everything in it but the kitchen sink, LOL!
I will eat an entire pint of Haggen-Daz coffee ice cream at one sitting, though.
Maybe they can do a fund raiser for Juan Valdez’ mule in the future and I could justify that purchase? LOL!
Thanks for the ping, linked it.
HELLO JDB, you’re been missed. Good to see you.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.