Biodynamic bee keeping is an approach which respects this integrity of the colony. Its aim is to minimise stress factors and allow bees to develop in accordance with their true nature. Bees are allowed to build natural comb, swarming is acknowledged as the only way to rejuvenate and reproduce a colony, the queen is allowed to move freely throughout the hive and sufficient honey is retained in the hive to provide for the winter. A system of bee keeping that respects a colony's natural integrity will not only reduce stress and encourage healthy bees, it will also be commercially viable.
So that means that we are trying to not only have good honey but also good and healthy bees.
There are lots of limitations and rules.
For example only natural varoa treatement (tymol and acids), feeding bees with better sugar and its own honey, building natural comb, and so on... so its lots more than just ecological beekeeping. There are lots of things, that you need to look after if you try this way.
So i have decided to go towards this way, but gradually - step by step. For example i have already half combs naturaly builded, dont cut queens wings, let swarm or create artificial swarm, using own queens, natural varoa treatement.
Next year i will increase natural honeycomb build, maybe look at Maria Thun calendar(so you can see when its best to check the bees) - and they say it helps.
So maybe with thoose steps i will have partial success and better and healthier bees. But that can take some years.
Ofcurse there is biodynamical brand called Demeter, that is very strict and well known in bigger EU contries (Germany for example) and its honey has big prices.
They check your bees, combs and other twice per year, so you can keep this brand. In Slovenia there are only 2 or 3 beekeepers that have Demeter certificate. One of contition is that you need to be ecological beekeeper for 2 years...
It's interesting but for me not useful. For example - calendar. I can do observation only when I have time after work or weekends. One important thing what I do is to prevent swarm
