theresnorevolution: there really aren't many "natural beekeepers" around. bees literally work their asses off to produce one teaspoon of honey (it takes 12 bees their whole like to make 1 tsp). It's kind of like the milk industry- you're taking away something that is meant for someone else. It doesn't matter if they're being treated "well", their work and food is being taken away from them allfor a human to slap some on their toast. it's not meant for us.

You bring up an important point that often arises during debates about veganism but is rarely talked about; there are 2 main reasons people choose to eat a vegan diet. One is because they believe that any sort of domination over animals is inherently wrong and that we have no right to exploit them for our own gains. This seems to be your perspective. My main reason for eating vegan is because I am morally and ethically opposed to factory farming due to its environmental impacts and horrific maltreatment of animals. I don’t personally believe there is anything wrong with having a symbiotic relationship with an animal. I fully intend to raise chickens whenever I am more permanently settled and I will eat their eggs because while yes, their eggs “aren’t meant for us” that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with consuming them. They get food, shelter, and safety, and I get delicious, fresh eggs. I see no moral issue with this.

As far as bees go, a well-kept hive will produce an average of 50 extra pounds of honey every year. By using proper practices your honeybees will easily be able to sustain themselves and keep you stocked with more honey than you could need. Given how important bees are to food security and local ecosystems I’m of the opinion that keeping a hive and consuming the excess honey is absolutely in line with vegan ethics (after all, isn’t the point of veganism to reduce the suffering of animals?). And the argument that we shouldn’t eat honey because they work their whole lives to produce so little is kind of silly. A queen bee lays over 3000 eggs per day. The average workerbee lives only one month. Everything about their existence is collective and looking at it from an individualistic perspective is misleadingly anthropomorphic.

And yes, it’s totally true that natural beekeepers are hard to find. I suggest starting at your local farmers market and asking honey-sellers about their practices (for Baltimore folks, try contacting Baltimore Honey and asking for leads). But really what we need are more backyard beekeepers who are willing to take matters into their own hands.

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