Editor’s Note: This testimony was sent to us for publication and was concurrently submitted via email to the clerk for the Environment Committee as official testimony in support of HB 5117.
In Support of HB 5117, An Act Concerning Genetically-Engineered Foods
Submitted to the Connecticut General Assembly Environment Committee
By: Marina Marchese on behalf of Red Bee Honey, Weston, CT
February 20, 2012
To Senator Meyer, Representative Roy, and Members of the Environment Committee:
My name is Marina Marchese. I am the President of Red Bee Honey, and have been a beekeeper for twelve years. Thank you for the opportunity to testify in support of HB 5117.
As the Environment Committee considers HB 5117 and the right of Connecticut residents to know the contents of the foods they purchase and consume, Red Bee Honey encourages the Committee to examine the treatment of genetically modified agricultural products in the European Union, particularly as it relates to honey and honey-based products. In the European Union, the pollen found in honey is considered an agricultural ingredient requiring GMO labeling.[1] As a purveyor of single floral source honeys, Red Bee Honey supports labeling and regulation of GMO food products in order to prevent contamination of honey and honey-based products.
Honeybees will travel within a radius of about four miles to gather nectar from various floral sources needed to produce honey. If a beekeeper places hives near fields containing GMO products, traces of those products may contaminate the honey, resulting in a product anathema to what consumers want and expect. Recently the European Court of Justice, Europe’s highest court, held that honey containing traces of genetically modified material is a food produced from modified plants. As a result, beekeepers have a basis for a claim for damages against a farmer if genetically modified pollen enters their honey and results in pecuniary losses.[2]
Domestically, consumers have the same right to know whether their food contains traces of GMO products. The “zero-tolerance” policy for traces of GMO products exhibited by the European Court of Justice provides a model for legislation in the United States. As the possible health risks of GMO product consumption are still widely unknown, Red Bee Honey supports HB 5117. The proposed legislation will elucidate the contents of food products and empower consumers to decide their food choices for themselves, fully informed of the contents of those food products.
Sincerely,
Marina Marchese
[1] Press Release No 79/11, Court of Justice of the European Union, Luxembourg, 6 September 2011, Judgment in Case C-442/09, Karl Heinz Bablok and Others v. Freistaat Bayern
[2] Bablok et al. v. Bayern, European Court of Justice, Case C-442/09 (2011).
The Farm Apprentice program at Wakeman Town Farm is designed to teach the ins and outs of organic farming and gardening to middle schoolers through hands-on instruction from seed to harvest. During the Spring Session, students will be challenged to plan, design, prepare, and plant the Wakeman Town Farm gardens. Some of the activities that students will participate in alongside instructor Michael Aitkenhead include garden planning, seed starting and planting, and garden preparation and maintenance. Aitkenhead, a Staples HS Environmental Teacher and 2009 Westport Teacher of the Year, oversees the Farm where he lives with his wife and children. Students will also help to care for farm animals (chickens, rabbits and honeybees) while also learning about sustainable farm practices like composting and renewable energies.
Wakeman Town Farm's edible gardens in season.
This is a unique opportunity for students to learn about science and nature in ‘nature’s classroom’ instead of the typical school environment. This program is perfect for students who like to get their hands dirty while learning about the environment. It is also a great opportunity for students to practice problem solving skills and critical thinking in preparation for their high school experience ahead.
*To extend the experience, students are encouraged to register for the farm apprentice summer session, which runs through July and August, or the fall session, which starts in September. For more information about this and other Wakeman Town Farm programs, visit them online at www.wakemantownfarm.org
Fee: Standard Charge $175
When: Most Thursdays from February through June, 2012.
CT NOFA’s Winter Conference Welcomes Families, Farmers and Foodies
March 3, 2012
8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Manchester Community College
Manchester, CT
Jeffrey M. Smith is the founder and Executive Director of the Institute for Responsible Technology, the orgnaization behind the Campaign for Better Eating in America.
The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut (CT NOFA) announces its 30th Annual Winter Conference, an important day or learning and sharing for farmers, gardeners, locavores, homesteaders and anyone interested in sustainable living. The conference features workshops (listed in detail below), internationally-celebrated speakers, and the largest local-sustainable food potluck lunch you’ve ever seen. (Yes, attendees are expected to bring a dish to share. No stress; we’ll be posting recipes.)
The 2012 Winter Conference’s keynote speaker is Jeffrey Smith, noted author and speaker on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the leading consumer advocate promoting healthier, non-GMO choices. He is the author of Seeds of Deception and Genetic Roulette, and will share insights on the real threats that GMOs pose to local food production as well as to consumers’ health. A second workshop on GMOs will be hosted by Daniel Ravicher, legal counsel representing CT NOFA and 80 other plaintiffs against Monsanto to legally protect small farms and farmers.
In this video Jeffrey Smith succinctly (2 minutes!) explains why corporate science is wrong when they say GMOs are safe.
If you’re in the mood to be entertained while learning more about GMOs, Rob Herring’s rap video is excellent!
All workshops are taught by Connecticut professionals bringing expertise from the farm, kitchen, government, or non-profit organization dedicated to sustainable living. Learn to grow fruit, garlic, honey, nuts, and mushrooms. Classes on pollination, nitrogen management and soil microbiology are among those that will provide more technical instruction. Sustainable home-life classes include seminars on root cellars, food storage, cooking, household products as well as well as how to make healthy choices in cosmetics. For activists and community organizers, the conference offers workshops in climate change, starting food co-ops, and establishing winter farmers’ markets.
The Winter Conference is a celebration of local foods and farms. In keeping with this theme, attendees are asked to bring a favorite food dish for the potluck feast. Local, organic vendors including Sweet Sage Bakery of Madison, CT and Bean & Leaf of New London, will be selling delicious, sustainable treats. Children are welcome to spend time in the Family Play ‘n’ Chill room.
The CT NOFA 30th Annual Winter Conference will be held at Manchester Community College, on Great Path Rd in Manchester, CT, on March 3 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Registration is $50 for NOFA members, $60 for non-members ($35 for students or seniors). This is a bargain considering the value your receive- a keynote address plus multiple workshops that would easily cost $25 each elsewhere. There is a $5 discount for early registration (before February 18th) and an additional $10 discount for those interested in volunteering. For more information and registration online, visit http://ctnofa.org/events/CAOC/2012/2012_Winter_Conference.html, or call the office at 203-888-5146.
WORKSHOPS
Organic Seed vs. Monsanto: The Lawsuit Challenging Patents on Seed – Attorney Daniel Ravicher, NYC
Certified Organic Nutrient Dense Small Fruit – Julie Rawson & Jack Kitteredge, Many Hands Organic Farm, MA
Wild Bees and Pollination – Dr. Kim Stoner of CT Ag Experiment Station
Food as Medicine – Dr. Leigh White, Natural Family Health, LLC
Transition Movement Workshops:
First: Transition Success Stories – Tina Clarke & Terry Halwes
Second: Permaculture and Transition – Cynthia Rabinowitz & Joan Spear
Third: Transition: Lighting the Fire for Action – Coleen Spurlock
Lead in Soils – Concerns and Corrections – Dawn Pettinelli, UConn Soil Nutrient Analysis Laboratory
Edible School Gardens – Dan Levinson, Green Village Initiative (GVI)
and more to come…
VENDORS & EXHIBITORS
Interested in being a vendor or promoting your organization at our event? Last year’s conference attracted over 400 passionate organic-minded individuals, and at least the same number are expected this year. Email CT NOFA for details, print and mail this form, or call 203-888-5146.
Music, storytime, children’s workshop, hanging out. CT NOFA provide pillows, books, and comfy places for kids to just shlump down and read!
POTLUCK
Chef John Turenne of Sustainable Food Systems and an impressive staff of kitchen volunteers will once again be on hand to pull it all together, making sure hot dishes are hot and salads are dressed.
Please bring a dish to share with everyone—it need not be local food or even organic—do what you can. Email info@fairfieldgreenfoodguide.com if you need help with a recipe or ingredients or just have a questions. Thanks! Put a label on the bottom of the container and claim it at the end of the conference. Please bring a plate and utensils as this event is committed to avoiding waste.
RAFFLE
CT NOFA is accepting raffle donations. Gently used treasures, duplicate garden tools, gift baskets, unused gift certificates or gift certificates for your business (=great advertizing!) are all welcome. CT NOFA Board member Janet Heller will be coordinating this year. Call the office at 203-888-5146 or email.
For two days only you will receive a free signed paperback copy of her book, HONEYBEE Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper, when you order a Honey Tasting Party in a Box four jar set for $50. That’s a $64.95 value!
Calling all local honey lovers and holiday shoppers looking for a unique gift for someone special. We have a sweet deal for you! Marina Marchese, author and founder of Red Bee Honey in Weston, is generously offering a bonus gift package exclusively to Fairfield Green Food Guide readers through midnight December 11. For two days only you will receive a free signed paperback copy of her book,HONEYBEE Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper, when you order a Honey Tasting Party in a Box four jar set for $50. That’s a $64.95 value! Perfect for honey lovers, wine lovers and adventurous eaters, this tasting kit created by Honey Sommelier Marina Marchese includes everything a party of 10 needs to taste, evaluate, and savor four different single nectar source honeys. There’s even a special chapter on honey tasting in the book that’s perfect to read aloud before the tasting adventure begins.
Carol Herman, the Books Editor at The Washington Times, named Marchese’s Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeperone of the “Books We Loved” in 2009. It’s now in its second printing in paperback and retails for $14.95.
Red Bee Honey is listed in the most recent edition of Patricia Brook’s “Food Lovers’ Guide to Connecticut”, a best of the best foodie guide to Connecticut. James Beard Award-winning author Rowan Jacobsen calls Marina “The Red Queen” and dedicates one chapter of his new book American Terroir to tasting honey with Marina at Red Bee Apiary.
How to Order:
Online Orders:
Orders must be placed by midnight on December 11 at http://www.redbeehoney.com/. When ordering online, please choose item # RG00HT2 + Honey Tasting Party in a Box 1 which includes four, 4-ounce jars of Red Bee Honey’s Limited Harvest Honey and 10 Honey Tasting Score cards for $50.00. You will receive a FREE signed copy of HONEYBEE Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper when you type “Fairfield Green Food Guide” in the Special Instructions and Comments box at checkout. You may also specify the gift recipient’s name in this box so the book can be signed for her/him. Since this offer is exclusive to our readers, you will not see this special offer mentioned on the website.
Holiday Boutique Orders:
On December 11, Red Bee Honey is holding its annual holiday boutique and open house from 11 am until 6 pm. You may take advantage of this offer in person at the boutique. Just mention that you are a Fairfield Green Food Guide reader and would like to purchase this exclusive bonus gift package.
Last year’s event was a roaring success and more guests are expected this year due to growing concerns about counterfeit and tainted honey imported from India and China. News outlets around the country last month published articles citing studies which provided incontrovertible evidence that many retail products labeled “honey” contained no pollen and were therefore not real honey according to the USDA’s definition. Consumers in the know are turning to local beekeepers as a trusted source for real honey.
To learn more about Red Bee Honey, visit the web site and read Lessons from a Local Beekeeper on this site.Marina’s transition from art director to beekeeper and Honey Sommelier is also told via a beautifully produced Yahoo Second Act video.
This is not a paid advertisement and Fairfield Green Food Guide receives no benefit from sales, other than happy readers!
Local honey lovers and those on the road to good taste and new discoveries won’t want to miss Red Bee Honey’s annual holiday open house on December 11 from 11 am to 6 pm. Last year’s event was a roaring success and more guests are expected this year due to growing concerns about counterfeit and tainted honey imported from India and China. News outlets around the country last month published articles citing studies which provided incontrovertible evidence that many retail products labeled “honey” contained no pollen and were therefore not real honey according to the USDA’s definition. Consumers in the know are turning to local beekeepers as a trusted source for real honey.
If you’ve never tasted single nectar source honeys side-by-side to compare and contrast them, this is your chance to do so with Red Bee Honey’s founder, beekeeper, and Honey Sommelier Marina Marchese. Once you’ve picked your favorite flavors, choose from a wide assortment of beautifully packaged individual bottles of honey or boxed gift sets that include lavender lip balm and beeswax candles. Or create your own gift boxes at any price point. Relax by the fireplace and enjoy the live music as your gifts are boxed up, wrapped and tied with ribbon- compliments of the house.
Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper is Marina Marchese’s captivating story of how she came to be a beekeeper and expert on honey.
For the readers on your list, pick up a signed copy of Marina’s book “Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper”, now also available in paperback. Carol Herman, the Books Editor at The Washington Times, named Marchese’s Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper one of the “Books We Loved” in 2009.
Red Bee Honey is listed in the most recent edition of Patricia Brook’s “Food Lovers’ Guide to Connecticut”, a best of the best foodie guide to Connecticut. James Beard Award-winning author Rowan Jacobsen calls Marina “The Red Queen” and dedicates one chapter of his new book American Terroir to tasting honey with Marina at Red Bee Apiary.
To learn more about Red Bee Honey, visit the web site and read Lessons from a Local Beekeeper on this site. Marina’s transition from art director to beekeeper and Honey Sommelier is also told via a beautifully produced Yahoo Second Act video.
Marina Marchese, Honey Sommelier, author and founder of Red Bee Honey, will be a special guest at the Weston Grange winter farmers' market on Saturday, Dec. 3.
Honey Sommelier and Author Marina Marchese of Red Bee Apiary will be the featured guest at the Winter Farmers’ Market at Norfield Grange in Weston on December 3 from 10am to 2pm. During this event, Marina will host her Signature Artisanal Honey Tasting at “The Drizzle Table” and be signing copies of her international selling book, Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper, which will be available for purchase. Also available for purchase will be a wonderful selection of Marina’s Red Bee Artisanal Honeys, gift items, and her honey-based skin care products including lip balm, soaps, honey facial scrub, and beeswax balms.
Marina Marchese is a passionate and inspirational speaker who has dedicated her life to honeybees and educating chefs, foodies and beekeepers about the culinary delights of artisanal honey. The founder of Red Bee® Honey as well as The American Honey Tasting Society, Marina is an unparalleled connoisseur of honey from all over the world. Ms. Marchese is the current president of the Back Yard Beekeepers Association of Connecticut and enjoys sharing her personal story and journey into beekeeping with domestic and international audiences including beekeeping and gardening clubs, woman and motivational groups, libraries and general audiences.
The indoor, heated Winter Farmers’ Market at Norfield Grange kicked off its second season on November 12th and provides local residents with fresh local produce and products through the winter season. The market is open on Saturdays through April 7, 2012 from 10:00am-2:00pm (closed Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve). Each weekend nearly 20 vendors will set up shop inside the Grange during the market so visitors can enjoy shopping in a warm and comfortable environment. Guests are encouraged to bring reusable bags and their holiday shopping list to purchase local artisan foods and other specialty products, which make great gifts.
This Saturday several new vendors will join the market: Du Soleil (hot soups, tapas, and prepared gourmet food), Pasta Heaven (gourmet pasta), Stoneware by Krisa, Designs of the Season miniature boxwood trees, Laszlo Accessories (belts and headbands), and Weston High School Crafters for a Cause.
Along with the REGULARS: Gazy Brothers Farm (produce), Daffodil Hill Growers (produce + jelly, jam, syrup and more), Eaglewood Farms (meat & eggs), Butterfield Farm (Promote the Goat with cheese, milk, yogurt and more), Whistle Stop Bakery (cakes, pies, muffins & cookies), Pemaquid Seafood, Connecticutly Grown Hot Sauces, The Bites Company, Sticky Nuts, Jesse’s Kettle Corn and Nod Hill Soap, Kareen Kanaga (handmade jewelry), antique & collectible holiday gifts, hand knit infant & kids hats, handmade boxwood wreaths by Weston Girl Scout Troop, picket fence artwork, and more.
The winner of the market’s HOLIDAY TREE RAFFLE will be drawn at 2:00 pm on Dec. 3. Weston Gardens generously donated the 6-7 foot Balsam Tree. Tickets are free with a purchase from any of the market vendors or 3 for a dollar. If you didn’t win they have 440 more trees for sale down the street; stop on your way home.
HOLIDAY SEAFOOD RAFFLE – 8 Maine Lobsters! Drawing Saturday, December 17th at 2:00pm.
The Norfield Grange, located at 12 Good Hill Road in Weston, Connecticut, is a community center that hosts events for the residents of Weston. It serves as a meeting place for members of the community to socialize. It also hosts fairs and other farmer’s markets throughout the year, where local vendors sell fruits, vegetables, baked goods, art work, needlework, rugs, photographs and more. It is also home to the Grange Coffee Club, where local artists meet to share their works of art and is available for private events.
For additional information about the Winter Farmers Market visit www.wintermarket-ct.com or www.norfieldgrange.com or call 203-226-8233. For additional information about Marina Marchese and Red Bee Honey visit www.RedBee.com.
at Sport Hill Farm, 596 Sport Hill Road, Easton, CT
Sustainable Pastry Chef Robyn Eads, founder of Peace Tree Desserts, invites you to an artisanal honey tasting celebrating the single nectar source honeys of Weston-based Red Bee Honey. The three course eco-luxe tasting menu prepared by Chef Eads features Red Bee’s artisanal single-nectar source honeys and foods from local artisans and organic farms in Connecticut. Each course will be paired with wines from Connecticut wineries (selections TBA).
The afternoon will begin with a Prosecco and cheese reception featuring artisan and farmstead cheeses from Connecticut’s own Cato Corner Farm and Beltane Farm paired with Red Bee’s honeys. Patti Popp, owner of Sport Hill Farm, will lead guests on a tour of her organic farm. Guest speaker Marina Marchese, honey sommelier, author and founder of Red Bee Honey, will masterfully pair her line of artisanal honeys throughout the tasting and share the captivating story of her personal journey into beekeeping.
Chefs Eads' plated desserts are works of arts that pay tribute to the local, sustainable and artisan ingredients which make them so unique.
ARTISANAL HONEY TASTING MENU
Cheese and Honey Bar
Artisanal Cheeses from Cato Corner and Beltane Farm, Red Bee’s Single-Nectar Source Honeys, Locally Sourced Accompaniments
1st Course
Lady Apple, Grapefruit, Whipped Crème Fraiche, Bee Pollen, Mint, Ginger,
Apple Honey-Lime Vinaigrette, Honeycomb, Pomegranate
Thousands of new honeybees arrive in crates and are transferred to hives during the annual Hiving of the Bees.
Each year beekeeper Marina Marchese invites members of the public to watch as she adds new honeybee colonies to her hives. According to Marina it’s common for beekeepers in Connecticut to lose many, if not most, of their bee colonies over the harsh Northeast winter.
Beekeeper Marina Marchese explains to guests how the bees establish themselves in the wax frame, lay eggs, forage for nectar and pollen, and produce honey.
Marina’s Italian honeybees were trucked up from Georgia in small crates. She and her crew of experienced beekeepers and beekeepers in training prepare the hives for their new occupants, educate guests about honeybees and beekeeping, and finally transfer thousands of bees from the crates to the hives.
Marina Marchese is president of the Backyard Beekeeper’s Association and her book, “Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper”, was recently released in paperback after a successful publication in hardcover. Carol Herman, the Books Editor at The Washington Times, named Marchese’s HONEYBEE as one of the “Books We Loved” in 2009. Red Bee Honey is listed in the most recent edition of Patricia Brook’s “Food Lovers’ Guide to Connecticut”, a best of the best foodie guide to Connecticut. Lucky guests were treated to comb honey straight from one of the hives that not only survived the winter, but which had been so productive during the early spring that it produced over 100 pounds of honey according to Marchese.
Restaurants using Red Bee Honey include LeFarm (Westport), Scoozi (New Haven), Winvian Luxury Resort (Litchfield), Billy Grants (East Haven), and The Unquowa School (Fairfield).
Red Bee Apiary & Gardens hosts plein air honey tastings that are beautiful arranged and formally structured, much as a wine tasting would be.
Red Bee honey tastings are formal, white linen events organized and led by owner, beekeeper, and author Marina Marchese. Guest are treated to a tour of Red Bee Apiary & Gardens, a honeybee talk, and finally a formal honey tasting at farmhouse style tables en plain air. Participants are encouraged to engage their curiosity through discussions while learning about the many types and styles of unique nectar source honeys. The menu is a carefully orchestrated “Tasting Flight” of seven single-origin, local honeys perfectly paired with locally produced, seasonal accompaniments including cheese, fruit, chocolate, nuts, bread, spices or herbs.
Event: Honey Tasting Laboratory Workshop with Honey Sommelier Marina Marchese
Location: Red Bee ® Apiary and Gardens, Weston, CT MAP QUEST
When: Sunday, May 29, 2011 from 1:00 pm until 3:00 pm. This event takes place outside at Red Bee in the apiary gardens.
Cost: $35.00 per guest and includes all food and beverage, including a welcome glass of Prosecco.
Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper is a great summer read and the honeys are a culinary delight.
Marina Marchese’s book, “Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper” has just been released in paperback after a successful publication in hardcover. Carol Herman, the Books Editor at The Washington Times, named Marchese’s HONEYBEE as one of the “Books We Loved” in 2009. Red Bee Honey is listed in the most recent edition of Patricia Brook’s “Food Lovers’ Guide to Connecticut”, a best of the best foodie guide to Connecticut.
Red Bee Honeys can be purchased at: the New Canaan farmers’ market (Sat. 10-2), Fairfield’s Brick Walk farmers’ market (Sat. 9-12), Fairfield Cheese Company (Fairfield), Catch a Healthy Habit Café (Fairfield), Aux Delices (Greenwich/Darien), Plum Pure Foods (Old Greenwich), Practically Green (Ridgefield), Jones Family Winery (Shelton), Artisan Foods (Southbury), and McLaughlin Vineyard (Sandy Hook).
Restaurants using Red Bee Honey include LeFarm (Westport), Scoozi (New Haven), Winvian Luxury Resort (Litchfield), Billy Grants (East Haven), and The Unquowa School (Fairfield).
The Back Yard Beekeepers Association (BYBA) Invites You to Attend
“What Are the Bees Telling Us?”
A Free Talk by
Dr. Dewey M. Caron, Affiliate Scientist – Horticulture Dept, Oregon State Univ., Corvallis and Emeritus Professor, Univ. Delaware
This talk is open to the public and is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the dramatic die-off of honey bees around the world, know as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).
Tuesday, March 29th at 7:30pm
Location: The Back Yard Beekeepers Association (BYBA)
Norfield Church Community Room
64 Norfield Road, Weston, Connecticut
Dr. Dewey M. Caron, Affiliate Scientist – Horticulture Dept, Oregon State Univ., Corvallis and Emeritus Professor, Univ. Delaware will be joining the BYBA to discuss “What are the bees telling us? and Bee Losses/New Spring Fortunes”. Dr. Caron will discuss the bee loss numbers and what we as beekeepers need to do to change spring misfortunes into spring successes. His book Honey Bee Biology and Beekeepingwill be available for purchase.
About the Back Yard Beekeepers Association
The Back Yard Beekeepers Association (BYBA) has been educating the public about honey bees and beekeeping for fifteen + years. With over 400 members, our association has grown to become one of the nation’s largest and most respected clubs for beekeepers. Some of our members are just getting started as beekeepers, and some have enjoyed this hobby for years. All share an interest in the remarkable world of the honey bee. The mission of the BYBA is to provide it’s membership with practical information about beekeeping. The club also provides the general public with educational programs about honey bees and the benefits of beekeeping in our communities. The BYBA is a not for profit, 501C-3 charitable organization. There are 9 monthly meetings that begin at 7:30 pm on the last Tuesday of the month in January, February, March, April, May, June, September, October and November and are held at the Norfield Church Community Room, 64 Norfield Road, Weston, Connecticut. There is usually a meeting designed specifically for new beekeepers at 6:30 pm (prior to our regular meetings). The Wannabees is a program offered for children. These events are free and open to the public.