tacticalturnip
Super Member
Everything good is on Facebook, lol, but I'm not.
Honey bees
- Thread starter m1garand762
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Hoot Owl
Bronze Member
beesource.com
I have been on it for years.
Yes there are a lot of treat, treat, and treat people on there but there are also a lot who are treatment free and a lot who are getting on board. I have bee treatment free for about 10 years.
I have been on it for years.
Yes there are a lot of treat, treat, and treat people on there but there are also a lot who are treatment free and a lot who are getting on board. I have bee treatment free for about 10 years.
tacticalturnip
Super Member
Thank you!
Beeenvenue
Gold Member
Whatever forum you get - opinions will vary exponentially. Ask one beekeeper get 2 answers; ask 2 get 4; etc. hard to wade through. Mostly just trial and error, too many experts “you should do it THIS way…”
cqaigy2
Super Member
Ha ha, that's true though.
CloverKnollFarms
Super Member
Warmed up the barn today and did some aluminum work on the new hives. Still some swarm traps to finish and about 80 frames 
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CloverKnollFarms
Super Member
A good read is Keeping Bees With A Smile as well as Keeping Bees In Horizontal Hives. I read them both, and I was hooked. My mind was made up. And I had a plan.
ponytug
Super Member
How do you stretch the aluminum so beautifully?Warmed up the barn today and did some aluminum work on the new hives. Still some swarm traps to finish and about 80 frames
All the best,
Peter
CloverKnollFarms
Super Member
By hand, wearing leather gloves. It’s all bent with my fingers.
ponytug
Super Member
I'm impressed! I never seem to get it stretched that uniformly smooth.
All the best,
Peter
BackRoad
Veteran Member
Just curious...
Years back, my B-I-L had bees for a few years till the bears decimated his hives. I'm wondering about the current situation...
With the investment of time and materials for entry into beekeeping, plus week to week shepherding, are you able to realize a financial profit?
The question is not intended to discount the significant satisfaction gained from working with the bees and our dependance on them.
One hive seems like a meaningful hobby - is there a point where it becomes a self supporting business?
Years back, my B-I-L had bees for a few years till the bears decimated his hives. I'm wondering about the current situation...
With the investment of time and materials for entry into beekeeping, plus week to week shepherding, are you able to realize a financial profit?
The question is not intended to discount the significant satisfaction gained from working with the bees and our dependance on them.
One hive seems like a meaningful hobby - is there a point where it becomes a self supporting business?
CloverKnollFarms
Super Member
I don’t tend to them weekly. Honestly, in a horizontal hive, you may spend 10 minutes per month in a hive? It will take 4 years for the bees to pay for themselves, and make a profit. Each hive costs me $250. Year one we sold no honey. So in year 4 we will make money, though that was never the goal.
I will never be paid for my time. Every hour I’m at my occupation, is $275. Beekeeping will never pay me for my time… but neither does restoring motorcycles.
Beeenvenue
Gold Member
I do it for ag valuation. It cost me $225x6 for bees plus “one time” about $300/hive*6 and about 500 in supplies and equipment. $3500 total. Add about $450/year in replacement colonies and supplies.
I save $2500/year in taxes plus my tractor and all land maintenance equipment is tax-exempt.
I give the honey away (4-6gallons per year) and still come out way ahead financially. If I ever get established enough to sell, pure honey is going for $25/pint around here or $400/gallon, so yes I could make money if I choose. Not enough to retire on but a couple of grand per year. From 6 hives.
Hoot Owl
Bronze Member
I need to be selling honey in Texas! I get $20qt and people fuss at that.
I have 60 hives at this time. In the spring I check every one once a week at the least. Swarm's cost money. I haven't bought bees in years unless I buy out someone quitting. By the first of May I should have over 100 hives from splitting and Queen cells.
Backroad: I have bears living on our land. I also have electric fence around hives when they are at home. The fence is 6' high chain link that is electrified. If the fence is off the bears still don't go near it because they know what it does. You have never heard such a sound when a bear gets shocked on the tong.
I have 60 hives at this time. In the spring I check every one once a week at the least. Swarm's cost money. I haven't bought bees in years unless I buy out someone quitting. By the first of May I should have over 100 hives from splitting and Queen cells.
Backroad: I have bears living on our land. I also have electric fence around hives when they are at home. The fence is 6' high chain link that is electrified. If the fence is off the bears still don't go near it because they know what it does. You have never heard such a sound when a bear gets shocked on the tong.
cqaigy2
Super Member
Ya, i'd make a fuss at $25 a pint too! About what honey is going here too, $20qt. I do love fresh honey though.
Torvy
Super Member
We would like to have some hives on our property, but not sure we want to be beekeepers. Unfortunately, we cannot see to even get people to reply about placing hives. Heck, all we want is a pint or two of honey.
I know a guy who put hives on his property for the valuation, but no bees. I hope he doesn't get caught (he's a good guy otherwise). Fortunately, I have a forest for my valuation.
I know a guy who put hives on his property for the valuation, but no bees. I hope he doesn't get caught (he's a good guy otherwise). Fortunately, I have a forest for my valuation.
Hoot Owl
Bronze Member
Torvy
Do a search for local bee clubs. You can start on the Texas state web sight and look for local clubs.
All of mine are on someone else's land. I offer a qt of honey for each production hive. (if I get honey from 2 hives I might have 4 that are to small to taka any from, so 2 qt's)
No complaints yet.
Do a search for local bee clubs. You can start on the Texas state web sight and look for local clubs.
All of mine are on someone else's land. I offer a qt of honey for each production hive. (if I get honey from 2 hives I might have 4 that are to small to taka any from, so 2 qt's)
No complaints yet.
CloverKnollFarms
Super Member
We no longer buy bees. Our swarm catches far outperform the farmed bees. I usually grab about 4 swarms per year…
Beeenvenue
Gold Member
I’m only in year 4 and this will be my first spring to live on the land (house got delayed by COVID). As such I’ve been much more of a “keep ‘em alive for valuation” than a beekeeper.
Now that we are here full time I hope to put out my old nuc boxes with swarm attractant and try to catch a couple; I haven’t had the opportunity to do so before. I also want to do my first split. Two of my hives went into the fall very strong and are likely candidates.
I don’t know that I can get $25/pint across the board. That what local sells for in feed stores and nursery’s but that’s small quantities. Farmers markets range from $8-20/pint. I’d probably have to sell to the retailers at $10-12. Still if I can repeat last years 6 gallons in a drought I can sell 3 gallons and at least pay for one of my nucs!
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