Honey bees

[BackRoad]

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?

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

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?

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]

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?

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]

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.

 

[BackRoad]

Thanks for the detail!

I am respectful of the contributions that you are making.

 

[cqaigy2]

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.

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]

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.

 

[Hoot Owl]

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.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

We no longer buy bees. Our swarm catches far outperform the farmed bees. I usually grab about 4 swarms per year…

 

[Beeenvenue]

We no longer buy bees. Our swarm catches far outperform the farmed bees. I usually grab about 4 swarms per year…

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!