does anyone charge for bees at a farm /do you charge???

p51d · Post by **p51d** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:04 pm

DO any of you guys put hives on farms? If so, how much do you charge per hive? Per season? Or for a period?

I was asked to place one on a farm for obvious reasons but don't have clue for this....

Post by **Wally** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 10:52 pm

I charge 60.00 each for 1 or 2.
50.00 each for 3 to 5.
40.00 each for more than 5.

Kirk does more than I do.
Maybe he will answer shortly.

Kurt Bower · Post by **Kurt Bower** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 5:11 am

I try and stay away from this if I can.
The going rate in the past has been around $40-45/ hive per crop.
With the bee shortage and what people are getting for almonds, I wouldnt hesitate to ask $60/hive.
One fellow I know wont move them for less than $100, but he is also taking his out to California and getting $100+ for almonds.
I recommend having a 2 hive minimum.
I also recommend having a pollination contract. Once your bees are on someone elses property you wont have much say as to the final outcome unless you have it written down.
Pesticide spraying is also an issue that you need to work out on the front end.
Consider the gas cost and time if you have to go visit your bees in some out of the way location. You could easily have 3 or 4 trips to those hives.
Your profit gets eaten quickly. You may want to consider a close radius for renting your hives to maximize profits.

Kurt

Locust&Honey · Post by **Locust&Honey** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 11:21 am

Great points Kurt. i always thought it would be fun and some easy money. So much to consider when it's YOUR bees.

p51d · Post by **p51d** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 7:38 pm

Thanks for the information. Several LOCAL farmers have asked about placing bees there so this is actually close. I don't want to go more that a 10 mile radius.

Wally, is that per season $60 or a month or 3 months or what. I don't want to be a commerical service ut it would be nice to recoup the cost a bit for the hive, bees, feeding, and treatments. (I get reminded all the time I am still in the red with this hobby)

I will place my two new hives for free for one local farmer (bummer)

Post by **Wally** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 9:46 pm

That is per bloom, or season, as the case may be.

It's not always good. I lost 4 hives last year because of the drought. Not having them at home, I didn't get to check them often, and the bloom didn't happen, so they brought nothing in. When I picked them up, there was nothing left in the way of honey or pollen.

p51d · Post by **p51d** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 11:26 am

Thanks Wally, I have only a small number so I will keep most at home and one or two for the farmers. My wife wants me to go into the black with the hobby and I am going deeper into the red

Locust&Honey · Post by **Locust&Honey** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 6:27 pm

I told my wife it was alot easier to go into the red than the black with beekeeping. She didn't laugh.

p51d · Post by **p51d** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 7:12 pm

I get the evil eye everytime I open a catalog for more equipment. Maybe in a couple of years I will go into the black..hmmm...doubtful.

Post by **Wally** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 7:55 pm

I threw away all my red pencils. Now I use minus marks. I can honestly tell her my figures are all staying in the black. I just don't show her the minus marks.

Truthfully, my wife gets all my "retirement and other normal" income and pays the bills. All my hobbies are paid for with my "extra income".

Such as, I have ordered 12 nucs this year. I have sold 10 of them for what I paid for the twelve. The other 2 are mine, without charge. All my hobbies are financed similarly.

p51d · Post by **p51d** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 8:41 pm

I have to pay for my hobbies as well.

My next task is to throw out all red writing devices. Too bad we cannot take a agricultural tax writeoff for pollenation services.

Thanks for the reply. I will be going deeper as I will order some more honey supers.