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Author Topic: Whats your average honey crop per hive?  (Read 3697 times)

Offline ifixoldhouses

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Whats your average honey crop per hive?
« on: November 13, 2019, 02:25:05 pm »
I made a video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erU1BNPuu-k&t=62s and it's all the rage on Reddit, and Beesource, I've been told not to expect any honey, to 300 lbs a hive, and all in between :happy:
I guess my numbers may be off, but I've figured on  80-100 lbs a hive if it's not a drought or something.
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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Whats your average honey crop per hive?
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2019, 05:13:43 pm »
The average for Nebraska is 40 lbs per hive per year.  In a bad year I feed them 100 pounds and they make nothing.  In a bumper crop year, I got 200 lbs per hive.  I've only seen one bumper crop year since 1974...
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline ifixoldhouses

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Re: Whats your average honey crop per hive?
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2019, 07:11:01 pm »
So one super is all you need for each hive? no use to have a bunch of extras.
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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Whats your average honey crop per hive?
« Reply #3 on: November 14, 2019, 09:01:49 am »
>So one super is all you need for each hive? no use to have a bunch of extras.

During a strong flow the bees need to spread the nectar out to dry it.  I want two or three supers at least and in a bumper crop year it will be too late to buy supers when you realize that you need six or seven for each hive...
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Whats your average honey crop per hive?
« Reply #4 on: November 14, 2019, 09:27:59 am »
Wow. Looks like you are all in, in your first year.
My first year I think I spent about $2000. That includes an 18 frame extractor and a good jacket.
I now have enough equipment for 39 hives and I don?t think I spent more than $5000. Of course I built most of my equipment with material on hand. Over the years I probably made 4 times that much and gave away a lot of honey to family and friends.
Jim Altmiller
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
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Offline ifixoldhouses

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Re: Whats your average honey crop per hive?
« Reply #5 on: November 14, 2019, 02:39:12 pm »
Yeah, it's enough trouble to put all those together and paint em, next year I'll make some nucs out of Advanatec plywood or something. I don't really have a woodshop set up, every time I go to do something I have to unload the truck, then I need it all at work the next day :smile:
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