Would it be OK if I asked what you do with the honey?
Well, the sad thing is that I try not to harvest honey, but obviously you have to. I got 40 gallons last year (could have taken more). I still have about ten gallons left. Most is sold to friends, neighbors, etc. Over the years, I have several regular customers that buy a quart a month. Some is given as gifts or can be used in trade. Some is sold at craft shows. I got about ten gallons of mead sitting in my basement. I'm always looking to get rid of it.
One last use for the honey is feeding back to the bees. I have not fed any sugar for going on 4 years now.
Have you considered transitioning from a hobbyist beekeeper to a professional Beekeeper? Your Bees might be in great demand because You do not Treat for Varroa Destructor . Thanks for your reply!
I have thought about it. The main drawback is that this is a one-man operation. I have no sales staff.
Know anyone who works cheap(free)?
I would like to sell more honey and bees but I really don't have the time to put into it right now. Got too many pans in the fire.
As far as mites, I won't deny that my bees have them. I just never looked. I have had the occasional hive die going into winter with a large population and no bees found left in the hive. I think that is one of the signs. I have the luxury of not being limited to the number of hives I keep. So, when I lose one, I make two splits. Whether my bees are immune of varroa may just not be bad here, I don't know. I suffer about the same percentage of losses as others in my area, so I don't plan on changing my ways.
I understand need the hobbyist with a couple hives in the backyard treating their hives. A single loss is a big deal to them. A single loss to me is sad but it also means I have an empty box to put more bees in.
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