Author Topic: Beekeeping as a career? (Read 7599 times)

AdamWalker · « **on:** May 11, 2008, 09:50:20 pm »

Hi, I'm a new forum member and of 16 years of age. I am very interested in the honey bees and have been reading all about them and their keeping on the home site. However I was wandering, with all of the time beekeeping consumes as a hobby, and all the money put into it, can it be possible that beekeepers have jobs?? Or is it that they make enough money from selling the honey that they can support themselves and make beekeeping a career?

JP · « **Reply #1 on:** May 12, 2008, 01:24:32 am »

Adam, many will tell you that if you want to get rich, don't expect to do so as a beekeeper.

Not trying to discourage you, but beekeeping is a type of farming. You will have good yrs and bad yrs.

If you want to make it rich and beekeep, get a well paying job and do beekeeping as a hobby.

Perhaps one day you can retire with that hard earned cash and beekeep into your latter yrs.

...JP

Michael Bush · « **Reply #2 on:** May 12, 2008, 07:54:08 am »

Beekeeping is not a very consistent source of income. Like all agriculture it's tied to the weather and many other things out of your control. It's a good addition to other pursuits and some people do make a living at it, but it's boom or bust. IMO it's better to diversify and do beekeeping along with something else to smooth out the cash flow.

Moonshae · « **Reply #3 on:** May 12, 2008, 02:25:55 pm »

Beekeeping also tends to be seasonal, so there can be a bit of down time. Many people manage dozens of hives in the evenings after work and on the weekends. I'd bet some people sacrifice much of their vacation time to deal with hive management. If you're doing it as a part-time business, there are sacrifices to be made, just like starting any other small business, whether it's making jewelry, soap, woodcarving, or anything. Even though it may be hard work, enjoying it may help relieve the stress built up from the full-time job that pays most of the bills.

lovelyembalmer · « **Reply #4 on:** May 12, 2008, 03:42:01 pm »

I have to agree with the rest. My husband and I both work and do the bees in the evenings and weekends. When you have a bad year and loose hives you can figure the price up and can loose from $100.00 to Thousands of $$$. Unless you get into raising bees and queens, the honey part will not make you alot of money, just at your age, enough for good pocket change.

Keep up the intrest and make it a hobby. It will keep you out of trouble.

bassman1977 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 12, 2008, 04:42:55 pm »

Sell nucs. There was a recent article (I'll find it and post the info when I get home, if I remember) on how you can make $900 per hive, just by selling nucs.

Ben Framed · « **Reply #6 on:** October 22, 2023, 12:28:40 pm »

Some go the professional route. Just a few hives for the benefit of hobby is enough for me.. JP and MB offer good counsel and advise in my opinion...

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 22, 2023, 10:06:18 pm »

I guess that Adam decided not to bee a beekeeper. He started this thread one day and came back the next day to read the answers and never come back on BeeMaster again.
Jim Altmiller

salvo · « **Reply #8 on:** October 22, 2023, 10:29:15 pm »

Hi Folks,

Well, you actually can end up with a million dollars,... but, understand, that you must start out with two million dollars.

Sal

Terri Yaki · « **Reply #9 on:** October 22, 2023, 10:45:07 pm »

His research revealed that he couldn't make a living at it so he moved on. Maybe he'll return as a hobbyist one day.

Ben Framed · « **Reply #10 on:** October 24, 2023, 12:31:03 pm »

Quote from: salvo on October 22, 2023, 10:29:15 pm

Hi Folks,

Well, you actually can end up with a million dollars,... but, understand, that you must start out with two million dollars.

Sal

That is the old saying!

JurassicApiary · « **Reply #11 on:** November 17, 2023, 12:04:23 am »

I've made a full time job of performing cut-outs and swarm removals...and those bees in time produce honey and provide supplemental income, particularly around the holidays. The removals, however are my bread and butter--far more lucrative than honey, and I can set my schedule as I see fit, typically doing 2-3 cutouts per week on average + swarms. It slows in the winter, but that's good because we do fairs with our honey and other products for the holidays, so the schedules compliment each other. Removal work is demanding enough that I'm upgrading from my pickup truck to a full size Transit van to accommodate all of my equipment. Find your niche and do your job well; The word will spread...it's the best (and free) advertising. There's no substitute for hard work.

Michael Bush · « **Reply #12 on:** November 17, 2023, 05:31:20 am »

I've seen this attributed variously to different people, the last was Thomas Jefferson: "Success is all about luck. But I've noticed the harder I work the better my luck gets.

Terri Yaki · « **Reply #13 on:** November 17, 2023, 09:36:46 am »

Quote from: JurassicApiary on November 17, 2023, 12:04:23 am

I've made a full time job of performing cut-outs and swarm removals...and those bees in time produce honey and provide supplemental income, particularly around the holidays. The removals, however are my bread and butter--far more lucrative than honey, and I can set my schedule as I see fit, typically doing 2-3 cutouts per week on average + swarms. It slows in the winter, but that's good because we do fairs with our honey and other products for the holidays, so the schedules compliment each other. Removal work is demanding enough that I'm upgrading from my pickup truck to a full size Transit van to accommodate all of my equipment. Find your niche and do your job well; The word will spread...it's the best (and free) advertising. There's no substitute for hard work.

I hired a beekeeper years ago to remove a hive (turned out to be three) from a rental property we owned and I think he made a living at it but otherwise, you are the only other one I've heard of doing that. Are there many out there or is it a rarity? Is being on HI a unique situation for it?

Ben Framed · « **Reply #14 on:** November 17, 2023, 11:53:07 am »

I think that is awesome Jurassic! What more could someone ask for? Doing something for a living that you love, while living in what is described as paradise! It's very nice to hear from you with you post (plural) today. Keep up the good work, while keeping up the good post!

PS send pictures. And if you are making videos let us know! JP and Schawee use to do it all the time!

Phillip

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #15 on:** November 17, 2023, 01:58:22 pm »

Terri,
I used to do a lot of bee removals from homes, rental properties, commercial properties storage sheds and apartment complexes.
Most of the time I really enjoyed it, sometimes it was a real bear, especially in 98 degree heat and high humidity.
If you want to try it, bee sure to charge properly for your time. I had one job that was in a strip mall tower. I was expecting 6 feet of vertical comb and it ended up being 12 feet tall. A one day job turned into 2 full days with Judy helping me.
Jim Altmiller

JurassicApiary · « **Reply #16 on:** November 17, 2023, 05:55:47 pm »

Quote from: Michael Bush on November 17, 2023, 05:31:20 am

I've seen this attributed variously to different people, the last was Thomas Jefferson: "Success is all about luck. But I've noticed the harder I work the better my luck gets.

Ha, I haven't heard that before, but the saying is on point. I'll add that one to my bank of knowledge. ;)

JurassicApiary · « **Reply #17 on:** November 17, 2023, 06:02:24 pm »

Quote from: Terri Yaki on November 17, 2023, 09:36:46 am

Quote from: JurassicApiary on November 17, 2023, 12:04:23 am
I've made a full time job of performing cut-outs and swarm removals...and those bees in time produce honey and provide supplemental income, particularly around the holidays. The removals, however are my bread and butter--far more lucrative than honey, and I can set my schedule as I see fit, typically doing 2-3 cutouts per week on average + swarms. It slows in the winter, but that's good because we do fairs with our honey and other products for the holidays, so the schedules compliment each other. Removal work is demanding enough that I'm upgrading from my pickup truck to a full size Transit van to accommodate all of my equipment. Find your niche and do your job well; The word will spread...it's the best (and free) advertising. There's no substitute for hard work.
I hired a beekeeper years ago to remove a hive (turned out to be three) from a rental property we owned and I think he made a living at it but otherwise, you are the only other one I've heard of doing that. Are there many out there or is it a rarity? Is being on HI a unique situation for it?

There's only but a handful of us on the island that do this. Of that, perhaps only three of us make a full time job of it...for a population close to 1 million people within a radius of 40 miles. There's far more demand than we can handle especially in the summer. I'll get 3-5 calls a day on average...And I can't handle more than 4-6 cutouts a week at peak season...it's exhausting, hot work. During the winter things slow down, but with all of the family gathering holidays, an uptick occurs as people who ignored bees that moved in during the summer get pressured to remove them to prevent family members from getting stung. Our primary swarm season is about March through October, although I have been called to swarms in December and January since our weather is nowhere near freezing anytime.

JurassicApiary · « **Reply #18 on:** November 17, 2023, 06:15:38 pm »

Quote from: Ben Framed on November 17, 2023, 11:53:07 am

I think that is awesome Jurassic! What more could someone ask for? Doing something for a living that you love, while living in what is described as paradise! It's very nice to hear from you with you post (plural) today. Keep up the good work, while keeping up the good post!

PS send pictures. And if you are making videos let us know! JP and Schawee use to do it all the time!

Phillip

Indeed, I love doing removals--they challenge me as each is unique. I love it when customers tell me at the end that it looks like I was never there--that's my goal! I have been meaning to start posting photos and clips from my removals in the Removals board but haven't gotten around to it. For a while I was making videos but it's a lot of time to put them together nicely. But I've been wanting to start that again as well. Perhaps I'll get some camera equipment for Christmas.

If time permits, I'll post some pics and vids. In the meantime, here's my new van as I'm in the process of loading and transferring the equipment into it from my truck (it just arrived on the island last week). I'll have plenty of room for multiple catch boxes (I have 3 bee vac boxes), lots of NUC's for swarms, and other equipment and supplies. I love that I can stand it fully and walk inside the van without having to duck or bend over...what a relief for my back! Solid partition between the cargo area and the passenger cab so no bees (hopefully) up with me too often except for an occasional hitchhiker.

Ben Framed · « **Reply #19 on:** November 17, 2023, 07:24:00 pm »

Oh yea! You?ve got it going on! Doesnt sound like you have missed a trick! What type bee vacs are you using?

Phillip

Bob Wilson · « **Reply #20 on:** November 18, 2023, 01:50:38 am »

Jurassic.
I wonder if your livelihood is the result of swarms cast from professional apiaries and hobbyists in the area or if it is a spreading, wild feral population cohabitating with humans in all the buildings and structures in the area.

Terri Yaki · « **Reply #21 on:** November 18, 2023, 07:28:22 am »

I'd also like to know what you do with all of those colonies. Forgive me if you already posted that but I didn't see it. I haven't read everything 100%.

animal · « **Reply #22 on:** November 18, 2023, 10:39:22 am »

Turn 'em loose in the mega-rich neighborhoods and circulate business cards in the area about a month or two later.

Ben Framed · « **Reply #23 on:** November 19, 2023, 12:12:21 am »

Quote from: animal on November 18, 2023, 10:39:22 am

Turn 'em loose in the mega-rich neighborhoods and circulate business cards in the area about a month or two later.

animal, I suspect you are a VERY successful businessman!!

JurassicApiary · « **Reply #24 on:** November 19, 2023, 02:27:18 am »

Quote from: Ben Framed on November 17, 2023, 07:24:00 pm

Oh yea! You?ve got it going on! Doesnt sound like you have missed a trick! What type bee vacs are you using?

Phillip

Thanks, Philip, I've definitely dialed things in over the last three years that I've been performing removals. I use the Colorado Bee Vac. I've got two CB vac systems and three catch boxes which allows me to perform several removals in a short time frame if needed.

Ben Framed · « **Reply #25 on:** November 19, 2023, 02:43:58 am »

Awesome I was simply curious, since you use yours professionally. I made mine which is very similar to the Colorado. It is absolutely awesome! They are very handy for swarm recoveries as well.. There is not a Spring that I do not find it very handy.
Another top notch bee vac that I learned about 'after' I had built mine, was designed by our very on fellow member Robo. His vac is also widely used and is world famous! It's named the Robo Vac. or Brushkill vac. I can't remember which.

Jurassic what do you do for back up electricity when no fixed electrical outlets are handy?

Thanks,
Phillip

JurassicApiary · « **Reply #26 on:** November 19, 2023, 02:46:26 am »

Quote from: Bob Wilson on November 18, 2023, 01:50:38 am

Jurassic.
I wonder if your livelihood is the result of swarms cast from professional apiaries and hobbyists in the area or if it is a spreading, wild feral population cohabitating with humans in all the buildings and structures in the area.

Bob, while I'm certain that some of the removals I've performed were the result of hobbyists (customer's have told me of neighbors or nearby homes that keep bees), I believe that majority are the result of wild feral populations swarming.

JurassicApiary · « **Reply #27 on:** November 19, 2023, 03:01:09 am »

Quote from: Ben Framed on November 19, 2023, 02:43:58 am

Awesome I was simply curious, since you use yours professionally. I made mine which is very similar to the Colorado. It is absolutely awesome! They are very handy for swarm recoveries as well.. There is not a Spring that I do not find it very handy.
Another top notch bee vac that I learned about 'after' I had built mine, was designed by our very on fellow member Robo. His vac is also widely used and is world famous! It's named the Robo Vac. or Brushkill vac. I can't remember which.

Jurassic what do you do for back up electricity when no fixed electrical outlets are handy?

Thanks,
Phillip

I've tried looking at Robo's Bushkill Vac, but his site (or at least the one on the forum) is no longer functioning. I would have been happy to have used his as it seems adaptable for 8-frame hives, which is exclusively what I use, but I crafted a transition shim to narrow the opening of the 10 frame to fit on my 8-frame hives.

As to powering the system in remote areas without 110v available, I have a 1000w pure sine wave power inverter which runs my vac off of my vehicle battery. I'm installing a second battery in the new van as it has a heavy duty alternator and a second battery compartment (yes, it's actually designed for 2 batteries!) and I'll put an isolator in-line to ensure that the second battery doesn't interact with the primary and mess with the vehicle's electrical system (i.e., the isolator will allow the current to only flow in one direction...allowing the alternator to charge it, but power is prevented from flowing the other way so the vehicle and subsequent electronics and systems can't pull power from it. So, only my inverter will be able to draw off it down line--hence the function of the isolator)...of course I could bypass the isolator in a pinch if the main battery were to die for any reason to start the vehicle (It's nice to have options!)

JurassicApiary · « **Reply #28 on:** November 19, 2023, 03:08:18 am »

Quote from: animal on November 18, 2023, 10:39:22 am

Turn 'em loose in the mega-rich neighborhoods and circulate business cards in the area about a month or two later.

HAHAHA. You know, I have one business client that I've removed so many bees from under their trailers, if I worked for them, I would think that this beekeeper guy is driving down the road after each removal and just letting them go, LOL.... That said, however, I hold myself to high moral and ethical standards and have never done that.

Terri Yaki, I currently have three apiaries dispursed around the island that I can place bees at so I have the ability to ensure they are relocated far enough away from the removal site so as not to return to their original home no matter where they are on the island.

Terri Yaki · « **Reply #29 on:** November 19, 2023, 09:12:36 am »

So you keep them all. That means you have a fast and ever growing number of hives.

Ben Framed · « **Reply #30 on:** November 19, 2023, 09:29:27 am »

"JurassicApiary"
"As to powering the system in remote areas without 110v available, I have a 1000w pure sine wave power inverter which runs my vac off of my vehicle battery. I'm installing a second battery in the new van as it has a heavy duty alternator and a second battery compartment (yes, it's actually designed for 2 batteries!) and I'll put an isolator in-line to ensure that the second battery doesn't interact with the primary and mess with the vehicle's electrical system (i.e., the isolator will allow the current to only flow in one direction...allowing the alternator to charge it, but power is prevented from flowing the other way so the vehicle and subsequent electronics and systems can't pull power from it. So, only my inverter will be able to draw off it down line--hence the function of the isolator)...of course I could bypass the isolator in a pinch if the main battery were to die for any reason to start the vehicle (It's nice to have options!)"

It is nice to have options, again as a professional Honey Bee remover you have it mapped out! Thanks Jurassic for the insight into your operation. And congratulations on your success!!

Phillip

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #31 on:** November 19, 2023, 02:16:28 pm »

Jurassic,
Were did you get the diode to use as an isolator? Can you send me the specs on it.
I have a 3000 watt inverter that I want to put in my Hyson side by side, with a separate battery from the vehicle and let the vehicle keep it charged.
Jim Altmiller

Ben Framed · « **Reply #32 on:** November 20, 2023, 12:47:28 am »

Quote

it's exhausting, hot work.

JurassicApiary do you have a fan that you take along as part of your equipment?

JurassicApiary · « **Reply #33 on:** November 20, 2023, 03:17:33 pm »

Quote from: BeeMaster2 on November 19, 2023, 02:16:28 pm

Jurassic,
Were did you get the diode to use as an isolator? Can you send me the specs on it.
I have a 3000 watt inverter that I want to put in my Hyson side by side, with a separate battery from the vehicle and let the vehicle keep it charged.
Jim Altmiller

Jim, this is the isolator I am installing: https://a.co/d/4vU5Kzt

It's rated up to 140 Amps (they have a 300A version as well). It's not a traditional diode, rather, it's a relay. A perk to this is that it doesn't yield a voltage drop like the diodes do among some other benefits.

A good explanation from another forum that I read up on before making my decision:

>>
The Automatic Charge Relays and Voltage Sensing Relays (different names for essentially the same product) don't have any voltage drop and do something that the diodes can't. They allow the alt. to first bring the starting battery back up to full charge before connecting the [second] battery to charge it. Diodes force the alt. to charge both at the same time, even when they are not at the same state of charge. Relays also disconnect when the charge voltage drops, be that because you turned the engine off or there was some large draw on the starting battery.

Can buy an ACR/VSR in combination with a marine battery switch so that you can force the two batteries to be paralleled or even switch the starting chores to the [second] battery if need be.
<<
Credit: IH8Mud.com Forum, User: ntsqd
You can read that thread here: https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/relay-isolator-vs-diode-isolator.577985/

I hope this helps. :)

JurassicApiary · « **Reply #34 on:** November 20, 2023, 03:24:50 pm »

Quote from: Ben Framed on November 20, 2023, 12:47:28 am

Quote
it's exhausting, hot work.

JurassicApiary do you have a fan that you take along as part of your equipment?

You betcha. I have a portable Milwaukee M18 fan that can be plugged in when power is available onsite, and also be powered with M18 tool batteries for working in areas where 110v power is not available. All of my power tools are the M18 Fuel line so the batteries are interchangeable. The right tools really make a difference (as does quality tools that you can depend on).

Ben Framed · « **Reply #35 on:** November 20, 2023, 03:36:57 pm »

"The right tools really make a difference (as does quality tools that you can depend on)."

Totally agreed Jurassic! A fan can really make a BIG difference on hot day, in the hot sun, especially when the bees are in a hard place to work..

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #36 on:** November 20, 2023, 07:37:37 pm »

Thanks Jurassic,
I saved the Amazon link.
I?m hoping the battery that I put on my old Rhino is still good.
Jim Altmiller

Robo · « **Reply #37 on:** November 21, 2023, 09:48:52 am »

Quote from: JurassicApiary on November 19, 2023, 03:01:09 am

I've tried looking at Robo's Bushkill Vac, but his site (or at least the one on the forum) is no longer functioning.

Not sure what URL you were trying, but the current site (since 2011) is beevac.com I'm sure there are quite a few older posts in the forum that point to earlier URLs.

JurassicApiary · « **Reply #38 on:** November 21, 2023, 12:22:33 pm »

Quote from: Robo on November 21, 2023, 09:48:52 am

Quote from: JurassicApiary on November 19, 2023, 03:01:09 am
I've tried looking at Robo's Bushkill Vac, but his site (or at least the one on the forum) is no longer functioning.

Not sure what URL you were trying, but the current site (since 2011) is beevac.com I'm sure there are quite a few older posts in the forum that point to earlier URLs.

Indeed, I clicked a link on an earlier thread that was going to a different URL. Thanks for the current link, Robo.

P.S. - I dig the product demo video at Burt's where he got started with Burt's Bees. Neat little historical touch there...beekeep on!