??
> It is unsustainable for the industry as somebody has to produce the
> package bees.but OK for niche beekeepers.

I might add that I have long considered myself a niche beekeeper as I do not
sell nucs or single hives to new beekeepers. I pass these people on to those
that do.

Horace Bell might be considered a niche beekeeper now as he only sells
single hives and does not sell less than a 100 hives at a time. Even though
at peak season he has around 20,000 hives on the ground he still only
focuses on a certain part of the beekeeping industry.


> food for thought:
> Think of the money Smoot could have made by selling those hives into
> almonds (140-160 a hive) then splitting in Texas and making his splits
> with three dollar cells? (instead of high dollar package bees) Selling off
> the extra brood at 14-18 a frame in Texas. Hmmm.

I might add that I understand why people want to only focus on the Smoot
method., only produce honey or as many do today only focus on pollination
and consider honey production while doing pollination a problem rather than
a plus.

The road is not for all people. I love the open road and have spent years on
the roads of America.
The road is not a lonely place for me. On the last trip I visited with folks
moving out of the way of flood water, A fellow with a cool old classic truck
like one of the trucks I own, People my path crosses with at various stops.
Plus being able to sit down with commercial beekeepers an visit for hours
(like I did in Nebr.). I actually start climbing the walls if I sit in one
place too long.

Smoot & Miller are both doing what they want to do and having met both what
they love to do!

My wife told one of my kids tonight when she found out I was taking the
truck and a forklift up to the holding yard to make sure I had enough supers
to last until next week in this heat with a heart monitor on that:

"Your father is doing what he loves to do and as he says dropping dead in
the bee yard instead of a hospital bed is not a bad way to go out"

She did not know i was in hearing distance but its true and she knows trying
to get me to stay away from the bees does not work.

Off to check the bees

bob

Ps. There are a lot more old beekeepers than old doctors!

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