Hi all,

I am preparing a presentation on growing from a hobby to a successful sideline beekeeping operation.  The most important consideration in my estimate is that as one grows their operation, TIME becomes one's most valuable asset.  Certainly there are other considerations, but as I look at things, one must budget their time more efficiently to run a couple hundred colonies, whereas when one runs tens, time isn't a consideration (although it should be).  I remember the days of running 6 or 10 hives, when I could leisurely examine all the frames of every colony and still have time for the drive in on a warm summer night.  Now I examine colonies thoroughly two or three times in the spring and pretty much go by bottom board activity to choose the colonies to examine during the production season, and the last drive in movie I saw was Casablanca!  TIME indeed becomes a precious commodity.

But I digress.  I'm asking of the list for input on important considerations as one grows from a hobby to a sideline business.  Locations, locations, locations!  What are you going to do with all that honey?  Marketing.  Equipment, new vs. used.  Getting bees.  There's more than honey production.  Better tools for increased production.  Hired help.  Tax tips.

And that last word (tips) is my biggest interest.  What tips should be passed on to the hobbyist considering growing their operation to a successful sideline business?

Thanks in advance for your input.

Sincerely,
Aaron Morris, successful (?) sideliner

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