Hi all,

I am a hobby (50 hives) beekeeper in North Alabama. I spend a good amount 
each year to keep bees going. I would guess that I spend in the neighborhood 
of $36 which includes re-queening and all the chemicals used. This does not 
include anything for time, gasoline, smoker, veil and truck expenses.

The drought really killed our honey quantity in 2007. The quality was very 
good.

The large Calif/Dakota operation did very good if he received around $125.00 
per hive for Almond pollination. His honey volume was terrible and I feel 
for him as for myself in a dry year.

I am retired from my job and have been keeping bees for about 35 years. I 
have never seen beekeeping as hard as it is becoming. More pests, more 
pesticides and less effective ways of treating problems. Years before the 
mites, all we had was foul brood, nosema, chalk brood, and a few others that 
were treatable very easy.

Lionel

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