>What are the fields and the forage like?

Corn & soybeans as far as the eye can see. We used to make crops off
soybeans but now the bees dwindle. I have friends in the Mississippi Delta
areas which do not place hives on soybeans now.
Same for cotton.

>The honey comparison could be a combination of excellent pre-flow pollen
>and tree nectar sources with a main crop of alf-alfa, clover, and yellow
>trefoil.  The other hives could be located near nothing but acres of sweet
>corn and apple trees.

We have no trouble with bees on apples but in 2012 growers will have to
switch to new methods which is scary.

We see little sweet corn but small growers dusting corn pollen with powdered
seven has always killed bees. Little sweet corn is grown in the Midwest.

>The testimonial does nothing other than provide another person who THINKS
>pesticides are an issue.  I am not saying they are or are not, just that
>"testimonials" prove nothing.

Are you suggesting lifelong beekeepers are not seeing what they observe? In
orange things changed when the Bayer systemic temik was used. Beekeepers had
been building up colonies on orange and producing orange honey without
issues since my Grandpas days.

When bees crash you first ask yourself:
"what is different?"
Then I take a 100 hives started at the same time identically with the same
queens. 50 go into the problem crop and fifty go to range country. The
results are all I need to see!

>Around here, around the Cincinnati area honey production varies immensely
>an I think a person would be hard pressed to claim it was a result of
>pesticides.

You really have to be a migratory beekeeper to tell. I take what most
stationary beeks observe with caution unless they run many yards.

>I agree with you , more or less, on the honey issues, but I will also say
>that the China issue makes my product more valuable.  People are beating
>down my door for local honey and are paying a premium.

Can you sell several hundred barrels at your premium price?( which is also
the price I retail my one pound sizes.)

>  The problem is that the definition of commercial beekeepers needs to be
> redefined.  2000 colonies?  Try 100!  You can be grossing six digits with
> 300 colonies.

Grossing means little. What's the final profit from 300 hives?

>At 5.00 a pound average (or minimum) why would I want to worry about
>chasing pollination contracts in a system that is almost designed to
>provide as many hardships as possible for a commercial beekeeper?  The
>problem is...business as usual.

The problem is (and maybe I can provide insight) is that one person with a
small number of hives will always be limited on what he/she can earn. Most
people keep bees because they love beekeeping. many better business
opportunities to make money.

It would shock most small beekeepers at the amount of capital it takes to
even open the doors each month on a large operation. Returns can be huge at
times and losses also huge.

>Nope, I do not think the sky is falling, its turning a different shade of
>blue.

despite what you say the fact is the low price on the store shelf always
sells the most honey.

>Just something to consider.

You raise interesting points Richard. My definition of a commercial
beekeeper is a beekeeper which makes most his living from bees. If he can
market directly and make a living from a 100 hives then I would consider the
beekeeper a commercial beekeeper. Hive numbers mean little.

Smart beekeepers put hives on the ground when they need hives and reduce
numbers when honey prices are low and hives are not needed. Most make a
decision at spring splitting the numbers needed for the year. each hive
started is an investment in labor and cost.

bob

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