Whitney S. Cranshaw wrote:
>
> The term hobby beekeeper is used all the time, but what does it mean?
>
> The reason for my question is that a local beekeeper is being asked to move
> his hives because because this is considered to be an agricultural
> enterprise prohibited within city limits.  His defense is that he is only a
> hobby beekeeper and therefore exempt.  But this needs to be better defined.
>
> Is there limit to the number of hives that determines a hobby beekeeper?
> Does selling for profit define if a beekeeper is a hobbyist or not?
 
The factor that determines whether or not someone is a hobby beekeeper has nothing
to do with number of hives. It has to do with each individuals interpretation for
themselves. If one has 2 hives or 40 hives and still receives pleasure from them and it's
not their primary source of income then it's a hobby. This also has no bearing on any
local zoning codes. If the code in this beekeepers area is that you must have five acres
or more to have animals or crops then he's out of luck. Bees do come under the
agriculture umbrella so he either needs to keep quiet about his bees and probably not
have any problem or find another place that is suitable.
 
Codes can be changed with alot of work. People are trying to get our county to allow
people to keep two hives on their property as long as they are placed thirty feet from all
property lines.
 
-Barry
 
--
Barry Birkey
West Chicago, Illinois  USA
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http://www.birkey.com