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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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From:
Jeremy Rose <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 9 Nov 2012 10:42:01 -0800
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I agree with those who have pointed out that there are quite a few years 
of scarcity mixed in with the bumper crops in the bee business.  This is 
my 7th year operating commercially, and we have had 2 honey years, one 
marginal year, and 4 years that were very disappointing (including this 
one).  Fortunately this year, although the beekeeping has been bad, the 
fishing has been excellent-- I never thought I'd catch so many huge 
salmon, seabass, and albacore. That's another story though, but I can't 
help talking about the fishing because it has been great.

Anyway, I started with 2 hives, have almost 500 now.  My initial goal 
was to double the hive count every year, but I have been averaging a bit 
under double every year recently because everything is so expensive.  
Has been quite a roller coaster, but that does keep it interesting, and 
the entertainment value is really what it is all about for me.  My goal 
remains to grow to 2,000 hives, but right now I am at a transitional 
point where I need to adjust management practices / learn new skills to 
increase efficiency for handling more hives.  By the way I finally 
bought my own bee truck this year since the rental truck broke down last 
winter in the almond orchard.

When someone asks me about the business aspect of apiculture, I explain 
that you have to always be running as fast as you can just to stay in 
one place.  There is always something, or some one, trying to kill your 
bees.  If you want to increase then you have to "go crazy" and do 
whatever it takes to keep going.  Fortunately the economics for 
beekeeping products are currently favorable since we have almond 
pollination and honey is expensive.

It is fairly simple to be profitable in the good honey years.  It takes 
some creativity to be profitable in the crop-failure years.  I would 
suggest that new beekeepers make the goal of never allowing their 
business to be unprofitable.  That is easier said than done but I think 
it is really important.  And you have to remember, there is a 
surprisingly large array of things, (external factors as well as 
beekeeper-error PPB) that can and do kill your bees... Eventually 
something is bound to kill a bunch of them.

Hopefully my experience thus far is helpful to someone.


Jeremy Rose
San Luis Obispo, CA

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