?Hello All,
I almost did not reply but will add to the archives the way most commercial
beekeepers operate.
The types of yards for migratory beekeepers are three kinds.
1. overwintering holding yards.
2. out of state prior to pollination holding yards
3. honey production field yards.
1& 2 can involve contracts but most only handshakes but I have heard of up
to $2000 (U.S.) for a few of these.
The third kind is similar to hobby & sideline beekeepers and I have heard of
a few contracts but I personally do not use contracts. Reason being I never
commit to placing bees in advance of looking over the floral sources in the
area. Wet or dry season also effects the decision.
Land owners at times get a sad face (because of maybe a couple apple trees
in their yard) if I do not use a location on their property but I am in a
business and I *must* make sound business decisions.
I am dropping yards I have used for decades in areas of row crops ( corn)
which has brought a few calls from land owners on which I place bees in
those areas.
This year I have the yards of Bell Hill Honey to choose from as I purchased
the hives and if the equipment is purchased ( a new owner has applied for a
loan) the name will not go along.
I had to smile at the contract giving the beekeeper three months to move the
bees. Most land owners would not sign that contract in my opinion.
If a problem I move the hives within 24 hours of a request (unless out of
state) but has only happened a couple times . For those beekeepers which
have their hives sitting on concrete blocks and perhaps equipment which
needs replaced before movement I can understand their problem.
Moving bees is the easiest part of my job. The bees *love* to move to new
locations! I imagine the Texas bees I brought back this week were not so
happy to see less trees and flowers in bloom than 700 miles south but the
beekeeper knows best and our bloom will continue to start and last into
July.
while the spring bloom was ending in Texas.
As far as I know only myself and Delta Bee (on the Arkansas/ Tennessee
border )keeps bees on migratory pallets in Missouri.
Ten years ago there were half a dozen.
.
Grant G. ( Missouri State Beekeepers president) do you know of others?
Bob H.
Missouri
***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html
Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at:
http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm
