From: "Michael Palmer" <[log in to unmask]>
>>Lyle Johnston (pres. of American Honey Producers Assoc.) was asked
>>recently
>>by a grower, "can't you beekeepers make money at $60/hive for
>>pollination?"
>
> Well? What's the answer? Can a beekeeper make money pollinating almonds at

Hi Michael,
I'm sure you implied but felt your point might be missed -- The answer to
that question is of course different for every beekeeper.

Lyle has moved to California and pretty happy with the increase in
pollination fees (last week  signing some at $75 & $80).  Lyle still moves
bees to Colorado & we have a late season on everything from weeds to
produce, allowing plenty of time to manipulate bees up to speed for honey.
Some areas won't 'start' producing until August with thistle/knapweed,
sometimes alfalfa.  So the answer for Colorado is you can make money from
both pollination/honey provided other risks are contained --- mites, theft,
shipping...

The answer for me?  I'm not pushing bees to California this year.  With
recent hands-on experience with Apistan-resistant mites from 100 packages
purchased from California last spring ('03), I'm keeping the remainder of
my apiary spared until a better mite treatment is closer to market.  You're
guaranteed to share mites along with every other disease.  So I'll leave my
apiary where they sit until we have better tools (on the market!) to ensure
their survival.  (fungus in late fall???).   I'm sure I'm not alone with
that thinking.

--------------------
as a side note --- Something I hadn't noticed before -- It's not the 'new'
packages (w/new mites) that were so much at risk but instead the surrounding
full size hives which mites transferred.  With our greatest honey season in
10(+, perhaps ever) everything worked perfectly for those mites to take down
bursting '3-deeps in brood' hives within a couple months.  I haven't seen
that kind of devastation since ~'95/'96.  Seems there would be room to test
the cycles (mite vs. bees) somewhere as the results at these out-apiaries
were predictable ---- mite damage everywhere but the older hives with
10-100x larger brood were the first to fall.  All were queened with Sue's
NWC work.   Or maybe Sue's newer queens are that much more groomed for
hygienic behavior?  Regardless, those 'imported' California mites have added
a huge cost to beekeeping here in Colorado.  Definitely a cost to consider
if you throw your bees to almonds.


Matthew Westall - EBees - Castle Rock, CO

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