Jim Fischer writes:  “Also, very few stationary beekeepers
could be called "sustainable", and almost no hobbyists.”

    As you have already stated, what is sustainable and what is not do not 
have universally accepted definitions.  If by sustainable we mean someone 
who keeps doing it year after year no matter what then I’m sure we can all 
agree there are a lot of us glutens for punishment out there that have to 
keep buying packages every couple of years who would fit that definition.  
I know a lot of hobbyist beekeepers, and I can’t say any of them have 
broken out of this cycle yet, although we still think it should be 
possible.  Most of these people resist using any kind of chemicals in their 
hives, and yet they don’t do much alternative stuff either because it would 
involve really concentrating on beekeeping.  I mean you should see the line 
of crusty old beekeepers at the Beez Neez Apiary Supply store every year at 
package pickup time.  
    The other thing that needs clarification is what is the difference 
between a hobbyist and a commercial beekeeper.  I think it makes sense to 
define commercial as anyone who at least tries to break even financially at 
beekeeping.  The reason I say this is because anyone who has more that 
fifty hives and still thinks of himself as a hobbyist probably needs some 
kind of counseling.  That includes a lot of sub-corporate, non migratory 
beekeepers who couldn’t fill a 1 ½ ton, flat bed pick up, much less a semi 
truck, with hives.  But as a hobbyist, being really small kind of puts you 
at a disadvantage as far as keeping it all going year after year without 
outside help goes. A real breeding program is kind of beyond the scope at 
this level.  A hard winter, or any one of the multitude of dreaded be 
maladies can wipe you out or at least put you down to one or two hives 
which doesn’t leave you with much to build back up with.  I really 
appreciate the package bee industry out there trying to give us the best 
bee for the job.  And I do like cheap almonds although I could live without 
them… if I had to.

Steve Noble     

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