Hi PO and Everyone,

>asking you to speak for them...

I must confess, I actually just jumped in all by myself. And I probably
should have taken more time in reading previous posts. But they are hard to
keep track of.

One of the problems with 'small cell' is that all kinds of bee
management/ideas and beekeepers get lumped together.

I thought your request for more info was reasonable enough. I know that
asking a commercial beekeeper for colony count and production figures are
like asking for a bank number and a balance. I didn't mind providing these
since I only have a few hives now.

>Previous posts indicate that the ability to handle varroa ( and the virus)
is due to lower reproduction rate among bees managed by the SC advocates.

I haven't followed what's happening in the small cell camp for quite awhile.
But that hasn't been my experience when using small cell comb. It has been
quite the opposite. Clusters are larger. They build up faster in the spring.
And overwinter better. Could it be those beekeepers were referring to lower
varroa mite reproduction rates? 

>If you were getting this kind of crops, why were you quitting as commercial
beek...

As a commercial beek, I got crops that were about 20lbs heavier than
average. My hives were run in a conventional manner. I left the commercial
bees in 2000. I'd been involved with bees all my life and felt it was time
for a change. My wife is from a tropical country and she wanted to relocate
to a better climate after 25 years in Wyoming. I was in my 50's and if I
didn't do it then, I probably never would. There's been some delay, but we
will be relocating next year.

In the interim, I've maintained two test yards to play with. Now, I have
only 10 hives which will probably be given away next year.

I'll startup again in a new location. And I'll probably get a few hundred
hives going. It's hard to get the commercial beek out of a guy like me. ;>)
I don't have any interest in making more honey than could be value added to.
When the market price for wholesale honey is 60 to 100 cents/lb, it's just
not worth it.

>I'm really curious how you manage that....

I will share them in a series of posts. But for a synopsis check out:

http://bwrangler.madpage.com/bee/sxpe.htm

Regards
Dennis

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