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>Is there a sustainable form of non-migratory beekeeping without almond
Yes but it ain't easy and getting less so all the time. Not for nothing is economics called the "dismal" science. If evaluated on regular economic standards such as return on equity, market penetration, cost of entry and others, Beekeeping as a business is difficult to justify. So let's stipulate that if you have 50 hives or 50,000 and doing it as a business it's largely for the fun of it or a family tradition.
In addition to the names mentioned one more is a large multi generation operation in Tex. ( don't know if I should include name) that has transitioned out of almonds and other pollination and gone to honey packing under their own label and mead production on a fairly large scale.
On a much smaller scale I gave up the almond trip some years back (just in time too. I was getting $95 after transport) and concentrated on varietal honey at full retail at farmers market, some wholesale to local grocery outlets and bakeries, and food service to a local college in addition to an ever growing mail-order from repeat customers that had passed through and wanted more. With a couple of hundred colonies I got rich beyond avarice and grew old, so sold out, retired and now have a few dozen and even that is becoming more difficult.
The challenges that I see if trying to make it on honey is the loss of forage availability. I'm sure that it varies regionally but here in eastern WA, an area that historically was a good honey producing region is now invaded by large holding yards of almond bees where the object is to reduce feeding cost. I believe that you need to be in the 150-200 pound range to make a honey producing colony profitable and that is not the way it is going for me. Also changes in farming practices have further reduced available forage. Despite the oft repeated cry that the bees are disappearing in reality we have far too many colonys then we need for honey production alone. That will put pressure on the price of bulk honey and ever more of the retail demand is being filled by small producers not dependent on sales for the family income.
A lot try to make money selling bees to beekeepers both hobby and pollinators. The hobby business has exploded but I'm not sure that I would bet the ranch on the sustainability of that fad for decades to come. The commercial business for bees may change dramatically if and when we get reliable economic varroa control. More large operations may find that they have a surplus of bees rather then a shortage. How many more acres of almonds can we plant?
If you want to get rich take up plumbing or if you don't like dirty hands try punditry. If you want a satisfied mind and have a high pain threshold I would suggest beekeeping.
Paul Hosticka
Dayton WA
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