I remember hearing about them some time ago (maybe two years ago?) but
never heard what happened to them. Looks like they are getting by.

I've heard of quite a few of these type of operations. Interesting concept.
Initial off the cuff reaction to pricing seems about right - $995 gives a
residential customer a complete hive with bees and a half a year of
"mentoring" or "maintenance." Each year's maintenance is probably around
the same price. If you want to discontinue the maintenance, you keep the
bees.

Of course, I foresee issues, as I'm sure the rest of you do: Why didn't I
get more honey, my bees died (as it happens from time to time) so where's
my free replacements, I got stung and I want them gone now, lots of calls
and questions. But it all seems like something you can work through, if you
are being paid $1,000 per customer per year.

But that's about where the reasonableness seems to end. $150 per hour for
straight mentoring, customize-able hives where they'll paint the boxes for
$150 per box (or stain for $175 per box), seems a little sketchy at that
point. At least my first take.

I know I put hives on other's property for free. I actually give them honey
for the right to use their land. If they wanted to paint the hives, I
wouldn't care. No one's asked me yet though. Some like to watch me come by
and check them, and ask questions as I'm going through them. As long as I
have time to move onto the next yard, doesn't bother me any. Should I be
charging $1,000 per year per yard for me to do that? Doesn't exactly seem
right to me . . .

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