Well I got the bug;). As many of you know I got my first hive last month & I now want to see about doing it on the side. I have arranged to spend time with a beekeeper to learn the trade secrets. He has agreed to sell me as many hives as I want (he has 650). I am mainly interested in renting my hives for pollination as I do not have the equipment yet for extracting/processing etc. I am trying to get some commitments from farmers for hives for next season. I have a lot of questions, bear with me. Remember I live in north Florida when you ponder my questions. 1.How many hives can one manage evenings & Saturdays? 2.What problems have you encountered renting hives that I need to know about? 3.My bee mentor says he never has signed a contract with farmers. I think that is asking for trouble. Do you? If so what contract do you have? 4. Have you had a lot of bee kills from pesticides or vandalism? 5. How about liability if someone gets stung in the field? 6. I was thinking of having a trial year with say 30 hives but I understand most farmers need well over 50 for their fields. Should I take the plunge & buy over 50 or try to find someone that could use 30? 7. When do you get payed, before the crop, after or 50/50? 8. How do you handle the...IRS? Thanks for your help. Kelley [log in to unmask]