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Author Topic: Florida Pollination Prices??  (Read 14180 times)

Offline TwT

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Florida Pollination Prices??
« on: January 24, 2009, 01:26:49 pm »
with the almond prices up high and some east coast guys running to California trying to get some almond money what are the orange (or any other crop) pollination prices been doing the last few years? just wondering if they have gone up also and how big of a demand for bee's is it now? just the last few years info I was wondering about.
« Last Edit: January 24, 2009, 07:47:07 pm by TwT »
THAT's ME TO THE LEFT JUST 5 MONTHS FROM NOW!!!!!!!!

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Offline pdmattox

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Re: Florida Pollination Prices??
« Reply #1 on: January 24, 2009, 08:40:23 pm »
I don't know of any citrus growers in Florida paying any kind of pollination fee. (Bjorn don't read this next part.  ;)) More like the beekeeper giving some jars of honey or some other barter for the locations. Now squash, Cukes and water melons the fee is around 50 a hive. up from 40-45 a couple of years ago. Demand is up for all these crops. I alone have orders for 500 hives up from 200 for the watermelons and cantaloupes.
« Last Edit: January 24, 2009, 09:19:07 pm by pdmattox »

Offline BjornBee

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Re: Florida Pollination Prices??
« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2009, 09:17:01 pm »
 :soapbox:

Whatever do you mean....  :roll:
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Offline Geoff

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Re: Florida Pollination Prices??
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2009, 01:07:35 am »
Sounds like you will need a jockey for the pick-up Dallas. Would you take on an Aussie? I mean like Mick !!
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Offline pdmattox

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Re: Florida Pollination Prices??
« Reply #4 on: February 05, 2009, 10:22:45 pm »
I could take Mick for sure, what fun we would have and maybe even get some work done too. :-D So, Yes I would take an Aussie any day. When is he to arrive?

Offline gmcharlie

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Re: Florida Pollination Prices??
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2009, 07:03:15 pm »
okay,  just curios  what is the normal rate/ time for almonds??  Her in the midwest we get a few calls for applea/ peaches and berries.  45 a hive is about the normal rate

Offline TwT

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Re: Florida Pollination Prices??
« Reply #6 on: February 08, 2009, 12:16:07 pm »
okay,  just curios  what is the normal rate/ time for almonds??  Her in the midwest we get a few calls for applea/ peaches and berries.  45 a hive is about the normal rate

I hear they just moved hive into almonds, the rates are scattered, I heard some are with contracts are getting $150-$185 per hive, I also heard a few from Southeast went there with no brokers or contracts and are asking about $90-$95 a hive just trying to get their money back from driving out there, doing that kind of thing will lower prices for everyone and hurt beekeepers, can't believe someone would drive cross country without a place to put their bee's, no contracts or anything. "a fool and his money are soon parted! " 
thats what I been hearing.  
« Last Edit: February 08, 2009, 12:36:06 pm by TwT »
THAT's ME TO THE LEFT JUST 5 MONTHS FROM NOW!!!!!!!!

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Offline BjornBee

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Re: Florida Pollination Prices??
« Reply #7 on: February 08, 2009, 01:43:00 pm »
okay,  just curios  what is the normal rate/ time for almonds??  Her in the midwest we get a few calls for applea/ peaches and berries.  45 a hive is about the normal rate

 can't believe someone would drive cross country without a place to put their bee's, no contracts or anything. "a fool and his money are soon parted! " 
thats what I been hearing.  

I can't (and don't) believe it either.  ;)
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Offline rdy-b

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Re: Florida Pollination Prices??
« Reply #8 on: February 08, 2009, 04:54:43 pm »
okay,  just curios  what is the normal rate/ time for almonds??  Her in the midwest we get a few calls for applea/ peaches and berries.  45 a hive is about the normal rate

 can't believe someone would drive cross country without a place to put their bee's, no contracts or anything. "a fool and his money are soon parted! " 
thats what I been hearing.  


I can't (and don't) believe it either.  ;)
most hives are renting from $135---$165 my deal is set and i will place them this weekend for $145-this will give a idea of the cut throat nature that can arise-from modesto Bee-

http://dwb.modbee.com/classified/farmandlivestock/livestock/    8-) RDY-B


Offline BjornBee

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Re: Florida Pollination Prices??
« Reply #9 on: February 08, 2009, 05:38:37 pm »
okay,  just curios  what is the normal rate/ time for almonds??  Her in the midwest we get a few calls for applea/ peaches and berries.  45 a hive is about the normal rate

 can't believe someone would drive cross country without a place to put their bee's, no contracts or anything. "a fool and his money are soon parted! " 
thats what I been hearing.  


I can't (and don't) believe it either.  ;)
most hives are renting from $135---$165 my deal is set and i will place them this weekend for $145-this will give a idea of the cut throat nature that can arise-from modesto Bee-

http://dwb.modbee.com/classified/farmandlivestock/livestock/    8-) RDY-B



I'm bustin a gut...... :lau:

I've said for two years, that calls for the collapse of the bee industry was crap. That these migratory beekeepers were blowing smoke up everyone's butt, while waggin their tails at congress begging for money, crying the blues. Now there seems to be a glut of beehives. Can this really be?

The west coast beekeepers crap on the east coast pollinators. The migratory guys do what they need to do to bilk anyone willing to listen while possibly giving up "rights" by begging for money to keep them afloat. The researchers want money to line their pockets for the next ten years and thought they had the "perfect" excuse, as we were on the edge of total food collapse. Now, beekeepers have too many hives and cut-throat practices are seen again. Everyone is out for themselves.

This cycle of crap smells..... :deadhorse:

I guess that golden goose snuck off before anyone got a golden egg...
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Offline rdy-b

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Re: Florida Pollination Prices??
« Reply #10 on: February 08, 2009, 05:56:01 pm »
Dont be to hasty -this is third year drought and this year is going to be rationing-the almond growers with wells are making more money selling water than almonds-price for almonds down after two record crops-growers are working less than 100% and cant sustain -farm less and show a lose  :roll: gee is that possible to make money by bringing in a small crop-its a learned tactic of survival -many contracts loosed -there are no more hives than any other year just less places to put them-new plantings are on hold-money from banks hard to get -this year its barebones -and CCD is always looking over your shoulder so dont take it lightly-it is REAL- 8-) RDY-B IN THE REAL WILD WILD WEST  :lol:

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« Last Edit: February 08, 2009, 06:18:04 pm by rdy-b »

Offline BjornBee

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Re: Florida Pollination Prices??
« Reply #11 on: February 08, 2009, 07:29:46 pm »
I don't take anything lightly.

Cut-throat pollinators are no different in my book as those who pollinate for free, or sell honey at giveaway prices to make up for a lack of marketing, laziness, or selling skills. Have you not been reading anything I write here.... :-D

I do take issue when industry big wigs claim the end of the earth, beg for money from congress due to issues the industry seemingly can not cope with, and other items. Anytime an industry kneels at the foot of congress, and wants money, they stand to lose rights, and can expect oversight, regulation, and taxation in one form or another. I just hold my stance that supply and demand usually works things out.

As for CCD, I think what Kim Flottum wrote about in the Feb 2009 Bee culture says alot. He made 8 points in regards to what you should do to keep CCD in check. Items like wax swapping, "good" feed (I wonder if others might be finding out what I have in regards to chem levels in the tons of pollen and feed brought in from other countries), and using less contaminating treatments, etc. Someone is getting it. BTW...what makes one state "good feed"? How much bad crap was out there, and why have we not heard more on this. Too many people want to milk this, don't want to rock the boat, and perhaps step on some toes.

Of course, even mentioning that a mirror should be held up, and the industry should clean itself up, is always interesting as the attacks come pouring in. I had commercial guys in meetings state they use all type of pour in chemicals, continue to use 30 year old comb....but openly refuse to acknowledge they are part of the problem. It's like saying the 15th straw that broke the camels back made all the difference, while ignoring the first 14 straws. But if not for those 14 first straws, maybe the bee could deal a heck of alot better with that number 15 straw.
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Offline gmcharlie

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Re: Florida Pollination Prices??
« Reply #12 on: February 08, 2009, 07:32:59 pm »
well while we ar  discussing almonds,  is it a honey crop?  or just pollen??  and how long is the season???  just curious  nothing like it here.

Offline rdy-b

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Re: Florida Pollination Prices??
« Reply #13 on: February 08, 2009, 08:56:46 pm »
the honey bees make from almonds is so bitter that it is left on for feed-almonds drive the bee industry -bees build up from hyper stimulation that colonies are split or are used for package bee production-first packages genaraly come from bees that where in almonds-season last about six weeks give or take-   :lol:
here is somthing a litel of topic but i found it interesting hope you do also Bjorne

http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0902a&L=bee-l&T=0&P=4700  RDY-B

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Florida Pollination Prices??
« Reply #14 on: February 08, 2009, 09:43:26 pm »
From the information I have someone advertising bees for almond pollination for rates under $100 per hive are weak 3-4 frame splits made just for the pollination season then sold off afterwards.  The California almond growers, among others, have pollination fees assigned by how many full frames of bees are in a hive.  Less than 6 is not considered acceptable and 8-10 are the average desired.
Some shaddy operators will split their hives going into the almonds to pick up sub par fees from desperate growers and then will sell  as many of the hives as they can afterward as stated above.  Anything they have over is haphazardly improved over the remainder of the year, overwintered and the process is repeated the next year.

Their are shysters in most lines of commerce, beekeeping is not immune.
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Offline rdy-b

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Re: Florida Pollination Prices??
« Reply #15 on: February 08, 2009, 10:05:22 pm »
many different scenarios-dinks for under a hundred you say-well here is another spin-astralian packages $135 for the four pound (cost to purchase)package-4 frames of bees -that will rent for $140 under contract -keeper makes no money but builds up numbers for honey production-the clam is the package bees will have no brood so the whole colony is the field force-this has been going on for years-remember it takes a million colonies to pollenate the almond crop-nobodody knows what will shake out intill the game is over-this year there will be some of these Australian packages in the orchard i am in -i will try and post some pics of there strength-compared to eight frames
buy the way the 3000 hives advertised for $75 are not dinks with out geting into specifics they are good bees
  8-) RDY-B
more neat stuff
http://www.beesource.com/pov/traynor/pnpdec2008.htm
« Last Edit: February 08, 2009, 10:15:36 pm by rdy-b »

Offline rast

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Re: Florida Pollination Prices??
« Reply #16 on: February 08, 2009, 10:18:59 pm »
 Not much to do with my praying that these barren orange trees bloom next month, but, good luck rdy-b.
Fools argue; wise men discuss.
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