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Author Topic: selling honey  (Read 29654 times)

Offline Cindi

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Re: selling honey
« Reply #20 on: October 21, 2007, 01:27:54 pm »
what kind of bottle are you using -you know of course if those are liquid measurements   for the bottle your honey weight will not be the same- honey weight is more than volume-I also find i cant get three pounds in a quart -but 4 quarts make a gallon so the tell me ;) and a gallon of honey weighs 12-pounds go figure (i guess the quart would be a liquid or volume measurement makes a difference) still tastes just as good though RDY-B

RDY-B, ooooooh you make me laugh.  I get a kick out of the things that you say and it brings a smile to my face.

You are 100% bang on with me getting actually $4.53 a pound, not $5.00.  I have no clue why I said I was getting a little over $5.00 a pound, that doesn't make any sense whatsoever, now does it?  I am a strange breed  :) :)

There is 11.8 pounds to a gallon of honey, that is the exact amount.

Honey weights 1/2 times again the weight of water (trivia)  1.5 specific gravity to be exact (trivia)

I use jars that hold by weight 500 grams, I know this for a fact.  I have a supermarket scale that hangs up, it is very exact, right down to the gram, and I have used it for many years when weighing stuff.  I know the exact spot to stop when I am filling the jars  :) :) 

I have never actually measured the liquid volume of the honey, only go by the weight.  I think that if I measured the 500 gram bottle honey in ml, it would probably be 375 ml, but I could certainly be wrong, I have known to be wrong now and then  :roll: ;) :)

RDY-B, I hope you had fun at your farmers' market.  I think that is so very cool that you go and sell your produce there, that is a wonderful way to give to humans some good quality, home grown food.  Yeah!!!!  Good for you.  We have a farmers' market in our area and I think that next spring my Sister and I are going to join and have some fun, taking any extra produce/eggs/honey there to have others enjoy with what we can grow and enjoy here too.  You have a wonderful and beautiful day.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline utahbeekeeper

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Re: selling honey
« Reply #21 on: October 31, 2007, 12:29:12 am »
I suppose there is a market for honey that has "certified", "registered", "organic", "unmedicated", "chemical free" and the like on a label.  I would feel badly if the public at large came to feel that all honey is garbage if these phrases are not found on the label.  It would be my hope that most local beeks that sell honest raw honey to local consumers would not have to place any such alarming words as chemical free on a honey label.  I have sold most of my 300 pounds as "Pure Raw Honey" at farmers market and from my home, and folks have not required these rather alarming disclaimers from me.  I do understand that to some folks, these assurances in print are important.  However I feel that to most purchasing honey produced locally, the basic idea is that it is inherently different in these ways from big time honey.

FYI, I use integrated pest management . . . sbb's, strong Texas queens every other year, and a powdered sugar spritz late summer and fall.  Yeah, I have mites to count, but not so many as to cause stress on the hives.  No meds, but I cannot speak to the nectar sources near by. I have been fortunate, I know.  I sell honey   (link to my site is in my profile if one is interested) the old fashion way, in gussied up pint and quart mason jars for around $4.50 a pound, labeled as pure raw honey.  When I extract, the temps still in the 80's and honey flows well without heat. 

Guess what I am saying is I saw a lot of words that, if included on honey lables, could cast a cloud generally on a pretty wholesome product.  What I did not see here is any discussion on just plain raw honey and trusting your producer.  Granted in this the 21st century trust in our foods and food manufacturers is not what it used to be.  My small market here is content with what we sell.  I hope it is always so with me and you!  JP
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Offline rdy-b

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Re: selling honey
« Reply #22 on: October 31, 2007, 01:15:58 am »
I like what i see on your site I dont have a web site- Dont want to ship- dont want pay pal -I want to sell in person met and greet -talk bees and honey. see the smile on a kids face when i give them a FREE honey stick. dont know much about mail order honey through the internet.one thing puzzles me is the low number you threw out for your yield. are you in the process of a expansion. I wish you luck with your endeavors  RDY-B

Offline utahbeekeeper

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My site and 2007 yeild
« Reply #23 on: October 31, 2007, 11:44:41 am »
Thanks for the "flowers" re my web pages.  I only had two hives online for most of season and they did very well.  My inner city location right next to the Millcreek provides something for the bees from late April until September.  They really pack it in.  Yes, I have added a third hive, and that will be it.  Perhaps a real bee yard out west when I retire in 4 years, but maybe not.  The photo and web design biz keeps me as busy and I really want to be.

I sell very little honey that is shipped.  Most is as you enjoy . . . face to face with friends, co-workers and at Farmer's Market.  The web site makes me appear bigger.  Thanks again, rdy-b   JP
Pleasant words are like an honeycomb, sweet to the soul and health to the bones.  Prov 16:24

Offline Kirk-o

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Re: selling honey
« Reply #24 on: November 02, 2007, 09:18:16 pm »
I love your site.My first bees I had up in Fruit Heights not to far from Ogden this was in the 70's.Keep up the good work
kirko
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Offline amandrea

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Re: selling honey
« Reply #25 on: December 25, 2007, 02:11:14 pm »
Seems we have gotten a little off topic. The question is what honey processor ior buyer or what ever is buying bulk honey by the pail or barrell that I can ship to via UPS?

Offline rdy-b

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Re: selling honey
« Reply #26 on: December 25, 2007, 04:59:30 pm »
You can only send pails UPS-how much honey do you have to sell?  RDY-B

Offline amandrea

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Re: selling honey
« Reply #27 on: December 27, 2007, 12:49:00 am »
I have none to sell. I produce it in the comb and my wife barters with it. Maybe some day i will have so much that I can sell some to packers.

Offline BJ_BOBBI_JO

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Re: selling honey
« Reply #28 on: February 05, 2008, 11:22:28 pm »
OK Im gonna drive yall crazy with questions. I want to ask and learn as much about beekeeping as I can before I dive in and begin beekeeping.

I am not expecting to make it rich selling honey, that is not my main intention for wanting to beekeep. But I was thinking that if my hives
( which I dont have yet) were to make an extra amount of honey that perhaps selling some would bring in some extra spending money for my family. So here are my questions:

-in order to sell honey to others and at farmers markets and places like garage sales do I need to be liciensed and or do I have to do anything to the honey to make it legal to sell?

- do you sell the honey freshly poured from the hive just like that?

-Is there a  large desire out there in people to have fresh honey?

-About how long will honey last when stored? And where/how is the best places to store excess honey to sell/use later one?

Ty for answering my questions.  :)

Offline Understudy

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Re: selling honey
« Reply #29 on: February 06, 2008, 12:29:00 am »
OK Im gonna drive yall crazy with questions. I want to ask and learn as much about beekeeping as I can before I dive in and begin beekeeping.

I am not expecting to make it rich selling honey, that is not my main intention for wanting to beekeep. But I was thinking that if my hives
( which I dont have yet) were to make an extra amount of honey that perhaps selling some would bring in some extra spending money for my family. So here are my questions:

-in order to sell honey to others and at farmers markets and places like garage sales do I need to be liciensed and or do I have to do anything to the honey to make it legal to sell?
In some yes in others no. You may have to have a food bottlers license also.

Quote
- do you sell the honey freshly poured from the hive just like that?
Yes, that's raw honey.

Quote
-Is there a  large desire out there in people to have fresh honey?
Yes
Quote
-About how long will honey last when stored? And where/how is the best places to store excess honey to sell/use later one?
In a large clean sealable container
Quote
Ty for answering my questions.  :)
No worries.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

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Offline JP

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Re: selling honey
« Reply #30 on: February 06, 2008, 12:29:40 am »
[author=BJ_BOBBI]
OK Im gonna drive yall crazy with questions.  >> no you won't.

-in order to sell honey to others and at farmers markets and places like garage sales do I need to be liciensed and or do I have to do anything to the honey to make it legal to sell?  >> You will need to check your area on specific regulations. I know in some states you don't have to have any special permits or even report your earnings as long as your sales are less or equal to $5,000.00

- do you sell the honey freshly poured from the hive just like that? >> yes.

-Is there a  large desire out there in people to have fresh honey? >> God, yes!

-About how long will honey last when stored? And where/how is the best places to store excess honey to sell/use later on?  

>> Some have honey houses that they keep warm yr round to keep the honey from granulating prematurely. The warmer the environment the longer it'll stay liquid. Honey can be kept for an extremely long time, yrs, as long as it is bottled properly.

Ty for answering my questions.   >> you are quite welcome.


Sincerely, JP
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Offline Jerrymac

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Re: selling honey
« Reply #31 on: February 06, 2008, 05:19:28 am »
-About how long will honey last when stored?

They have found good honey in ancient tombs. It last awhile.
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Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: selling honey
« Reply #32 on: February 06, 2008, 11:46:01 pm »
-About how long will honey last when stored?

They have found good honey in ancient tombs. It last awhile.

Even the Pharoahs believed it was the nectar of the Gods. 
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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: selling honey
« Reply #33 on: February 07, 2008, 08:12:53 am »
If "last" means stay liquid, that could be as short as a few weeks or as long as several years depending on many factors including how finely you filter it, what temperature it's stored at, what kind of nectar it's made from, if and how much you heated it, how much it was already crystallizing before you harvested it.

But crystallizing doesn't hurt it any.
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Offline Cindi

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Re: selling honey
« Reply #34 on: February 07, 2008, 10:25:27 am »
I have 5 (500 gram) bottles of honey left over from the year 2006 harvest.  It is just starting to crystalize now, getting the kind of murky unclear look.  Until then, nodda.  I have compared the colour of that years honey to the first of the crush and strain that I did this year (about a week ago), the colour was identical.  But I think the second part of the crush and strain may be darker, haven't taken a picture of it yet, but will.  Have a wonderful and beautiful day, love our lives we live.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline ooptec

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Re: selling honey
« Reply #35 on: February 10, 2008, 05:06:33 pm »
Creaming is a great work-around w/the crystalization issues. Here I am luck as I keep my bees inside at 5°C (35-36°F) and keep my honey at that temp too. The lower the temp. the smaller the crystals and at just above freezing (or in a fridge) it turns a lovely creamy consistency and then can store at room temp. If honey is correct moisture (from capped cells) it will stay like that indefinitely.

If a customer wants liquid honey just tell them to put in pan of hot water on low till is liquid again.

One of the many benefits of living off the well beaten track, sell off the highway, farmers market, newspaper anywhere you can pretty well think of w/no licenses no fuss. This year which was my first I asked/got $5 for a pint (500ml) jar that weighs m.o.l. 650 grams or (calculator please) 1.444 lbs. This season will sell for $6 pint (500 ml) or $4.15/lb. what w/price of fuel etc. climbing almost hourly.

W/no prev. exper. w/bees-honey etc. was AMAZED at the popularity as well as all the homeopathic sort that rave it.

cheers

peter

Offline Understudy

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Re: selling honey
« Reply #36 on: February 10, 2008, 07:18:22 pm »

W/no prev. exper. w/bees-honey etc. was AMAZED at the popularity as well as all the homeopathic sort that rave it.

cheers

For the record I am not real big into a lot of the medicinal items I hear about it in regards to beekeeping. However I am not opposed to having them hand me their cash because they want pollen (which I think tastes like sand), propolis(which has the consistancy of bad chewing gum and a taste of bark), or something else they think will cure their aliment. And if it works for them even better.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

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Offline Cindi

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Re: selling honey
« Reply #37 on: February 11, 2008, 10:48:16 am »
One of the many benefits of living off the well beaten track, sell off the highway, farmers market, newspaper anywhere you can pretty well think of w/no licenses no fuss. This year which was my first I asked/got $5 for a pint (500ml) jar that weighs m.o.l. 650 grams or (calculator please) 1.444 lbs. This season will sell for $6 pint (500 ml) or $4.15/lb. what w/price of fuel etc. climbing almost hourly.
peter

Eeks, Peter.  My jars hold 350 ml of liquid, by weight, they are 500 grams.  I tell all my clients, it is 1 cent per gram.  A fellow beekeeper locally that sells his honey charges $6.00 for 350 ml (500 grams).  I am undercharging, obviously, and I think that you are too, you need to rethink this.  There is 454.3 grams to one pound.  That would be $4.54 a pound.  I think that would be the standard price in Canada for the product that is not sold wholesale.  If you want to talk more about this, give me a PM, or we could discuss here.  Have a great and wonderful day, love our space on our earth, Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline ooptec

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Re: selling honey
« Reply #38 on: February 12, 2008, 06:25:29 pm »
Don't I know it's too cheap.......

I've never been accused of undercutting     lol    but have 2 beekeep's in other farm mark and now saw one in an IGA (grocery store) yest. They are selling their honey for $6.75 a Kg. if you can believe that.

I got the $5 by going to stupor-store (superstore) and comparing what was on the shelf and picked not the lowest but in the middle.

But no-one had said a word about the price last season so I don' anticipate they will say anything about the $6 price tag for this season. Also have the edge that a lot bring up the relief from pollen allergies w/local (within a couple of KM) honey being good for that and as my 2 hives are in the back yard in the middle of the city I think I have the edge on that too.

I pack in 500ml (1 pint) glass Mason jars w/the top and ring so as to be 100% recyclable except for label and they use those generic plastic containers that most of the bee supply catalogues have.

Offline ThomBee

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Re: selling honey
« Reply #39 on: February 12, 2008, 07:48:41 pm »
Hi Everyone Ive been pretty busy so I haven't been here in a while.
I have been slowly working on my Beekeeping business and I sell My Honey for $10.00 a pound. I Package My Honey in Jelly jars That you can get at Wal-mart. My 4 OZ. jars go for $3.00 dollars, My 8 oz. jars go for $5.00 and I can fit a lb of honey in 12 oz. jars selling them for $8.00. The funny thing is that nobody bought the 1 lb. I had to rebottle them in 8 OZ jars. Customers would buy 2 or three of these at a time. I usaully give away the 4 oz jars and the customers have always come back with cash for more. I feel that if I keep the prices in the "pocket change" area that the customer has no problem paying a premium price. I sell every bit that I harvest and usually have to go buy honey From a friend for $6.00 lb for our own use. I let my customers know that I don't use chemicals and I feed my bees honey during the winter. I also express that there is a limited amount and the Jars give it an quality look. We are currently getting ready to go from 4 hives to 14 hives this year.  I had the Wal-mart Manager ask me to put honey on their shelves but I declined. I feel that it would "cheapen" my Honeys image. Because my  3 acre "farm" is in a somewhat residential district, I locate some of My hives on 3 Farmers properties. All three have noticed an increase in produce and asked for as many hives as I can put there. One guy even Made a road for Me. I charge Nothing and give them Honey in Exchange.They also sell some of my honey at their farms. I already have advance orders for about 350 lbs. next year and I am also starting to look into growing Mushrooms ( i Own and acre Of Cedar swamp.) I hope this helps and Good luck to everyone. Here Is to a SWEET season this year.
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