selling honey

[hooyaman]

where do you sell honey by the drum?  is there a market for it, if so where do i find it on the net?

[rdy-b]

 http://www.honeylocator.com/           http://www.honeylocator.com/signup.asp                                                                 how many drums do you have to sell   8-) RDY-B   

[Understudy]

Can you update your profile to show where you live it makes it easier to answer these type of questions.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[hooyaman]

I was just wondering, because i was looking at the ag page and honey was going for .58 cents a pound selling a minium of 10000 lbs.  I just wanted to see if that was correct.  because if it was, i dont see how anyone could make any money selling honey.

[rdy-b]

now your catching on costs money to be big time  ;) RDY-B

[Zoot]

Most of the smaller hobbyists I know (like myself) try to seek out venues where you can sell honey for full retail. Admittedly it's hard to find and takes some luck. I've been fortunate - I sell all I can harvest and want to part with through my girlfriend's stores (women's clothing, housewares, etc). We keep a couple of dozen 1 lb bottles on her counter to sell as an "impulse" item. I sell it as organic since I don't medicate and feed very little. In August I raised the price to $8.00 per bottle and no one has blinked an eye at it. Still, I end up giving most away as presents, charitable donations, etc.

[hooyaman]

Well, I was just thinking that a person would have to be out of their mind to sell their honey for .58 cents a pound.  i thought it would be more than that. 10000 lbs of honey would be a tractor trl load for a little over 5000.00 dollars.  Thats crazy.  guess you would have to find a different way to market your product.  I will have 100 hives going next spring. I think I can book the hives for polination, but trying to figure out the best way to move the honey.  Selling a couple hundred pounds over the winter isnt hard, but trying to sell several thousand lbs will be a trick, or a miracle.

[rdy-b]

you will be able to find whole sale buyers no problem if you bottle it you can charge 4 bucks or so jar and label run about a buck (for easy figuring ) thats 3 bucks a pound profit. 100 hives average year could be 5-6 thousand pounds give or take. you could sell it by the drum to other beeks to supplement there crop one or two drums goes for a buck to a buck twenty per pound. you can sell it at the farmers market for any where from 5 to 6 bucks (thats my venue) so you can make something remember 100 colonies is still a hobby but you cant beat this hobby if you do it right  ;) RDY-B

[hooyaman]

that sounds a lot better.  3.00 was what i was figuring.  I will be happy to get 2000 the first season.  Thanks for the input.  I feel a lot better about it now.  Have a good one.

[Understudy]

Check with:
http://missourifarmersunion.org/coop/fmarkets.htm

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[randydrivesabus]

I sell it as organic since I don't medicate and feed very little.

if your sales exceed $5,000 per year you are required to be certified to sell your product as organic. either way it is misleading unless you research the requirements for doing so and adhere to them. i believe that one of the requirements for organic honey is that the bees are foraging on certified organic nectar sources. if you are feeding syrup then the sugar needed to make the syrup needs to be certified organic. to some consumers this is very important and not following the rules is dishonest.
you could just sell your product as honey from unmedicated bees and be more honest.

 

[Understudy]

I sell it as organic since I don't medicate and feed very little.

Unless you are able to guarentee that no one within two miles is using chemicals you may not label it organic. You may label it chemical free but not organic.


Sincerely,
Brendhan

[rdy-b]

I direct you to the NOSB APICULTURE TASK FORCE REPORT 
                         DRAFT ORGANIC APICULTURE STANDARDS   
                         COMPILED BY JAMES A RIDDLE ATF CHAIR
  If you follow these standards you will be able to register as organic and under the  $5000 dollar exemption sell organic
if you use one location not all location it is not difficult. if you only sell one of your products as organic (not the hole shooting match ) such as your COMB HONEY it is not difficult. if you provide managed land in accordance  with 205.207 your bees may also forage on NON ORGANICALYMANAGED LAND ( i have done my home work on tis matter) if i have more time i will try to get up the links. like i said you cant beat this hobby if you do it right ;)  RDY-B  (doing it right in cali. 8-)     

[rdy-b]

 latest report  keep in mind if you want to go past the $500 exemption which you should be able to find on your own.
you will have to be  CERTIFIED which is other than REGISTERED. the CERTIFYING AGENSY will cost big bucks and you have to met there standards :( also the paper work will bury you :-\ like i said it cost money to be big time
 this link will let you se some light on the subject look at 205.240 part F section (1)


 these rules are to let the small farmer compete with large corporations and is supported by LAW  ;) :) :lol: 8-) RDY-B

[rdy-b]

Iguse the link would help  :-D   http://www.beesource.com/pov/organic/nosb.htm

[randydrivesabus]

i think oregon tilth is the only certifier certifying bees. they have inspectors all over though...not just in oregon.
most retail outlets require certification if they are buying from you. and it cost about $500-$800.

[rdy-b]

to get certified you have keep paying the agency to write the reports and keep with in the plan of the agency so you are on the hook and have to keep there services which means you pay them to come out and stand around       ( which is how most inspections are) after it is all said and done you are several thousand dollars the poorer  the essayist way is to do the whole farm and include the bees. then you can justify the expense or you will need to be a mega operation which is not where you want to go  ;) remember being registered allows you to advertise and promote the O word.selling to retail is permitted but you can not pass the exemption mark of $5000 for your total sales of organic why waste it on a retailer when the money looks better in your pocket  :loll: RDY-B

[Cindi]

I sell my honey to friends of friends, and they tell two people, and so on and so on.

I sell it for 1 cent per gram.  The bottles are 500 grams (375 ml).  There are 453.59 grams in a pound, so I am getting a little over $5.00 a pound.  This has been my price always, it does not waiver.  People are happy.  Have a wonderful and beautiful day, Cindi

[rdy-b]

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]

now I see it if you are getting 1 cent per gram- and there are 453 grams in a pound you can not get $5.00 a pound you can only get $4.53 -took me a second look Im a little slow today been selling honey and talking bees at the farmers market many people love to talk about bees and honey - always keep a open mind about sales technique   :lol: still would like to know what kind of bottle you use  RDY-B