Author Topic: Where do you place your hives if your town does not let you have bees? (Read 3659 times)

czman11 · « **on:** August 16, 2011, 11:50:56 pm »

I live in a small (270 people) town in Kansas and the "city" office decided that I can have 1 or maybe 2 hives. I know that I'm not the only one struggling with this so I hope someone in the forum may give me an idea what to do in order to have more than 2 hives.

JP · « **Reply #1 on:** August 16, 2011, 11:59:21 pm »

I would suggest you look at the ordinance with a fine tooth comb. It may stipulate that you can have more than two if your nearest neighbors give written permission. You just may find that there are obstacles that you might be able to work around.

...JP

Bee Brothers Apiary · « **Reply #2 on:** August 17, 2011, 12:05:44 am »

JP makes a great point!

why do you want more than two?

some of us have two that are 6+ boxes tall,
what more do you want? focus on quality!

all the best!

SerenaSYH · « **Reply #3 on:** August 17, 2011, 12:30:08 am »

A belated hi, Czman! I'm from Kansas, too, but a thwarted Kansan Citian, lol! In Overland Park which is the largest suburb in Kansas City, no beekeeping allowed Grrrrrrrr! But then I'm sure I'd have tons of dead bees the way Kansas City is plastering all their garden centers with new Sevin products....I'm still sweating it and keeping my eyes peeled for any honeybee disappearance--crossing my fingers big-time. Bayer has now stopped the environmentalist group NRDAC from filing any more petitions to the ERA and there is not a single thing we can do about it either. Just a horrible, greedy corporation. They have also driven all their competition out of business or bought them out: Harpin, Compass were important far more benign fungicides and they were "silenced". There is also another benign synthetic chemical lawn treatment competitor that was also "silenced". Harpin has a pseudo-false website after the supposed "buyout". If you look closely it is impossible for an ordinary customer to order now....lots of brutal shenanigans.

But all I can do is pick my battles. Say what needs to be said and hope that eventually enough people will realize the dangers and stop using this product.

Well, Czman11, I wish you a happy and fantastic way to get around the loopholes and grow as many wonderful, thriving hives as you possibly can!!!!!

In a way though Bee Brothers has a real good thought about the startup for quality and getting that super strong hive first. Sheesh with all the obstacles that can get in the way of getting a healthy hive- predators, disease, and vicious crop pesticides, it's a battle of getting the healthiest possible hive too. I have found out that whenever I start a passionate hobby, the hardest thing is remembering to start gradually! I just want to jump in and do it! lol! no self-control, haha! Like when I first got into roses. I bought too many all at once and I still make this same impulsive mistake! Same with trying to find the best bee plant. Went crazy and wasted all my money getting useless plants for the very picky Kansas honeybee....

czman11 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 17, 2011, 02:29:43 am »

Thank you all to warm welcome. Well, why more hives? I would like to eventually try bee farming with to make maybe some extra income. Times are hard and every dollar counts. I have an acre behind my house that I can not put to use due to city ordinances (no life stock of any kind) so I just keep mowing it. It would look so nice with some hives on it. Neighbors already agreed but our city council is stubborn :'(

BTW this town (population 270) is surrounded with fields and cattle in at least 20 miles radius so I just don't understand their motivation.

indypartridge · « **Reply #5 on:** August 17, 2011, 07:47:51 am »

Finding places to put colonies is one thing, dealing with town ordinances is another. I'll answer your initial question: talk to people you know - at church, 4-H, Grange, whatever groups or organizations you're part of. Chances are you'll find someone who would love to have some bees on their farm or property either to help with pollination, or just because they've read about the bees being in trouble and want to "help the bees".

You could also put an ad on craigslist or in a local paper that you're looking for possible sites to place bees.

JP · « **Reply #6 on:** August 17, 2011, 10:31:35 am »

Quote from: czman11 on August 17, 2011, 02:29:43 am

Thank you all to warm welcome. Well, why more hives? I would like to eventually try bee farming with to make maybe some extra income. Times are hard and every dollar counts. I have an acre behind my house that I can not put to use due to city ordinances (no life stock of any kind) so I just keep mowing it. It would look so nice with some hives on it. Neighbors already agreed but our city council is stubborn :'(

BTW this town (population 270) is surrounded with fields and cattle in at least 20 miles radius so I just don't understand their motivation.

So your city has 270 people living in it? Heck why not petition the entire city? I bet you and most of your town would have a great chance at changing that ordinance. I would think that most of the people in your town would be for bee keeping if they were properly informed/educated as to how wonderful and useful honeybees are.

If your town had a million plus people that could be a problem but 270 people, heck!

...JP

Tommyt · « **Reply #7 on:** August 17, 2011, 10:47:12 am »

I'm with JP you could educate them ,may end in a good bee friendly town
There is so much Positive info on-line you could do a Slide show and Discussion
on all the benefits,this may be good or bad for the little town but NY.NY know
has legal bee keepers

best of Luck
Tommyt

Scadsobees · « **Reply #8 on:** August 17, 2011, 11:07:22 am »

If your neighbors are ok with it, then who's going to call the city if you add more?

It is easier to ask forgiveness than permission, especially when bees are concerned. And if you have trouble and still want more, maybe a few neighbors would consent to putting the hives just over the line in their yard.

Worse comes to worst you can always find somebody outside of town and keep hives there for a little honey "rent".

Rick

derekm · « **Reply #9 on:** August 17, 2011, 11:27:33 am »

just outside the town limits - the bees will fly 2 miles into town!

Larry Bees · « **Reply #10 on:** August 17, 2011, 12:07:17 pm »

If your town is that small, land outside of town should be cheap to buy, so just buy an acre of land out by those cow pastures and tell the town to kiss your butt. Larry

czman11 · « **Reply #11 on:** August 17, 2011, 12:36:19 pm »

Love your posts guys. Thanks for the good ideas.

J.P You right, maybe I should petition the whole city :-D

Larry, I actually tried to do what you are suggesting but this town is in clutches of offspring that came here and started this town some 200 years ago and they own the land around. When I ask them about purchase I get cold shoulder. Anyway, love your response :-D

sterling · « **Reply #12 on:** August 17, 2011, 02:13:25 pm »

I don't have an answer for you, but is ashame a person can't do what he wants with his own property. :'(

TN. passed a law this year saying you can put bees anywhere you want and a complainer can do nothing about it. I just had a neighbor threaten to destroy my bees at one site, so I called the state apiary inspector and that is what he told me.

danno · « **Reply #13 on:** August 17, 2011, 02:29:29 pm »

One of the townships in my county passed a no hunting ordinance years ago and posted the whole town with "no hunting signs" We hunt with hawks. I went to the townhall and got the actual ordinance and it read no guns and bows period. They told me that isn't what they ment and that any hunting was forbidden but thats the way they worded it so now there stuck with us. Also I would see if they have any discription of what they mean by a hive. You might be able to get away with 2 pallets

octagon · « **Reply #14 on:** August 17, 2011, 04:52:37 pm »

tell your town board that you'll only charge them half price for the service to the town that your bees are doing.

Kathyp · « **Reply #15 on:** August 17, 2011, 08:04:43 pm »

stack the hives on top of each other. makes inspections a little hard, but unless they have a beekeeper to come take a close look, chances are they'd never come close enough to notice.

check out the farmers market if you have one, for contacts. people call me all the time wanting bees on their property. i bet you'll find a place. maybe even a cheap lease of an acre. farmers always have a corner that they don't use and they might swap the space for some honey or just for the chance that your bees will help their crops.

got a little town newspaper? see if someone (or you) will do an article on the benefits of small beekeeping in towns. better gardens, fruit trees, etc.

alfred · « **Reply #16 on:** August 17, 2011, 08:36:51 pm »

You know your original post makes me wonder.
You said
" I live in a small (270 people) town in Kansas and the "city" office decided that I can have 1 or maybe 2 hives."

So I am wondering how they "decided" that you can have 1 or 2 hives? Is there an actual ordinance? What does it really say? They who ever "they" are at the city office cant simply lay down an arbitrary "law". Unless it is in the books then you can do what you want. I think if I was you I would ask to see the code that limits your hive numbers.

Alfred

Tommyt · « **Reply #17 on:** August 17, 2011, 08:39:24 pm »

Brain storm
Build a shed line every wall with Hives
I know of one such place here in Florida the guy
put a window on one wall when working hives
He leaves the top of the window open
Cut entrances in walls,you now have a
Shed taken over by Bees
Down the road you put your extractor in the shed :evil:
Necessity the mother of invention :-D

Tommyt

hankdog1 · « **Reply #18 on:** August 18, 2011, 04:08:18 am »

Heck if it's that small maybe you should run for city council or mayor. Put a few extra bucks in your pocket for doing the job and change the ordinance. Great thing about local officials when a city is that small you don't like what they are doing take their spot. :evil:

Bee-Bop · « **Reply #19 on:** August 18, 2011, 11:16:09 am »

Most towns, small ones inparticular, do not write their ordinances !

There is a " Book of Ordinances " from which cities/towns copy/use.

Bee-Bop