Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Pollenating crops services  (Read 2195 times)

Offline AdmiralD

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 114
Pollenating crops services
« on: January 16, 2006, 02:05:54 am »
Has anyone ever charged for pollenating orchards? Ever rented out your bees?

How did you do it?

How much did you charge?

Online Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19832
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Pollenating crops services
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2006, 07:42:04 am »
I have not.

Those who have can give more detailed advice.

Most pollenation is migratory, hauling semi truck loads of bees all over the country.  Especially to California for the almonds.

Sometimes you can find a local orchard that only wants a few hives.  Or some gardeners that want one hive.

You need some kind of contract, both to prove ownership of the hives and to spell out the responsibilities of the person hiring the pollenation.  They have to promise to notify you if they are going to spray so you can remove the bees.  You need some realistic, but short timeline for such things.  Also some timeline for moving the hives in.  For pollenation of a particular crop the bees are usually not moved onto the place until the crop is starting to bloom.  Otherwise the bees will already have found a source for nectar and will probably not abandon that source for the new one.

Take into account the work and cost of gas, moving the hives in and out.  If you can't get a price that's worth the work, don't do it.  :)
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline AdmiralD

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 114
Pollenating crops services
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2006, 02:03:33 pm »
Boy, what I have in mind is somewhat different than what you had in mind....

Oh well, chauk it up to this type of communication :)

I was thinking on a small scale, like renting out 5 to 10 hives. Are there beekeepers who do that sort of thing? Can one build up the hives by going south 300 miles for 3 weeks?

And how do you go about finding those who have small orchards? Do you just go up to the owner of the field of, say 5 acres, and ask if he would like to rent some bees?  Do you put an ad in a local newspaper? What else can you do to get some rental moneys?

And you are correct, timing is everything. :D

Offline AZ.Yuma.Beeguy

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 3
Pollenating crops services
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2006, 03:45:34 pm »
Quote from: AdmiralD
Boy, what I have in mind is somewhat different than what you had in mind....

Oh well, chauk it up to this type of communication :)

I was thinking on a small scale, like renting out 5 to 10 hives. Are there beekeepers who do that sort of thing? Can one build up the hives by going south 300 miles for 3 weeks?

And how do you go about finding those who have small orchards? Do you just go up to the owner of the field of, say 5 acres, and ask if he would like to rent some bees?  Do you put an ad in a local newspaper? What else can you do to get some rental moneys?

And you are correct, timing is everything. :D



i was thinking about doing the same thing. start out small rent a few Bees and see how it gos. there is a LOT of  farming down here in the south part of AZ.  Alfalfa. Orchards and melons.  grow all over the place. ive looked in the Phone book for beekeeps or Pollenating crops services but cant find any. i know there here i see hives next to craps ever now and thin. the beekeeper i know only keeps bees for honey. so with all the farmland around here there has to be a need for it even for a small time guy just starting out.

AZ.Yuma.Beeguy :)

Online Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19832
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Pollenating crops services
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2006, 08:14:32 pm »
Farmers, especially vegatble and fruit farmers, like to spray.  Without a contract you could lose all your bees.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin