Mistakes with selecting properties

[TheMasonicHive]

Hello everyone,

I don't have my own land, I live in an apartment and have nowhere to keep my bees.

My wife was driving down a country road about 10 minutes from us and saw a few hives out in a guys front yard, so I approached him about putting hives out there.

It was pretty brief, but the fact of the matter is, I don't know this guy from Adam.

Has anyone had any horror stories regarding using someone elses land to put their bees on?  Is there certain caution I need to be taking when working there?

I'd love some insight on etiquitte and hazards to avoid.  Thank you!

[JP]

Try to survey the area best you can, in a three mile radius or so. Approach farmers if you can or nurseries both usually welcome beekeepers.

Be prepared to part with some honey annually to the property owner, this is definitely a prerequisite.

Avoid areas or property with heavy chemical spraying that would adversely affect your bees.

If you know some spraying will occur find out what is being used and take appropriate precautions such as temporarily sealing your hives.

You don't want an area that is too wet. Makes access difficult and keeps the area damp and extra cold in winter.

Others will chime in with more suggestions.


...JP

[TheMasonicHive]

Actually the land owner requested no honey at all.  He said the only thing he asks if I give him a day of hard work helping him split wood, which I have no problem with at all.

I'll probably still give him some honey though!

[Kathyp]

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,22666.0.html

 :evil:   :evil:   :-D

[D Coates]

Who's bee's are already there?  Make sure to mark your hives so there's no disagreement as to who's is what.  Understand your hive(s) may be accused of something the other owners hives did or visa versa.  Illnesses, parasites, failed hives, and the beekeeping style and temperment of the other beekeeper are somethings to be very aware of.   You definately want to give the landowner some honey, 5 pounds goes a looong way.  Underpromising but overdelivering will help when any unforseen swarms appear or trouble of any kind rears it's head.  Keep the bees away from their normal travel areas.  I'd work them on weekday evenings or late Sunday afternoons (assuming the weather is good). This gives the hive overnight to calm down if they're agitated.

Where I keep my hives is my land but there is a house about 200 yards away.  I made sure to introduce myself and occasionally show up to give them honey.  It keeps communication open and freindly, I don't want trouble if there's a sting or a swarm ends up in a tree on their land.  They're also protective eyes and ears overlooking my hives, and when deer season starts (bowhunting) he lets me know what he's seen and when.

[Finski]

Probably you may rent a piece of land somewhere.

To keep hives together with someone else, it suits me at all. Bees forage same pastures an d same yield.

I live in the capital city.  I  have a summer cottage where I have all beekeeping stuff. The I migrate hives to different pastures every summer. I collect them to cottage yeard for winter.

[TheMasonicHive]

The guy who owns the property is the guy with the hives...He's only got two.

I mean, he seemed nice, yet weird at the same time.  To him I might have seemed exactly the same.  Who knows.

[Scadsobees]

I mean, he seemed nice, yet weird at the same time.  To him I might have seemed exactly the same.  Who knows.

Ha ha!  Get used to it!  After all, we keep boxes full of stinging bugs for fun!!  I long ago abandoned the comforts of normality and ventured off into the great blue yonder of weirdness.   :-D

[mjdtexan]

Ha ha!  Get used to it!  After all, we keep boxes full of stinging bugs for fun!!  I long ago abandoned the comforts of normality and ventured off into the great blue yonder of weirdness.   :-D

Thats good stuff right there.  :mrgreen:

[Finski]

, he seemed nice, yet weird at the same time.  

a human must be weird if he starts beekeeping. Stubborn is the most necessary adjective.

[Gabect]

Are there any community gardens in your area? Or collective type groups? These people in my neck of the woods love bees.

Greetings from Fidelity St. Johns Lodge #3 by the way.

[Kathyp]

i get offers from people who read my swarm removal ad on craigslist.  the one above came from there and i got one the other day that sounds really nice.  40 acres along the river.  farm land and blackberries. 

[D Coates]

Go with your gut but with eyes wide open.  Personally I prefer to have only my own bees/equipment in my apiary.  Any challenges or problems are mine and mine alone.  I can deal with them how I believe is best.

If you're comfortable with it though run with it.  It could be the beginning of a great friendship.  Does he extract or have an extractor?  You could work together during harvesting.  Extra manpower during harvesting is REALLY nice.

[wd]

In my state, the agreement made between the beekeeper and property owner to keep hives must have documented permission / authorization. It is mandatory by state law. A copy of the document must be turned in to the local district.

In the past, not knowing state law, I have had verbal agreements for honey only in trade but nothing was guaranteed in their first year and they (2 yards) really didn't want the honey, nonetheless, that was our agreement.

I'm one that would want to know the type or line of bee kept in the hives already there and adjust what I keep accordingly. I wouldn't want to bring in a bee that has the potential of creating or adding to existing problems. A different hive design along with what has already been mentioned may help distinguish what belongs to whom if need be.

Thought I'd mention that I've noticed in some countries, say the Iran / Iraq area keep a hive or a few hives on an apartment porch, roof tops or any place one or more will fit, the keeper has good access to and with out giving trouble too or from others.some of the places they keep them are amazing to me. Of course some of those locations may go over like a ton of lead bricks here in the states yet it depends on the agreement made per location.

I'd think a day splitting wood could help in getting to know one another.

[mtbe]

Horror story: Yes, I have one.

A beginning beekeeper in our club was becoming very active, started with 5 hives that were donated by a retiring beekeeper.  In a few months he had 12 hives from other donations.   But, they were donated for his cause, which was educating children.  He worked an agreement with a local business, a historical farm that was used for tourism, for to place his bees.

After one year, he was locked out and did not get his bees, tools or hives since the farm understood they were "donated" to them.

I don't know what the agreement said (i.e. % honey each received, what did proceeds get used for, etc), but he did say his mistake was not listing what was his vs donations to the farm.  He lost a lot of tools, the bees, and his time.  The farm hired another beekeeper to continue the work.

[Two Bees]

The problem that I am trying to work through now is one that you don't seem to have.  A friend of mine who has about 25 acres has expressed an interest in my putting a few hives on his land.  I plan to give him some honey for "rent".  The problem is he doesn't seem to be able to make up his mind!  One day he calls me and says that he thinks he would like to have a couple of hives..............a few weeks later when I call him to get together, he indicates that he's not sure.

So, I decided to just back off and play it cool.  My concern is that once I have located some hives on his property, he might hear something about Texas having killer bees and decide that he doesn't want ANY bees on his property.

[Scadsobees]

mtbe above has the story that goes with my first thought....

If this fellow has hives already, you need it clearly and legally delineated what are your hives and what are your rights to them.  Just in case he decides to "grow" his apiary.

I'm sure he's most likely a great guy and probably trustworthy, and it is great to be able to trust implicitly, but when there is no basis for trust(no knowledge of him!) just make sure that your stuff is protected.

Rick

[Bee Happy]

The only horror story called to my mind is from a friend who lived abutting a hunting lease, they invited him to join for free if he kept an eye on the place and did the maintenance share that was requisite of every leaseholder. -wasn't long before they added more to his duties including covering for other members (since his membership was given "free"). so the next year he became a dues paying member, and they still expected the caretaker overload they'd given him, The year after that he was out (and even told some strangers that he knew a great place to hunt).
 Most people will honor their agreements if you can produce proof of what they agreed to - this guy might be a man of his word though and you'll have nothing to worry about. (cuz those people exist too)

[harvey]

Oakland Township?   Where is that?   I am Elba Township up by Lapeer,  About twenty miles North of the Oakland co. Lapeer Co border.   Lots of places up here for bee's.   All the people that I know that used to keep bee's in this area have gotten out of it cept one that I met just last Sunday. 

[Michael Bush]

I bought a brand before I started putting bees on people's places where I didn't know them that well.  That way it's hard to argue...