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Author Topic: what do you "pay" for a beeyard  (Read 27514 times)

Offline organicfarmer

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what do you "pay" for a beeyard
« on: June 15, 2010, 06:11:22 pm »
I am seeking to expand in a 2nd beeyard and have contacted fellow farmers. Someone was asking how much honey he'd get out of the deal (he also owns a restaurant and think he can supply some honey for it i guess !)
What is the common practice ? What do you offer the landowner in exchange for a dozen hives yard ?
i think free pollination, the pleasure of supporting a species in difficulties, and some (quantity???) honey.
Thanks in advance,

Offline asprince

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Re: what do you "pay" for a beeyard
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2010, 06:28:53 pm »
Around here I get more request for me to place bees on their property that I have bees. They do not expect payment, just the use of the bees on their property. I always make sure they have honey for their table. Some even plant for the bees. (They get more honey). I live in a rural area and open space is not a problem.

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Offline fermentedhiker

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Re: what do you "pay" for a beeyard
« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2010, 06:46:19 pm »
I'd try to approach it from a  different angle.  Go talk to farmers asking about what they are paying for pollination services(or if they no longer do it what they used to pay) and then ask about their interest in a year round contract.  If they are interested now you have already established that what you are doing has value to them and you can offer them a discount from what a standard pollination contract would be in exchange for the "permanent" yard space.  Just be sure to draw up a written contract outlining hive ownership and what each of your expectations are.  That's the direction I'm headed.  I've got one farmer who's said yes already and am hoping to add a new site every year or two depending on how many hives I end up growing to.  The reduced fee won't make me any real profit, but it will at least allow me to break even on my equipment costs, that way whatever I get can for honey will be actual profit.
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Offline JP

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Re: what do you "pay" for a beeyard
« Reply #3 on: June 15, 2010, 08:05:42 pm »
Most who entertain the idea of placing hives on their property are usually happy to be doing their part to help bees prosper, but they do want honey in return. Give them what you can spare, perhaps a gallon or so.

Get to know them. Help them with any chores they may need help with. Volunteer to baby sit their kids, etc...

Recently, one of my Dad's friends was all excited about the idea and getting some honey in return but said he needed to run it by his two sisters. (family land)

The sisters decided they wanted $5,000.00 a year for me to place 20-30 hives on the property.

No thanks.


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Offline luvin honey

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Re: what do you "pay" for a beeyard
« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2010, 08:25:22 pm »
An old beek used to drive through the family property to get to his hives in the back 40. He gave us around 1-2 gallons every year for that, and I think he was quite wonderfully generous! We would have been happy to let him go through for no cost, but even happier with the honey :)

As a vegetable grower, I would be happy with bees at no cost to the beek. If I didn't already have bees here, that is. I think many people would be happy just to do the good deed, especially if they knew about CCD and the value of bees to all of us.
The pedigree of honey
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A clover, any time, to him
Is aristocracy.
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Offline BjornBee

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Re: what do you "pay" for a beeyard
« Reply #5 on: June 15, 2010, 08:35:04 pm »
I am seeking to expand in a 2nd beeyard and have contacted fellow farmers. Someone was asking how much honey he'd get out of the deal (he also owns a restaurant and think he can supply some honey for it i guess !)
What is the common practice ? What do you offer the landowner in exchange for a dozen hives yard ?
i think free pollination, the pleasure of supporting a species in difficulties, and some (quantity???) honey.
Thanks in advance,

Define what type farmer you are contacting.

If it's a farmer who is benefiting from the bees, you should be getting paid.

If it's a commercial farmer that is NOT benefitting from your bees, you should look elsewhere. Corn, soybean, and other crop farm operations are the last place to keep bees healthy while expecting honey crops.

I keep bees on two types of property...

1) Commercial farms that pay me for my bees and pollination. If it was not for the pollination fee, there are way better places to keep bees.

2) Those yards I have sought for breeding clusters and drone saturation and those yards that are for honey and ease of operation to include queen rearing, etc. They include gentleman's farms, farms in CREP programs, and other non-spray operations. I may drop off some honey to these owners as they not only give me a place to keep healthy bees but call when they see a swarm or notice other problems. The guy that patrols my bee yards with his Uzi always get some extra.  ;)

Looking for nonpaying yards is fine (as in the #2 option). But paying to keep your bees on traditional farming operations with the risks of chemicals, constant mowing, and large tracts of land planted in useless plants for bees, while expecting to PAY for such sites, is as bad as you can get.

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Offline luvin honey

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Re: what do you "pay" for a beeyard
« Reply #6 on: June 15, 2010, 08:37:51 pm »
Looking for nonpaying yards is fine (as in the #2 option). But paying to keep your bees on traditional farming operations with the risks of chemicals, constant mowing, and large tracts of land planted in useless plants for bees, while expecting to PAY for such sites, is as bad as you can get.
No kidding! I wonder about finding yards/property that borders wetlands, wild areas, natural park-type areas...
The pedigree of honey
Does not concern the bee;
A clover, any time, to him
Is aristocracy.
---Emily Dickinson

Offline AllenF

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Re: what do you "pay" for a beeyard
« Reply #7 on: June 15, 2010, 09:30:11 pm »
I was trying to find some land between the garden centers of the Home Depot, Walmart, and the K-mart. 

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Re: what do you "pay" for a beeyard
« Reply #8 on: June 16, 2010, 08:05:24 am »
Quote
No kidding! I wonder about finding yards/property that borders wetlands, wild areas, natural park-type areas..

I started my new bee yard this year at a local conservation nature center protected forest.  In return for the use of the space and anytime access,  I provide presentations and information to their team of naturalists and to the visiting public on 'special' days at the nature center.

Big Bear

Offline Shawn

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Re: what do you "pay" for a beeyard
« Reply #9 on: June 16, 2010, 12:04:00 pm »
"The sisters decided they wanted $5,000.00 a year for me to place 20-30 hives on the property."

Jp, thats unheard of. Last year when I asked a friend to place my hives on their "family land" he siad he wanted 1/2 of the honey produced. There was a post about that.

I found around here people are very happy just to get honey for payment. When people started finding out I had beehives in the city they started coming to me and offerring their land for free. I keep sayign I want to move my bees out of town but this year they have produced so much honey already I dont know it woudl be worth it to move them.

Shawn

Offline JP

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Re: what do you "pay" for a beeyard
« Reply #10 on: June 16, 2010, 01:19:28 pm »
Shawn it was definitely a new one on me as well. I remember your post about the land owner wanting 1/2 of your honey harvests. That was absurd.


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Offline organicfarmer

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Re: what do you "pay" for a beeyard
« Reply #11 on: June 18, 2010, 04:42:04 pm »
Thanks for all the replies. They sum up what i thought.
i have my hives at a Nature Center in exchange for 'a bee class' and that works really well but i am outgrowing the place (esp. since it's in the middle of populated area.
i have since found many places outside the city that will happily take hives for their benefits (pollination) and no fee. We do not have large track of useless crops but between my fellow organic fahmers and the conservation land/community gardens type of places, i got a good feedback. If i only could grow them hives that fast.
No one asking for $5000 in return or half th ehoney though. i am sorely dissapointed. But, a while back a lady asked me if i'd pay for the bees i would remove from a hollow tree in her back yard. She did not understand when i told her i usually charge for my services !! :roll:

Offline sugar bee

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Re: what do you "pay" for a beeyard
« Reply #12 on: June 22, 2010, 12:59:31 am »
Hi all

I'd be interested in approaching community gardens but they're town-owned. I was told by one local CSA that rents a town-owned farm that they were interested in bees but doubted the town would want the liability. Anyone run into this sort of thing? thanks

Offline BeePuncher

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Re: what do you "pay" for a beeyard
« Reply #13 on: July 14, 2010, 12:41:35 pm »
Looking for nonpaying yards is fine (as in the #2 option). But paying to keep your bees on traditional farming operations with the risks of chemicals, constant mowing, and large tracts of land planted in useless plants for bees, while expecting to PAY for such sites, is as bad as you can get.
No kidding! I wonder about finding yards/property that borders wetlands, wild areas, natural park-type areas...

One of the best places I have found are gravel pits - the large country ones I mean. they are loaded with honey plants, and the ones I know are usually working only one little area for sand or gravel out of hundreds of acres. They berm up all around and those berms inevitably get full of sweet clover, milkweed, blueweed, sumacs etc - all stuff that helps to stabilize the soil and feed the bees! All pits get spent areas too where nothing can be extracted, and those areas get over run by honey plants too - great to see acres of bloom succeeding one another!

Offline bee-nuts

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Re: what do you "pay" for a beeyard
« Reply #14 on: July 14, 2010, 01:46:00 pm »
I would try looking up organic farms, strawberry farms, blueberry, or any other farm that needs pollination.  They need pollinator and usually need to pay for them.  They will be very happy if someone is looking for a free place.

Otherwise I would ask this guy how much honey he wants.  Explain to him what it takes to get that much honey.  Offer him/her a certain amounts then to sell amounts larger.

I would think a gallon or two of honey would make most people happy.  Farmers are usually pretty friendly from my experience here.  Thankfully I dont have to pay anything because I have lots of land in the family at my disposal.  That said I have sold bees to two veggie farmers and one said he would be happy to let me keep bees there but I just dont need another yard so I dont use it.  If there are any orchards, veggie farms...............  I would give them a call.  Hopefully there is good land around them for honey. 
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Offline jhs494

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Re: what do you "pay" for a beeyard
« Reply #15 on: September 15, 2010, 11:04:37 pm »
I simply asked if they would like some bees to help pollinate and they were happy to allow us to place all we wanted. We ended up with three hives there from splits we had done. It turned out to be a great location with a nice early spring flow. We pulled one full super from this spot with the most beautiful light colored honey.  The homeowner gladly accepted a rent payment of one quart for the use of the spot. She wanted local honey for her allergies and you can't get more local than your own backyard. In fact when I went to pull them out to take them home they really wanted them to stay. Very bad fall flow there and boxes were light. Brought them home to fatten them up on Goldenrod.

He asked if we could place more there next spring.

As a side note we attempted to get them started keeping bees themselves and got them a package through our club. When the package failed, I made them a five frame nuc with a good queen and gave it to them just to keep them interested in bees.
Joe S.

Offline luvin honey

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Re: what do you "pay" for a beeyard
« Reply #16 on: September 16, 2010, 07:49:50 pm »
That's a great story, jhs!
The pedigree of honey
Does not concern the bee;
A clover, any time, to him
Is aristocracy.
---Emily Dickinson

Offline okbees

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Re: what do you "pay" for a beeyard
« Reply #17 on: December 17, 2010, 12:52:55 am »
I am relatively new to beekeeping, but have 6 hives in the following locations
1. 2 hives at my house in the middle of town
2. 2 hives on 5 acres located in the middle of a large suburban town with very large homes surrounding it with very high end landscaping....paying one gallon of honey a year to landowner
3. 2 hives on 40 acres withing 2 miles of a walmart, lowes, homedepot garden centers and large additions with large houses and high end landscaping.....no payment...the owner has a 4 acre peach orchard and wants the bees there for pollination.

I don't know what my yields will be, but feel very optimistic...and the hives are very strong going into winter. 
So, my total outlay of yard rent is one gallon of honey......but, I am hoping for a nice yield and willing to give more for a Christmas gift to the owners.
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Offline bee-nuts

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Re: what do you "pay" for a beeyard
« Reply #18 on: December 17, 2010, 03:38:37 am »
I would like to see what that peach flow is like myself?
The moment a person forms a theory, his imagination sees in every object only the traits which favor that theory

Thomas Jefferson

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Re: what do you "pay" for a beeyard
« Reply #19 on: December 17, 2010, 07:23:36 pm »
I made a deal with a local part time farmer. He paid for all the new equipment and package bees, & I supplied the work with the bees. The first two years were a bust with 2 hives not making it through the winter. This past year, we got 8 lb. of honey from one hive. I have 2 strong hives going into this winter and expect to double last year's take. Considering that I am 62 years old & new at this, and the farmer knows and understands this, I gees I can't complain too much. I have learned a lot without spending a dime of my own money.