# Keeping up with demand



## Gray Goose (Sep 4, 2018)

Jonathan Bennett said:


> This is my first year selling honey. If it continues to sell at the rate it is now I'll be out pretty darn fast. That's amazing it I'd selling at the rate it is. Once you sell out are you normally done for the year or do any of you find other sources of local bulk honey and package it to sell? Do you folks normally see constant demand or does the demand slack off some after the first rush to get it when first available? I'm already trying to plan for next year to produce much more if this demand keeps up. This is pretty awesome.


first few years, I sold out early, then As I got more hives it lasted longer.
good to sell out, I am still on the last few cases from last sept.
selling out is a good thing, may be able to have a couple more hives.

GG


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## birddog (May 10, 2016)

Do your customers expect honey that " you produced "


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## Jonathan Bennett (Jul 19, 2021)

birddog said:


> Do your customers expect honey that " you produced "


They know what I am selling now is mine, but being my first year selling I guess I hadn't really set real clear expectations.


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## Fivej (Apr 4, 2016)

Good for you. If you decide to go that route, make sure the jars are properly labelled. If you don't know and trust the source, don't represent it as "local" "raw" "clover" etc. 
If you are selling to local repeat customers like you would in a small city/ town farmer's market, I would make it clear that it is not your honey, but "locally sourced". I would also price it lower than the honey you produce, because yours is better, right? Then in future years, repeat customers will buy your honey in larger quantities for a higher price point so they get the good stuff while it lasts. J


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## Westerfeld Bee Farm (8 mo ago)

Jonathan Bennett said:


> This is my first year selling honey. If it continues to sell at the rate it is now I'll be out pretty darn fast. That's amazing it I'd selling at the rate it is. Once you sell out are you normally done for the year or do any of you find other sources of local bulk honey and package it to sell? Do you folks normally see constant demand or does the demand slack off some after the first rush to get it when first available? I'm already trying to plan for next year to produce much more if this demand keeps up. This is pretty awesome.


Congrats on the sales! I am in my 3rd year a few hours NE of you in the STL region and run 10 hives and have a similar situation you are in. I imagine I could sell 1.5x-2x what I produce at the current moment. Surely we could make money buying bulk honey from other beekpeers in the state and bottling on our own, but if we do that, why do we even have bees in the first place? We could probably make more money bottling bulk honey and selling it than keeping our own hives.

I fully understand beekeeping is not cheap and we need to make money to support ourselves and the bees, but money isn't my only priority as a hobby beekeeper. I take great pride in taking care of my bees and selling the honey and other products my bees produce. I get to share my expereinces with others on what my bees are doing, and value knowing that the honey my customers are purchasing is produced soley in my backyard from bees I manage. Sure people may be a bit disappointed when you run out, but then we as beekeepers are able to talk with customers more and teach them more about bees. If you are able to do that and build that connection with people you are selling to, you should have repeat customers for life.

I sold out back in early November (400lbs), and have only harvested about 50lbs so far this year which I have only sold to close family and friends. I expect to harvest around 500 more pounds towards the end of July. I have had several people reach out and want me to let them know when I have more ready, and would fully expect to sell 100+ pounds in the first week. 

All beekeepers have good honey. It's the connection and expeiences we can share with our customers that keeps them coming back.


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## Jonathan Bennett (Jul 19, 2021)

Westerfeld Bee Farm said:


> Congrats on the sales! I am in my 3rd year a few hours NE of you in the STL region and run 10 hives and have a similar situation you are in. I imagine I could sell 1.5x-2x what I produce at the current moment. Surely we could make money buying bulk honey from other beekpeers in the state and bottling on our own, but if we do that, why do we even have bees in the first place? We could probably make more money bottling bulk honey and selling it than keeping our own hives.
> 
> I fully understand beekeeping is not cheap and we need to make money to support ourselves and the bees, but money isn't my only priority as a hobby beekeeper. I take great pride in taking care of my bees and selling the honey and other products my bees produce. I get to share my expereinces with others on what my bees are doing, and value knowing that the honey my customers are purchasing is produced soley in my backyard from bees I manage. Sure people may be a bit disappointed when you run out, but then we as beekeepers are able to talk with customers more and teach them more about bees. If you are able to do that and build that connection with people you are selling to, you should have repeat customers for life.
> 
> ...


I absolutely love taking care of my bees and at first I honestly didn't care if I made honey, I just wanted to make bees and sell. This selling honey has been a lot of fun, not just bringing in money, but selling to people and seeing how excited they are to purchase it. I hate to disappoint anyone running out but I'm leaning towards it being better selling my own product for sure. Kind of makes me nervous selling what I don't know for sure how it was produced. How's the flow going in your part of the country? We have pretty much dried up here and in desperate need of rain.


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## Westerfeld Bee Farm (8 mo ago)

Jonathan Bennett said:


> I absolutely love taking care of my bees and at first I honestly didn't care if I made honey, I just wanted to make bees and sell. This selling honey has been a lot of fun, not just bringing in money, but selling to people and seeing how excited they are to purchase it. I hate to disappoint anyone running out but I'm leaning towards it being better selling my own product for sure. Kind of makes me nervous selling what I don't know for sure how it was produced. How's the flow going in your part of the country? We have pretty much dried up here and in desperate need of rain.


I believe you can get quality bulk honey from other beekeepers in Missouri, but what story can you tell with it that will help you connect with customers? I also agree with the points Fivej made. I frown upon beekeepers who have 2 hives and manage to sell 1000+ pounds of honey. The math doesn't add up and I don't think it is right when people market purchased honey as their own. 

I am in a rural agricultrural area about 30 minutes north of downtown STL. We have had a few 0.2" rains in June, and picked up just over an inch last weekend. About 0.2" of rain today so far. I am hoping the rain helps extend the clover a bit, and I might pick up some bonus off of soybeans. Two weeks ago the bees were filling up anything I gave them. It has slowed quite a bit now. They are still bringing in some surplus as they are still drawing some comb, but nothing near like it was 2 weeks ago. I would say most of what I am going to harvest was stored over a 2 week stretch bewteen June 7-21. I plan to pull everything by the end of July so I can get my mite treatments going.


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## ccr79 (5 mo ago)

I have posted on facebook marketplace and my neighborhood group. I live in a wealthier area. I have sold 6 pounds out of 300. Sad. Do I need to set up a stand at a gas station? My husband would not allow it, plus I have little kids.... How do I get this honey sold? I have been giving a ton away to people as thank you gifts (housekeeper, landscaper,etc)


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## Jonathan Bennett (Jul 19, 2021)

ccr79 said:


> I have posted on facebook marketplace and my neighborhood group. I live in a wealthier area. I have sold 6 pounds out of 300. Sad. Do I need to set up a stand at a gas station? My husband would not allow it, plus I have little kids.... How do I get this honey sold? I have been giving a ton away to people as thank you gifts (housekeeper, landscaper,etc)


I've been pretty lucky and sold over half of mine already, and if course have until next spring to sell what I have. I have a farm Facebook that gets me some exposure that just my friends list doesn't. I've also sold a far amount at work. But my sister has our sold me by far. She has people running her down at work to buy honey.


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