# Beekeeping Agri-tourism



## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

We have hives at the University of South Florida Botanical Gardens, Langstroth and Kenyan top bar. They generate plenty of interest from locals and tourists. I have had several tourists at the bee workshops from as far away as New York. I guess the purpose is different. We are not in it for the money. We want to expose bees and beekeeping to the general public, especially gardeners.


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

I do a number of on-site, home-school groups every spring. It doesn't pay a dime...except they buy a lot of honey and I gain some new customers.

Mostly we gather around in my back yard and "inspect" a nuc or a recently caught swarm. The bees are very gentle and sting potentials are few.

Then we do some variatal honey sampling.

One person found me on www.localharvest.com and wanted to stop by on their travels across the country. We had a lovely visit. Opened up a newly hived swarm and marked the queen. They bought honey. They even sent me a thank-you note after they returned home.

Still trying to figure out how to tap into that big money.

Grant
Jackson, MO


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

There is a Honey/Bee museum in the family bussiness. They also get alot of school toors, but mow substitute a slide show( now on powerpoint?) for a trip into the beeyard. As a boy, I would give alot of tours, with a stop in the beeyard, and yes we had an occqasion sting, so the museum was built. As for the money, I can not say that it would pay, unless you where a regional packer, and had the sales to support, and a product worth supporting. With the standard grocery store product, I highly doubt it, but if you had a product that was produced without miticides, or antibiotics, limited EO, on NO plastic frames(or foundation), on foundation of your own making, and had a family history of siginficance, you might be able to charge a premium price and make the situation profitable. 

Roland Diehnelt


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