# how much money can you earn from a beekeeping pollination service??



## VetTechJess (Oct 13, 2007)

how much can you earn from a pollination service part of beekeeping?

could you tell me the ins and outs of it as well as what is required and how many beehives are in a typical pollination service??

how often does the beekeeper have to tend to the bees? Is it the normal once per every two week interval or sooner?!?!

thanks for the info...i have been giving it some thought.....


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## WVbeekeeper (Jun 4, 2007)

you don't live very far from me, so about the best you might do is a few apple orchards out in ky. it's really what the orchard is willing to pay as to what you will get. unless you have many hives and are willing to travel, you will never make here what people make in the almonds or in the oranges down south. then there are many costs, like a tractor trailer there and back, forklifts, lodging, etc.. i really don't know how many hives you'd have to have to outweigh the costs. some people will pollinate a few different crops through the year, but you still have to account for the expenses you will incur from moving your hives around. maybe some one on here, like keith, could give us both a good answer because i've always wondered the same thing.


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

Gotta to go to bed, moving bees in the morning, but sounds like a good topic.


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

My local orchards are not interested in my bees. They prefer southern bees that have built up to a good strength for pollination. Can't say I blame them and no offense was registered on my account.

Grant
Jackson, MO


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

I pollinated apples in NY state for 20 years, with 400-600 colonies. I quit that part of my operation, and here's why...

First, my total honey crop suffered. The strong colonies had to be split up to prevent swarming in the orchard...that reduces total crop.

Second, getting bees ready for the orchard takes away from preparing the rest of the colonies for honey production...meaning you're always behind in your bee work...reducing total crop.

Third, you work day and night for weeks, creating a "zombie" effect, limiting the quality of the work you can preform with your bees...reducing the total crop.

Fourth, the bees are always weakened by the moving...reducing your total crop.

Fifth, the bees don't winter as well during the winter following the pollination...reducing the number of strong colonies you have to work with the following spring, and....reducing your total crop.

If you want to be a honey producer, then learn how to manage your bees for maximum production, by good swarm prevention techniques, and keeping them at top production strength through the year. Moving will reduce your crop by a super or two most years, and if you are pollinating one crop like apples...you are really not gaining. In fact, your bottom line will be smaller.

If you want to pollinate, then learn how to manage your bees for numbers, and pollinate several crops during the season. Don't expect a great honey crop most years.

Pollinating as a sideline with your bees...to augment your income from honey...is a losing proposition for most beekeepers.


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## JohnK and Sheri (Nov 28, 2004)

_......reducing your total crop.
......reducing your total crop.
......reducing your total crop.
......reducing your total crop._

With the price of wholesale honey where it is, (assuming an optimistic $1 a pound) pollination fees just from the almonds easily make up any reduction in honey production. We clear about $90 per colony from almonds (before taxes  ), we are not down even close to 90 lbs in production.
If you are a small operator that retails all your honey it would probably be a different story.
I don't think there is any other crop that pays as well and is as well organized as California almonds, at least the past couple years. There are beeks that send their bees out to California, let a broker take care of them, and never leave home. 
You need a forklift for loading, but you can hire the trucking.
We are in Wisconsin, I would imagine trucking would be more from KY. To minimize trucking expense a full semi is most efficient (400-500 colonies). Roundtrip to California is about $10,000, comes out of your pocket before you see any pollination money. If your bees crash and/or have to be combined you are just out of luck. There was at least one beek I heard about that sent colonies out, had them crash and didn't have the $$ to bring them home. It is risky business. The more colonies you have the better spread out the expenses are (lodging, transportation, meals) if you do go to tend to them. You get paid for good colonies, not empty boxes. 
Sheri


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

VTJ,
What your going to get in most instances when you ask questions like this, is personal bias, management strategies that may work in one area but not the next, and many stories of failure.

Before I go further, I'll comment on mine own operation....

I have carved out a niche business that includes having about 80% of my hives rented out. They are on farms that are now diversified, as the traditional apple growers are changing their farms so all the eggs are not in the same basket. They need them all through the summer, for apples to pumpkins. Most are permanent locations. I charge for ALL farms for pollination. These hives are also used for honey production and nuc building, depending upon location, and other factors. I live within an hours drive of all my yards.

Now I realize not everyone will be in an area that has that kind of agriculture and opportunity. So looking at all the options would be the first thing.

I know one beekeeper who gets paid well for just sending them to pollination in California. He's not a trucker. He gets $70 per hive. Other people load, truck, maintain in California, and truck back. So his cut for the pollination contract is $70.

I think that there is a lot of opportunity in the bees industry. Finding what works for you is the key.

Define your market.
Decide if you want to haul bees.
Whats your PER HIVE realistic income potential based on what you want your hives to do.
Most of the larger beekeepers have many things going on at the same time. Pollination-honey- etc, etc.

This is a perfect example of why defining your own market is important. Grant mentioned whats going on in his area. In my area, many farmers were not happy with the 3 frame pollination units that were dumped coming from down south this past year. As they diversify from being single crop (apple) farms, they see the need to have bees a bit longer than a few weeks, and also realize a phone call will have me on their property within the day. And I turn down ALOT of business every year.

Finding out what others are doing is important. But then defining your market, or your ability to expand this market (all the way to Ca. ?) is a good step.


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## Jeffzhear (Dec 2, 2006)

JohnK and Sheri said:


> _......_You get paid for good colonies, not empty boxes....Sheri


Sherri, just out of curiosity, I just looked at Owen WI and noticed that you are in "Way Up North Country". Do you keep your bees in WI or are you building up colony strength somewhere else (maybe in the south) to have full boxes? I'm in the North, not as far up north as you are and I know I get a late start due to weather each year. When do you start moving your bees to the almonds?

I am in no way contemplating doing pollination this at this time, based on my lack of numbers of honeybee hives, time commitments, children, college expenses, etc. but one never knows what the future holds for us.

And would you be willing to let me pick your brain someday on the phone? I can think of 1000 other questions....thanks


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## JohnK and Sheri (Nov 28, 2004)

Hi Jeff
We have only been doing this for a few years and are still figuring it out. As you know, it is tough trying to build bees late in this north country. They are usually pretty much shut down (or better be!) by late October. Last fall all the bees were on the ground in CA by Oct 28, we were out putting patties on them by Nov 5th. We put patties on because we were a little concerned about size, and worried they would dwindle in numbers (like they did the year before). 
We were fortunate, CA had a great fall and the bees responded nicely to the patties we gave them.
This year we started building bees well before "up north" could catch up with us, we started on patties a month ago, before they shut down. They are still brooding, that is due exclusively to the patties. We still plan on getting them out early, although not as early as last year. Hope to have everything in CA and be out there to feed and more patties by mid November. 
I have heard folks (that should know) say bees won't build in CA in the winter, but with patties ours did last year, maybe it was a fluke. This year we got the patties on earlier, hoping to get good numbers before they ship, before "winter" and hopefully, if they don't build in CA they will at least hold their own.
We are trying to have younger stronger bees so the colonies maintain their strength all the way through to when we bring them home to Wisconsin in late March/early April. 
There are a couple other Wisconsin beeks that take their outfits to Texas in Fall, feed them up there, then ship to CA in Feb, just prior to orchard placement, but they have to contend with fireants and SHB, which luckily we don't have (yet). 
Up here on the frozen tundra you sure gotta do something early. If you let them sit up here too long, if the pallets don't get covered in snow, they freeze to the ground and is that ever a mess, lol. Those CA border guards don't take kindly to any "noxious weeds".

And sure we'd be happy to chat once we catch our breaths from the fall rush.
Sheri


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

Boy, some good post there,

John Sherri, are you sure the pollen sub is making those bees look so good? LOL... LOL...

And there's brood.... imagine That. HA HA,in the cold country in Oct.Never would have thought.

Man... I got thrown under the bus for tooting my horn to loud about this pollen sub stuff.Who would waste there time with that stuff.

Well my time is up, going back to the side lines now.


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## JohnK and Sheri (Nov 28, 2004)

Keith, to give the devils their due, , we probably wouldn't have put the pollen to them last year, if not for articles by you, Randy and others; postings by Bjorn and others. We are believers now, that is for sure. We may not be worshiping at the feet of "Almighty Keith", lol, but maybe at the feet of the Almighty Pollen Patty.
We never used or really needed pollen here in Wisconsin before (although I don't think it would have hurt one bit!) and I can see many scenarios that they might even hurt if applied indiscriminately in the wrong situation/wrong time of year but it made all the difference putting the patties to them last year, and this year we are thinking, more patties = better results yet.
I'm certainly not one of them driving the buses.
Sheri


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## stangardener (Mar 8, 2005)

when you run your own buisiness you don't have the conventional floors or ceilings that you do being an employee. your income can be as huge as you make it or you can lose everything you put in (especialy in agriculture). 
as far as pollination is concerned i'm not interested in anything but almonds. there is money there at a season my other activities are dormant. right now i'm not ready. when i have fifty hives i'm willing to lose i'll try to place them. right now i'm working on developing good bees and the knowledge to build bees in the fall.
i have no desire to try to make a buck on conventional crops that aren't almonds. i have two yards now and am targeting local organic growers, vineyards and land owners who are interested in bees, me and honey. i refuse to dodge pesticides or deal with people who feel they have "bought" me or my bees for a pittance.
i would like to farm myself out this almond season in exchange for experiance, bees and or equipment.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

Keith Jarrett said:


> Boy, some good post there,


Well, thanks! 



> John Sherri, are you sure the pollen sub is making those bees look so good? LOL... LOL...


Hmmm . . . are you not so subtly bringing my comments into this post?



> And there's brood.... imagine That. HA HA,in the cold country in Oct.Never would have thought.


Yea, imagine that. Very foreign to what naturally takes place in hives around here at this time of year.



> Man... I got thrown under the bus for tooting my horn to loud about this pollen sub stuff.Who would waste there time with that stuff.


Na, a mere tricycle. Sherri's post supports both our points with flying colors. She lives in a climate like mine were bees shut down this time of year. For her to have bees in the condition she says is quite dramatic. Her climate and brood cycle is quite different from yours. So I don't think it is unfair for me to question you the way I did. Then throw Chef's desire to do the same feeding, but now for reasons to split in the spring which is another issue altogether.

You two have a specific reason to "waste their time with that stuff." It really would be a waste of time and resources for me to do the same. And I feel it would be correct to say for most others also.



> Well my time is up, going back to the side lines now.


Okay, who's next in line? I don't see Chef over there. Keith, you better get back over here!


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

JohnK and Sheri said:


> "Almighty Keith", lol, but maybe at the feet of the Almighty Pollen Patty.
> 
> I had to fluff up for that one. LOL at some of these keeper's, some here have a great since of humor.
> 
> ...


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

Hey there Barry,

Did I ever mention that I been in the Dakotas and have rise brood many times this time of year.
It can and does happen if you want it to.

I understand that some want to bed down for winter and thats good too.


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

Barry......

You get Chef figured out let me know.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

Keith Jarrett said:


> I understand that some want to bed down for winter and thats good too.


Now wait a minute, ALL want to bed down, that is their natural way (here in cold country). Feeding substitute this time of year sends them into an unnatural condition that if not handled properly will hurt them more than help them. These overly feed bees are going to be moved out of their natural environment for a period of time and this move will create other situations on the bees.

Chef wasn't planning on moving his bees and putting them through what you and Sherri are about to do with yours.

- Barry


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

Hey Chef, HelPPPPPPP, give us your zip code , and I will have and plan for your bees. Just give me a target date, and how strong you would like them at that date. 

Or give high and low temps, Dec ---Feb


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

98004

High temps.... 55ish... low temps... 35-40 ish (off the top of my head) 

As from the begining of the pollen thread, we have decided that we do not want to buy packages or nucs anymore. We are looking for some key things that we havent done that might contribute to the success of reaching our goal which is to become self sustanable as far as the bees go. We havent ever fed pollen.. so we are doing it this year in the fal land spring. We havent put granulated sugar on the top of the hvies but this year we will in November. We havent feed sugar syrup early in the spring... we usually wait until April but we will get the feed on in Feb... 1st part hopefully. 

Since the comemrical guys bring there bees to the almonds, I was hoping for some pointers from them as far as what the key to success was to have booming hives in early spring. We are not looking to move the bees but just want to stop buying packages.


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

Chef Isaac;268339]98004

>High temps.... 55ish... low temps... 35-40 ish (off the top of my head) 

That is very close to what I winter at, And who would have thought.

>As from the begining of the pollen thread, we have decided that we do not want to buy packages or nucs anymore. 

Smart.... feeding is alot cheaper.


>We havent put granulated sugar on the top of the hvies but this year we will in November.

Chef, get those hives heavy now!!! do not wait till Noverember


>We havent feed sugar syrup early in the spring... we usually wait until April but we will get the feed on in Feb... 1st part hopefully. 

NO, NO NO... try not to feed sugar during the month of Nov---Feb

Pollen sub is ok during these months but not sugar.


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

why not feed from nov to feb? The idea of sugar, dry that is, is to provide insurance through those months so if they are light, they have something to feed off of plus it sucks up moisture.


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

Chef Isaac said:


> why not feed from nov to feb? The idea of sugar, dry that is, is to provide insurance through those months so if they are light, they have something to feed off of plus it sucks up moisture.


Straight sugar/ syrup tends to stimulate them ie; fly you will loose field force if they fly much in winter.


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## JohnK and Sheri (Nov 28, 2004)

<<<_The trick to pollen sub is not to let them stop, so if you can get to Calif, with brood and give them another round you will REALLY be impressed by Jan._>>>

Yeah, Keith, we will be following the last truck out and putting more patties on, sometime by middle of November. My back is aching already........and I am not even the one splitting those boxes apart.
We plan on coming back out again in late Dec/early Jan, give em some more and do final consolidation at that time. It must be really nice having them right down the road from you and I don't mean a 2500 mile long road. 
We will be ready for a vacation then...
Sheri


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## Hillside (Jul 12, 2004)

JohnK and Sheri said:


> <<<_
> We will be ready for a vacation then...i_


_

I nice little trip to California ... I thought that was a vacation!  _


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## JohnK and Sheri (Nov 28, 2004)

Hillside said:


> I nice little trip to California ... I thought that was a vacation!


HA, after a few weeks in the Chowchilla Comfort Inn, eating at one of the two restaurants in town, it will be a vacation to camp out in our own living room for a while. I don't really mean to complain, it is just part of the job. Beats shoveling snow I guess.
Sheri


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

It must be really nice having them right down the road from you and I don't mean a 2500 mile long road. 
We will be ready for a vacation then...
Sheri[/QUOTE]

What is really nice is to have yards of 700, one person ( that would bee me )putting on patties... and look up.


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## Flyer Jim (Apr 22, 2004)

Hey Shari, I use to live in Chowchilla. Some of my relatives use to have almond orchards off of Hwy 152. Since I've moved I understand they've built a women's facility there if you're tired of the Comfort Inn LOL


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## Flyer Jim (Apr 22, 2004)

Mixed up 300 lbs of pollen sub 2 days ago. Didn't get back to it for 2 days (rain and life happening) This morning it was hard and had to dig it out of a barrel and remix it. I got 75 hives fed before my back gave out. 

Sheri, are you going to Tahoe and Sacramento? You might be here for both. 

How do you get the smilely face where you want it? 

Jim


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## JohnK and Sheri (Nov 28, 2004)

Keith I hear ya about those huge holding yards. Last year we had all our bees lined up on one 5 mile long farm road, you don't get any wheres done in a day, you just mark the spot you left off. You can't even see the end of them. The trick is to NOT look up, lol.

Jim
>>>used to live in Clowchilla>>> I think I would move too no offense...

Yeah, one evening we left late from our holding yard out on Road 19 and saw the entire horizon lit up. We thought we'd go see what it was and seemed like we drove forever before we got there. It is HUGE and new and modern. I think the rooms might be nicer than Comfort Inn, lol. I would love to rent a furnished place out there, it would make life so much easier.....

Not sure about Tahoe yet but we will be in Sacramento.
Looking forward to meeting some of y'all out there.

As for the smiley face, just put your cursor where you want it to go then click the smiley. You can also cut and paste it if it isn't in the place you want it.
Sheri


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## Dan Williamson (Apr 6, 2004)

Keith Jarrett said:


> Boy, some good post there,
> 
> John Sherri, are you sure the pollen sub is making those bees look so good? LOL... LOL...
> 
> ...


Keith,

Who threw you under the bus? John and Sherri are sending their bees to CA!!! They will have colonies doing roughly the same thing YOU are doing. If I understand them correctly they WON'T be wintering their colonies in the frozen tundra! That makes a HUGE difference. Too many bees can cause your hives to starve here before its warm enough to feed them again here. If I were doing what John, Sherri,you and others are doing, I'd probably bee doing things closer to what you are doing as well!

BTW... Sherri and Keith,

I really enjoy seeing photos from a commercial beekeeping standpoint. Its interesting to me to see the set-ups and scale. Thanks for sharing.


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

JohnK and Sheri said:


> You can't even see the end of them. The trick is to NOT look up, lol.
> 
> That is a good trick. Almost as good as the # 2000 lb plus trick.
> That one had everybody, LOL. Well.... maybe not Chef.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

VetTechJess said:


> how much can you earn from a pollination service part of beekeeping?
> 
> could you tell me the ins and outs of it as well as what is required and how many beehives are in a typical pollination service??
> 
> ...


Are you thinking about getting into beekeeping? Is that why you asked this question? If so, you may want to learn how to be a good beekeeper before trying to make money by pollinating. Just a thought.

Mike Palmer knows what he is talking about. If you use your bees for pollination, at least around here, you've probably gotten at least half of your income from those hives for the year.


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## jjgbee (Oct 12, 2006)

After 15 years, I think I had enough knowledge about bees, plants and weather to start making money with bees. Nothing in farming is a sure thing. If profit gets to good, look out. That is why I sold commercial operation after 30 years. Farming is a wonderful life style. It helps to have a large honey buying population nearby. That long haul to Almonds, 70 miles, was hard to take. You get real tired when you make TWO trips to almonds in one night. The trick is location, location, location.


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## JBJ (Jan 27, 2005)

I have read that most commercial beekeepers make between 75% & 80% of their income from pollination.


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## tecumseh (Apr 26, 2005)

keith sezs:
>We havent feed sugar syrup early in the spring... we usually wait until April but we will get the feed on in Feb... 1st part hopefully. 

NO, NO NO... try not to feed sugar during the month of Nov---Feb

Pollen sub is ok during these months but not sugar. 

tecumseh wondersssss....
first off keith I am not really following you here in that it would seem to me that whether you feed sugar (powder, liquid or hfcs) is likely more dependent on how light the hive is than any other variable. secondly, it would seem quite obvious to me that feeding pollen (substitute/supplement) is likely a waste if a hive has no energy resource to utilize pollen. just casually looking at your pollen substitute ra'ca' pee it does have a signifcant sugar content. 

and I would suggest that everyone first off needs to understand the difference between pollen substitute and pollen supplement.


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