# Tractor supply



## mgstei1 (Jan 11, 2014)

Found out at my Bee Association meeting that tractor supply will have bee keeping supplies available!
That will be nice when poor planning on my part causes me pains and aggravation.

As anyone bought supplies from them in the past ?


----------



## drlonzo (Apr 15, 2014)

No i've not gotten anything from them, but according to their website, most of what they will carry is purchase online only.


----------



## Jerry T Indiana (Apr 7, 2014)

I was told 2 weeks ago that TSC bought Kelly bees.


----------



## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Tractor Supply appears to be reselling "Harvest Lane" beekeeping products, as you can see from this page: http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/search/beekeeping.

And yes, there is a "Harvest Lane Honey" company (based in Toole UT) that offers beekeeping equipment, and their products appear to also be sold in regional chains _Murdochs Ranch and Home_ and _C-A-L Ranch_ stores.


----------



## Silverbackotter (Feb 23, 2013)

The Murdoch's chain has gotten in with Harvest Lane too.


----------



## capitalbeesupply (Jul 28, 2013)

Jerry T Indiana said:


> I was told 2 weeks ago that TSC bought Kelly bees.


No, Kelley was purchased by an investment company called Frandsen out of Minnesota. They own a couple of other ag oriented companies, a plastic injection molding company, a netting company and a bunch of banks.


----------



## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Jerry T Indiana said:


> I was told 2 weeks ago that TSC bought Kelly bees.


On the Kelley website:
In 1978, Mrs. Kelley passed away after a steady decline in health and in 1983, at the age of 86, Mr. Kelley negotiated the sale of the Louisiana property and relinquished all holdings. At 89 years of age, Mr. Kelley passed away on August 22, 1986 at the local hospital of congestive heart failure. The company was willed to the hospital, now known as Twin Lakes Regional Hospital, in an operating trust for 20 years where a hospital wing now bears his name. The Elizabethtown Technical and Community College - Leitchfield Campus also adorns his name as the Walter T. Kelley Building and serves to educate future young leaders in Grayson County. Today, the control of the company lies in private partnership, but honors Mr. Kelley’s strong commitment to his employees, the community, and the beekeeping community.


----------



## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Kelley was indeed acquired by Frandsen Corporation in 2014. Read about it here:

http://www.frandsencorporation.com/kelley-beekeeping/


----------



## beeware10 (Jul 25, 2010)

probably the beginning of the end for Kelley co. too bad another bee supply didn't buy it.


----------



## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

beeware10 said:


> probably the beginning of the end for Kelley co. too bad another bee supply didn't buy it.


I don't know about that....if you go to the Frandensen corp website and read, they have a history of improving companies....... we'll see...

Thanks Graham for that link.........


----------



## beeware10 (Jul 25, 2010)

I had met mr Kelley 2 times. once in the 60's and in early 70's. he was a great innovator. he was a beekeeper always looking for ideas. his trademark was a bee with his head on it. he said if you made a dam fool out of yourself people would remember you. It worked. an investment co is only interested in making money. they will depend on employees 100% It all depends how they are treated. lose key people and their all done. the parent co owns a plastic injection co so they must feel the future of beekeeping is lots of plastic. time will tell.


----------



## biggraham610 (Jun 26, 2013)

I see TS has it but like someone else said, seems like its all online. maybe if they have any customer requests, they will start stocking some supplies, but I expect the 2 days it takes to get my orders from ML, will be more efficient. G


----------



## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

>> the parent co owns a plastic injection co so they must feel the future of beekeeping is lots of plastic. 

Note that before Frandsen purchased Kelley, it had been owned by a _hospital _ for 28 years. Somehow that hospital ownership didn't seem to lead to Kelley products being made out of bits of bone. 

Frandsen also owns Miller Manufacturing, which makes and distributes farm & ranch type products.
http://www.frandsencorporation.com/miller-manufacturing/

I think Kelley will do well under an owner like Frandsen that appears to invest & manage its subsidiaries with a _long-term_ view.


----------



## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

While the Tractor Supply beekeeping products appear to be only offered online at this point, TSC does offer a "_Free_" _Ship to Store_ option. TSC has stores in small towns in broad swaths of the country.

I'm not sure if that free 'ship to store' applies to _every _item, but it did apply to my test of a single medium box (+ frames).


----------



## shinbone (Jul 5, 2011)

My local Murdoch's had some Harvest Lane gear last year for the first time. Nothing beyond the bare bones basics to start and maintain a hive. I prefer supporting my local "mom and pop" shop (i.e., To Bee Or Not To Bee, which has a bigger selection of everything and is owned and operated by friends), but it sure was convenient to be able to make a quick run down to Murdoch's when I came up a few frames short.

This year, Murdoch's has expanded their selection of Harvest Lane bee equipment. The mom and pop shops are sure going to feel some pressure if the big box stores get serious about selling bee keeping supplies.

The times, they are achangin.


----------



## camprn (Feb 16, 2012)

Does anyone know, are the Harvest Lane wood products made in the US?


----------



## BeeGold (Jan 28, 2016)

I talked to the lady over purchasing beekeeping supplies for tractor supply a few months ago. She said they were testing out the waters to see if selling beekeeping supplies was worth it for them so their supplies would be limited for the time being.


----------



## warrior (Nov 21, 2005)

This fransden company also holds miller manufacturing (not miller bee) and little giant. Both of these produce ag related products like poultry supplies/incubators, buckets, feeders and cage traps. Mostly cheap made in China stuff. Having been raised farming and still farming I've learned you get what you pay for and try to avoid any product from those two named outfits.
It waits to be seen how fransden is going to make a once great bee supply house fit that business model. I don't hold out hope.
I already see them losing local dealers, I much prefer to buy from local dealers, by requiring them to make larger purchases of equipment.


----------



## mharrell11 (Mar 18, 2014)

Back on the subject of Tractor supply.  I noticed that they had smoker pellets for $5 online for a 1 lb bag. In the stores, they have Equine Bedding Pressed Pine Pellets for $8 for a 40lb bag. Much better deal.


----------



## Cyan (Jan 27, 2015)

2 months ago I got a TC ad that said they sold beekeeping supplies. So I went into one of their stores while out of town and asked. They said they could have the supplies shipped to their store in 2-3 days. But looking at their prices, there are several suppliers who can ship for free (on a minimum order) a few days later than this and still be overall cheaper. 

I just don't see the advantage of buying from TC at this point. However, if they kept beekeeping supplies in stock and I desperately needed something, then it would be a completely different story.


----------



## Barhopper (Mar 5, 2015)

I believe Rural King has Harvest Lane also


----------



## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

capitalbeesupply said:


> No, Kelley was purchased by an investment company called Frandsen out of Minnesota. They own a couple of other ag oriented companies, a plastic injection molding company, a netting company and a bunch of banks.



ummmmm can someone say 4.9 plastic foundation for wooden frames?


----------



## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

Barhopper said:


> I believe Rural King has Harvest Lane also


yup.....spendy too. Their vented gloves are nice and reasonable though


----------



## coopermaple (Aug 30, 2009)

A nearby TSC has some beekeeping equipment in stock. Everything is well labeled Harvest Lane. Some was just relabeled from other manufacturers. Poorest quality bottom board I have ever seen. I commented to store staff that it looked like made in China and they said yes.


----------



## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

Rural King started carrying bee supplies a year or two ago, in store and on line. I am assuming TSC is just trying to keep up.


----------



## McBee7 (Dec 25, 2013)

I noticed some stores like Runnings (minnesota) and some other feed/farm stores carrying some bee supplies. Plastic shrink wrapped deeps and supers with frames, this week, and today I stopped in Mann Lake, in Hackensack, Mn and they also had some of the same trype of shrink wrapped packages....I didn't pay much attention to it but I wonder if there is any connection???
They do mill/mfg wooden ware there....???

==McBee7==


----------



## Knobs (Sep 20, 2014)

Barhopper said:


> I believe Rural King has Harvest Lane also


Our local Rural King started carrying bee supplies in store two years ago. Originally their items were "Little Giant" brand and most of the Little Giant items (maybe all) were made by Kelly's (they had it throughout their factory when I went on a tour last spring). Last spring / summer Rural King switched over to Harvest Lane. The pricing is a little high for most items and the selection is limited but it is nice to have it on the shelf nearby


----------



## Knobs (Sep 20, 2014)

Kelly's makes little Giant for Miller Manufacturing. They even put out a new release:



“We’re in about 100 stores,” Company President Jenny Everett said. “But by summer’s end, we’ll be in more than 1,000. We’re partnering with Miller Manufacturing under the Little Giant name. If we are to keep recruiting new beekeepers, we’ve got to get into the farm/ag stores.”

I'm not sure who mkaes the Harvest Lane items. From what I have seen so far I think they may be being made in China and Harvest lane may be nothing more than an importer. If you want a cheap extractor Walmart has a metal harvest Lane extractor for 179 dollars now.


----------



## Knobs (Sep 20, 2014)

More information about Kelley's and Miller Manufacturing:

Many US-based manufacturers are finding that having an operation in China is no longer giving them what they used to get: low-cost products. And they are coming home in greater numbers, Paul Welitzkin reports from New York.

For 74 years, Miller Manufacturing Co in Eagan, Minnesota, has been a successful maker of farm, ranch and pet products distributed in the United States, Canada and overseas.

Like other US-based manufacturers, Miller CEO Dan Ferrise had suppliers in China; they made products like the company's "Chow Tower" automatic dog feeder. In 2013, after seeing a sharp increase in shipping and labor costs in China, Ferrise decided to have the dog feeders molded at a plant in Minnesota.

The dog feeder marked Ferrise's slowly turning away from China and back to the US. "We wanted to market beekeeping supplies and considered Chinese suppliers. Instead we partnered with a company in Kentucky," Ferrise said.

Pleased with the sales and quality of the products, Miller and its parent (Frandsen Corporation) purchased Kelly Beekeeping of Clarkson, Kentucky, last year."We wanted to secure our product source and now we employ 115 in our beekeeping supplies business," he said.


----------



## appalachianoutdoors (May 16, 2015)

My vote is to stay with USA made hives, tools, suit, and equipment. I bought a Ultrabreeze suit just to support a quality USA made product. I support Maxant extractors. Check out Valley Bee Supply in Fishersville, Va. They make most all of their hives locally. We've all been affected by manufacturing companies moving overseas and also by only being able to find inferior made import products in big box stores. My vote is to not shop for inferiorly made import beekeeping supplies in box stores.


----------



## MTP55 (Jan 23, 2017)

So is the consensus to stick with Mann Lake and Dadant? I have a Tsc ten minutes away that has beekeeping stuff in stock all the time. It's reasonable priced. 

I'm looking into two hives to start and not sure which of the three to go through.


----------



## Cyan (Jan 27, 2015)

At this point it may be a matter of personal choice- especially when you are not buying in bulk or are able to take advantage of the seasonal specials that places like ML often promote.

Just be aware that some manufacturers make their woodenware slightly smaller or larger than others and if you mix parts later down the road, you may find some fitting issues.


----------



## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

Last summer, I heard about a beginner's bee meeting in my area. Of course I checked it out. It was nothing more than an advertisement for Harvest Lane, presented by the owner and his wife. They leave bee equipment at retail outlets...on consignment. Their beekeeper education wasn't. The place was packed with local backyard beekeepers and lots of impressionable newbies. I lasted about a half hour before i walked out. It was that or open my big mouth and confront the presenter...which is something I do my best not to do.

A week or two later, with a veil full of holes, I bought one by Harvest Lane. What a joke. No proper draw string. The beanie part is so small that the veil falls off as soon as you lean forward to look at a colony. I put it in storage and will leave it there to remind myself not to bother with anything from Harvest Lane. 

Buy good equipment from a reputable supply house.


----------



## My-smokepole (Apr 14, 2008)

When I walked through a lot look over priced or junk. Or for the person that had no common sense.


----------



## Hoot Owl Lane Bees (Feb 24, 2012)

Our local TC is also keeping bee supplies in stock. 
There prices are HIGH and the people in the store don't know any more about bee keeping than what they were told by management.
Deep w 10 frames w plastic foundation for $59.99.
They are offering 3 lb package at $199 end of May. 
I asked if they wanted to sell some nucs for me and they had no idea what I was talking about.


----------



## MTP55 (Jan 23, 2017)

Solid. Off topic for a second, but can you buy hive bodies empty from somewhere like Mann Lake and put acorn heavy wax frames in them? Might be an obvious answer but I'm new.


----------



## capitalbeesupply (Jul 28, 2013)

MTP55 said:


> Solid. Off topic for a second, but can you buy hive bodies empty from somewhere like Mann Lake and put acorn heavy wax frames in them? Might be an obvious answer but I'm new.


Yes nearly all hive body makers use standard dimensions for 10-frame equipment (4, 5, 8 vary in width by makers but length is standard) so standard Lang one-piece frames, such as Acorn, Pierco, will fit without issue. 

In our case we have made the decision to only stock double wax one-piece plastic frames and plastic foundation inserts (Pierco or Acorn, we handle both) from now on. So for our customers when they buy hive equipment with frames, they are double wax. The differences you will find between woodenware makers with regard to hive bodies will be 1) wood species (most are Spruce, Pine, Fir which is what we do), some are cypress..most are 3/4" thick, one maker runs 7/8" thick that I am aware of, 2) bee space..most end up with 1/4" top and 1/8" bottom. I can think of one maker that runs 0" top, 3/8" bottom...some run a little less in the bottom as they run their parts 5/8 minus for widths or height depending on how one thinks of it, e.g. 9-9/16, 6-9/16, 3)frame rest configuration.....many run the cut for the frame rest straight across through the finger joint area so it is 3/8" thick for the full width, a few, like us, inset the frame rest, 4) finger joint configurations...those running haunchers stand-alone or as part of an automated box machine are more restricted in their finger joint configuration, meaning the width, progression, and ultimately the fit, 5) handholds...most have some sort of undercut design, some deeper cut easier to grop, some not so.....6) lumber quality. I put this last because one has to remember these are boxes for insects and these boxes are going to be in the elements most of the time. Knot-free is overkill...solid knots without cracks, but no knots in the rabbet ledge or finger joints is important.....so in the end there are a number of good makers of quality hive bodies across the US from the east coast to the west coast that will work fine.

Rich
Capital Bee Supply
Columbus, WI


----------



## 357 (May 2, 2016)

Knobs said:


> Kelly's makes little Giant for Miller Manufacturing. They even put out a new release:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have seen Little Giant beekeeping products at Family Farm & Home, a regional retail store similar to Tractor Supply. They carry MAQS on the shelf. I noticed when I was shopping there for something else and referred a member of my local club there who was looking for some. If you're in Michigan, Ohio, or Indiana, there might be one near you. https://www.familyfarmandhome.com/locations


----------



## MTP55 (Jan 23, 2017)

That there is. It's across from the other TSC that's 30 minutes from here. Quite a few choices for farm stores in this county.


----------



## BadBeeKeeper (Jan 24, 2015)

357 said:


> I have seen Little Giant beekeeping products at Family Farm & Home, a regional retail store similar to Tractor Supply. *They carry MAQS on the shelf.* I noticed when I was shopping there for something else and referred a member of my local club there who was looking for some.


On a shelf? Not in a fridge?

I checked out the local TSC here when I heard they would carry BK supplies. I was not impressed, not with the product or the pricing. I'll continue to drive the extra 20 miles to support my local dude.


----------

