# Ready or not here it comes.....Price increase for 2014 queens and packages



## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

Was at the Northern California queen breeders Meeting yesterday. 

Cutting to the chase quickly........ Among other things discussed it looks like prices will be following pollination and honey prices come next spring.

I think everyone who is looking to purchase queens and a packages out of Norcal next year better bring a fatter wallet than last year. 

Packages will be up at least $10 if you can get them. Huge suppliers already turning down massive orders they will never be able to fulfill. 

Queens will be up a buck at least with a new $20 base price on 100 + lots. 

========================================================

Other issues discussed. 

Pricing on Almond pollination will be up but most beeks are holding out after the California Convention to set prices.

Queen loss in the field seems to be higher this year. New data saying all the chems going into hives is no so good for them

Many hives being offered for sale this fall. 100,000 to one massive Almond pollination broker alone. Many long time beeks are sick of it or getting out of the dead out race.


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

Honey-4-All said:


> Was at the Northern California queen breeders Meeting yesterday.
> 
> Cutting to the chase quickly........ Among other things discussed it look like prices will be following pollination and honey prices come next spring.
> 
> ...


That would fit. As long as I can remember 
1 queen = 10 lbs. of honey
1, 2 # package w/queen = a medium of honey


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

Honey-4-All said:


> packages out of Norcal next year better bring a fatter wallet than last year.
> 
> Packages will be up at least $10 if you can get them. Huge suppliers already turning down massive orders they will never be able to fulfill.
> .


All right Phil,


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## HarryVanderpool (Apr 11, 2005)

Well goodie!
Our litttle 3 framer mini mating nuc costs about $8.00 to construct frames, feeder and all.
If you don't include labor. 
All pieces are made out of 1 x 8 pine. NO RIPPING!
Looks like I need to make another batch.
We were alble to get off 3 rounds of queens this year.
Presently, I have a few dozen that I am overwintering for queens in almonds.
I am happy to pay our queen producers a good wage and $20.00 does not seem too far out.
But we will be raising more and more if we can keep up.


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## RAK (May 2, 2010)

Nucs going up in $$ as well.


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

I like your style Harry! Make me rethink on how I was going to set up my mating nucs eventually. I figured to just use 5 frame nucs even though the input is a little higher intially, but I could just leave the last round of queens in to overwinter easy enough and they'd be available for almonds or early spring all ready to go into a single or maybe even a double depending if they overwinter 5 over 5 or not. Can't beat the cost of what you're making those at though.


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## Matt Beekman (Dec 15, 2007)

Did you have any problems with your feeders leaking? Would like to see a pic of your feeder if possible. thanks


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## HarryVanderpool (Apr 11, 2005)

I started out a million years ago with eight of these mating nucs that were given to me. A couple of the feeders did leak. And that is really bad news because it is a perfect recipe for robbing as syrup runs out the entrance.
Since then none of the feeders I have made leak.
I glue them together with Titebond-III.
I will try to post a picture.
I do want to suggest that there is a better way however, as told me by Kenny Williams:
Why do you need a removable feeder?
He has sugested that prior to assembling the boxes, that I should saw a kerf on the inside front, back and bottom,, slide in a sheet of 1/8" and glue it.
BINGO! a perminant feeder.


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## marshmasterpat (Jun 26, 2013)

Harry - I like that mini mating nuc!

Hope you don't mind a Newbie question .

What size are the frames in those and how do you transfer them to a 5 frame nuc with half sized frames? I am sure you have a simple way (or I hope) because I am a simple person.

Thanks


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## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

Overwintering the last batch of queens is what I am doing this year also. Have 43 in the works and ready to overwinter. I consolidated five frame mini's into 10 frame Double colony set ups in a divided 10 frame deep. I am likeing the late fall build up I got with feeding and the fact I can use standard equipment. 
Here's how they looked when I transfered the mini nucs into the new larger box 

Here is the double divided nuc I use for mating nucs. Five deep half sized frames each side:









Same colonys as I transfered them:



















And after feeding for a few weeks










And after winterizing:









Bottoms are fully screened, so after I installed the insert, I also put 1" foam under for winter insulation.

My weather here is generally mild, average temps about 40 degrees. If it gets down below 20 for an extended period of time, I'll insulate the front and back too with 1" foam./ More of a wind break than anything.

Overwintered young queens just seems like a great idea. Thought I'd give it a shot. I overwintered a few mating nucs last year and they came out just fine. I didn't have the guts to try too many..More confidence this year.

This should allow me to make those very early spring Northern nucs everybody seems to want from me. It's hard to do in my climate. I'm set up well with the numbers to do it now.

You can't have too much hay in the barn or too much firewood...Same goes for queens Fall is time for hoarding the good stuff

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Miller-Compound-HoneyBees-and-Agriculture/256954971040510


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

Those snow white cappings make me jealous...


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