Lavendar Farms.. part II

[Chef Isaac]

I have been talking with the lady and she mentioned she has 1 acre of lavendar.

How many hives to pollinate one acre?

Still not sure if it is worth it. My wife and I are hopefully going up there on Saturday.

[Aspera]

If she doesn't use pesticides and agrees to let you keep the hives there for >1 yr, then I would do it. Truthfully, she probably doesn't need any bees for pollination, but you could stand to make some very fine honey at a time when most plants aren't blooming. I don't know how many hives to put there, but its probably worth your trouble even if the site will only support 3 or 4 colonies.

[John Russell]

Pollination up here has a 2 hive per acre ratio.
Lavender honey is fairly rare, and commands a very good price. I'd jump all over the opertunity.

John Russell
honeyb.ca

[BjornBee]

This lady probably has lavender for a reason. Much lavender is grown for the oils. I see much more than the honey....

Is this a business with other contacts for farms of the same nature?

Is this a farm that puts out products such as oils, lotions, and other "nature" products? Can she sell your product?

Is this a farm that retails anything from the farm? Is it a co-p, or sustainable operation with members? Contacts?

She does not have contact with another beekeeper, since she called you. That means she probably knows of nobody else in her "business" circle, as she made no contacts through them.

This little farm could be a great foot-in-the-door, to many opportunities and contacts.

Treat this as a business call, and keep all the options in mind. I have a "few" hives on farms that from an economic standpoint, makes me little profit. But boy did it pay off when I got three or four others from the contacts made.

Business people know business people. Farmers know farmers. Beekeepers know beekeepers. Opportunities lead to more opportunities.........