How many

[RZRBCK BEE]

hives would it take to make a full time living at it?

[Medovina]

Well that is an equation with many unknowns but I suppose it could go like this:

GrossWagesYouEarnRightNow / (AVGpoundsOfHoneyPerHive * YourSellingPrice)

?We don't know how much money you need to make to survive in your neck of the woods

?We don't know on average how many pounds of honey you get from your hive

?We don't know at what price can you sell your honey at your local markets

YourSellingPrice is most important element of the equation. It needs to account for losses from disease, acts of god, repairs etc...

[bnatural]

You also need to think about other hive products that may or may not have added value in your area: pollination services, nucs, queens, pollen, propolis, royal jelly, wax, candles, hand creams, lip balm, etc. Not saying you want to do all or even any of those things. But, you need to explore all your options, if you want to try to make a living at it.

Bill

[RZRBCK BEE]

After thinking about it I guess I left alot out. I make almost 50K now at my regular job and the honey sells for about $7 a quart here retail. I guess I was asking people that beekeeping is there only line of work, how many hives they had. I am just beginning and am a long way off but I always like to know where I stand. I am already enjoying it with what little I have done. My family thinks I'm crazy because I have a lawn chair by my hives and sit there every afternoon and just watch them.

[Medovina]

You're not crazy. You just need a vacation :D

[Tom G. Laury]

Well if you had 800 colonies ( general minimum ) and netted $50 each, you would pocket 40 grand, right? :cool: The problem is, you are dependent on them for your living so ALL THEIR NEEDS COME FIRST. In other words, if there is any money left at the end of the year, that's what you made. So you need the financial wherewithal to operate and live when those years come when you SPEND MORE THAN YOU TAKE IN.

There is more than one way to get stung in the bee business.

[alpha6]

Yeah what Tom says. You can make a living at it and many do, but don't be fooled it is hard work and ag work so you are dependent on your livestock (bees) the weather and the current market.

The best thing to do IMHO would be to start out as a sideliner and keep your regular job in the meantime. I know a guy here that runs 900 hives and still works his day job at a local store waiting for retirement. He works lots of hours but when he is managing it. Also one more thing to remember is that with bees all your cost is up front so if you can gradually ease into it its not so bad...or at least feels that way.

Lastly, most commercial beeks sell their honey wholesale and mainly it's because after working their bees full time they just don't have time to bottle and sell retail. If you ease into it you can develop some commercial accounts that you could build on and add to as you grow.

Good luck.

[beekeeper_sd]

NEVER ENOUGH!!! :lpf:

[Tom G. Laury]

But: There is always NEXT YEAR!! :p

[The Honey Householder]

Back when my dad ran the bees: a 1000 hives is what he ran and made a living. The only thing there was 7 of us kids and we were cheap labor. :(
As a beekeeper you might have 3 out of 7 crops that is great. You have to learn how to save for the other 4 years. Sometimes I think the bees eat better then I do.:scratch:
3 of 7: that not bad odds if your a bidding man.

[Tom G. Laury]

If someone has them selves convinced, there is no stopping them and they don't hear you. I guess that is what it takes and I certainly never listened myself. Bottom line, if you figure capitalization and cost, all you are doing is buying yourself a job. You really gotta love it. ;)

[bnatural]

My family thinks I'm crazy because I have a lawn chair by my hives and sit there every afternoon and just watch them.

If you turn to beekeeping as a main source of income, I'd say you can kiss that pleasure goodbye. But, maybe the full-timers will prove me wrong.

Bill

[The Honey Householder]

I drive a new truck that I write off every year. I work as many hour and what hour I want most of the time. I work a job that I enjoy doing and make a good living doing it. This is something that has been in my blood since I was 6 years old. Well this and fishing, your have to have some pleasures.:popcorn: