arrangements with landowners

[joens]

what does everyone do when they place bees on other people's property as far as agreements with the landowner . I am not referring to a commercial pollinating situation but more like placing several hives out on some farm. I have several places I want to place some bees and I was wondering what deal to make with the landowner .I guess it depends on how bad I want the bees there.
Joens

[Michael Bush]

I never do much more than give them a gallon of honey come harvest time. You do want to get in writing that those are your hives on his property, and probably brand them. If an elderly farmer dies you may find the kids claiming your hives.

[Gunner63]

A gallon of honey here suffices, plus we give a few different flavors (tupelo, buckwheat, orange blossom, starthistle) of honey that I have access to as an added perk. At Christmas, it's also helps relationship between beekeeper and landowner to send said landowner a card. Most of my yard's landowners get a gift basket of creamed honey, cut-comb honey and homemade candles also at Christmas time. All my boxes are branded with my name now, as well as most of my frames. (Don't laugh, had an older friend of mine suprised one year when he lifted the cover on his branded second brood box to discover that someone had helped themselves to all the frames on the second deep on all 12 of his swarms in that yard) My yards are also not so isolated that the neighbors as well as landowner can keep an eye on the comings and goings of the access roads or trails as well as the property. As far as written agreements, we have none, most people around here ask to have bees placed on their property for one reason or another.

[Russ]

How do you brand your hives? Do you have a home made branding Iron or can you buy them custom made? Dale

[Michael Bush]

Walter T. Kelly has them.

[BULLSEYE BILL]

I could not find it in the on-line catalog. Is it an unadvertized item?
Bill

[Michael Bush]

The branding irons are in my paper catalog. You could call them and ask.

[Gunner63]

Mine was made locally by a welder. If you have a good welder nearby, they can make them for you. Mine fits on a hand propane torch where the flame just touches the backside of the plate with my name on it. Just walk thru the yard and brand away. You can also find them here online, by typing propane brander in your search engine. A good local welder should be able to do it for you and at a lot less than what you pay online or in catalogs.
Bill