Pollination Contracts... how to get them

[Chef Isaac]

Hoe does one get pollination contracts? Do you take ads out offering the service or call farmers up???

Any advice or suggestions??

[TwT]

you got to advertise, in the papers, market bulletin, growers association, all kinds of ways, tgh
here should be a apple grow organization in washington

http://www.bluediamond.com/growers/field/index.cfm

http://www.almondboard.com/Resources...temNumber=1135

[Michael Palmer]

Honestly...If you want my opinion...don't pollinate. You're a beekeeper with a small operation. Your bees have enough problems, without the stress of moving. Instead, concentrate on maintaining healthy, productive colonies. Leave the pollination to larger operations.

I pollinated apples for 20 years. I can say...the colonies that pollinated always made less honey...often enough less to erase any gain from pollination, and they didn't winter as well. I often lost 20% or more of the pollinators, while non-pollinators were in the 10% range.

I think the bottom line in your apiary is better not pollinating.

[ss91]

Chef

I use pollinators for many seed crops and also my apple and cherry orchard, here in Washington State. I would say your best bet would be to get in the yellow pages as that is where I look when I need to find bees. The Good Fruit Grower publication would also be a good bet as most of the states orchardists get this magazine and I have noticed beekeepers advertising in this in the spring in the classified section.