How many hives are usually needed to pollinate an orchard? And what is an average rate per hive? I know this is kind of personal to a bussiness but ballpark figures would be appriciated. A orchard has shown interest in having a local beekeeper pollinate his trees. I dont have enough hives to do it right now, and before I spend too much, I would like to see if it would be worthwhile. Also would a standard trailor, with a ball hookup be suitable to transport hives? I just dont want to get involved in something that will strain resources and be unprofitable. (I will have to purchase/build new equipment to be able to do this.)
Thanks, The orchard is peaches. I've seen other orchards at pollination time have pallets with about 4 - 6 hives that is visible from the road. They may have more that is not visible.
Even crops that do not generally need bees, show improvement with bees in several areas. One is the size of the fruit. Second is the uniformity of the fruit. Even though thinning is done on many fruits such as peaches, growers still want large marketable fruit, with even sides and uniformity.
Many people think pollination from honeybees has to do with the number of fruit set. But usually, there are more than enough native pollinators to get a good set. But its when you see curled cucumbers, big sided apples, peaches and pumpkins (small on the other side), thats the sign of poor pollination. You can have lots and lots of pumpkins or peaches, but good pollination gives the fruit an even growth, and this demands more money as it is what the consumer wants and is a sign of quality.
I don't have it available, but I have a report somewhere that was based on research that for those fruits not "thinned" but were traditionally not pollinated by bees, had increases of about 10% in production when honeybee colonies were used. Of course, its hard for a farmer to pay for pollination hives when a 10% increase or decrease is hard to see with all the other variables that go into crop production year to year.
It all depends on wich crop you are pollinating,how much money the farmer wants to spend and how good the bees are.In the sacramento valley Cherries normally take 1/2 of a hive,to 1 hive per acre.Almonds are 1 to 3.It all pretty much depends on the farmer.
I don't see any lost contracts due to the "freebee" types who offer colonies for free pollination. Yes, they pick up the farm that wants two or four, but the farms that want 12, 25 or 100, want more than the unreliable local hobbyist who never has enough bees come spring.
I would think that for a guy who only sells pollen patties by the "thousands", that your pollination business would be somewhat protected by the very nature of having pollination contracts on a scale large enough that the local hobbyist with a few hives would not be a threat.
And this site is great! I never thought the commercial forum would be a place for commercial beeks to blame the smaller hobbyist for the ills of the industry. Nosema, fouldbrood, mites......why not just throw in that they secretly pour chems in commercial hives and magically make your comb about 30 years old.... What a hoot!
I don't see any lost contracts due to the "freebee" types who offer colonies for free pollination. Yes, they pick up the farm that wants two or four, but the farms that want 12, 25 or 100, want more than the unreliable local hobbyist who never has enough bees come spring.
I hesitate to speak for Keith, Tom or HRS but I think they are not talking about local hobbyists, but migrators needing to place colonies at any cost or free, just to have a place to set them.
Here in Wisconsin there are some bringing in cranberry bees at way below going rates, it happens all over. I know a couple beeks who lost contracts this way. It wasn't local hobbyists, who make little impact, but larger operators who maybe weren't even aware of market prices.
Yes, I think it is too. It is gratifying that there has been no incivility between hobbyists, sideliners and commercial, and I hope it stays that way.
Sheri
OK yeah I know sometimes I wonder too about the grower, his loyalty...Funny how they never call you first either, "Oh hi I've been meaning to call you.."
I have a feeling that fuel is going to play a key role in 2009. I think it will keep some of the far east guys out of the game this year which may drive up prices as a shortage will occur along with guys wanting to cover their fuel costs from closer states.
I still think its a little early to try and nail down a price....but I would bet my wooden nickel that your going to be in the ball park with your prices.
i've been wrong before but i would say rouskies are a referance to eastern european imigrants. they aren't necesarily hobbiest. like everything in beekeeping it's a local thing. at least i hope it's local, if not the whole of north americas been flooded. i've had to compete with immigrants doing what i do for years. who ever makes the entry quotas doesn't mow lawns, plant row crops or keep bees
Just for you Keith, I've changed my signature. Hope you like it.
So its not hobbyists. Its other commercial guys. Maybe they are so competitive, due to not sitting on beesource chatting all the time...
I'll chalk you up for one who thinks that many problems (spread of nosema, mites, and afb) are due to migratory pollination operations. I know in the past, I have been shouted down in mentioning items like this. Its a little different than my "gripe" as I have experience with many of them over-medicating. But if your suggesting that they are still spreading these things on levels that its worth mentioning here, than its going to be a bigger issue than I thought.
And at your convenience, please refrain from your less than mature comments about "I don't see" references and "what little he knows". I think my three year old could make a comeback comment stronger than those.... But if it makes you feel better...Ouch, boy Keith that was a slam!....I guess I'll refrain from jumping in next time. I am so ashamed of not knowing what a "rouskie" was, that I will hide my head, and doubt myself.....
I'm not one to call people by code name or hidden labels of some type. So tell me, why not just call them Migratory beekeepers? Why call them rouskies?
They will go into a pollination area and give the grower money to put the bees in, yes you heard me right, I know that sounds crazy but it is happening.They don't speak the lanuage well and feel if they pay they will have a better chance of getting the spots to put bees.
So I was, regardless of comments about not knowing, dead on in my comments about locals. They are not migratory, not European immigrants, etc.
No need to repeat my comments on those who provide pollination services to commercial operations for little more than a place to keep bees, and even pay cash or a box of honey to say "Thank-You!". I have ranted about this a number of times. I usually call them things too, but not to be repeated here. So, I'll stick with rouskies.
I could imagine that in California, things are much tighter for even a simple location. Here, beekeepers, or "rouskies", are stupid enough to think commercial farms are a great place to have hives for honey. So it's not a competitive thing for lack of sites (as there are many), as much as its an ignorance thing. If it were not for the pollination fee being PAID by the FARMER, I would not go close to operations that cut and mow, spray, and generally have poor honey producing sites.
From what I can read between the lines, with long time clients who are fairly open with me, there is still a great deal of suspicion that ccd and hard times in bees is some kind of PR campaign to continue to raise prices. All of the costs in almond farming have risen dramatically and managers are trying hard to put a cap on things. They will continue to delay commitments and shop around as long as they have the least suspicion that you're overpriced. Growers all talk among themselves, just like us. Whenever the low ballers come in with their quotes, word travels fast. In 2006 there was a fair shortage of bees. Until the growers feel that pinch again, they will continue to vigorously resist price increase for pollination.
But it's pretty tough to keep your numbers up isn't it?
There is always a home for quality bees. Be sure to get a quality price. Nowadays that often means holding out and sticking to your guns, with all of the resultant uncertainty and stress.
I think Ernie is close but it could go either way from his prediction IMO.
Thanks for all the information on this post. Just to clarify, I am not trying to out bid another person for a contract. From the information I recieved I dont think he even rents bees yet. It is something I was told that he just wanted to start. I am pretty sure he was asking to try to get it done free. But I am not interested in that. That is why I ask this question, I would like to offer this service in the future in our local community and to individual framers that want a couple of hives, but I am not going to do it for nothing (I would even need to buy a trailor). With all that being said, I just couldn't find a price per hive, for pollination, is it all over the board varing from person to person? I want to make some profit, but not be overpriced. Thanks, Daniel
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Beesource Beekeeping Forums
1.8M posts
54.7K members
Since 1999
A forum community dedicated to beekeeping, bee owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about breeding, honey production, health, behavior, hives, housing, adopting, care, classifieds, and more!