Small Set for Almonds

[Sundance]

What are the odds of being able to find a grower
that would take say 100 colonies??

Do you need a broker for small sets??

[Gregg]

There are growers out there that need that number of colonies (or fewer), but finding them, and contacting them, unless you know someone out there, may be kind of difficult, especially from a long distance away (such as ND).

A broker would make it much simpler. Many brokers will also do other things (for a price, of course): provide a holding yard, unload trucks, move bees into & out of orchards, collect money from growers, etc. Depends on each individual situation.

[alpha6]

Your best bet with a hundred hives is to hook up with a commercial beek in your area that has a contract in place and supplement his hives. This also will afford you the opportunity to see how the system works and also how to prepare, inspect, strengthen and manipulate your hives so that they go and return strong. I have seen guys really take a hit when they sent weak or hives with no stores in them to Calf. not get their hives accepted and get them returned as deadouts or close to it..so they don't get paid and also are footing the shipment bill.

Best bet again is link up with someone that you can piggy back off of. Once you are up to about a semi load (435) you can start looking for your own contracts or if you are hauling yourself maybe half that to a small grower.

Good luck.

[Sundance]

Thanks for the input guys.

I have no intention (or desire) any longer to grow.
Max size I am shooting for is 200.

I intend to split Nucs off of them post pollination.

I have family in Davis for a place to stay and nurse
the bees along.

[alpha6]

If thats the case you may be better off visiting family and taking out an add in the local COOP or something. Don't commit to more bees then you can provide. In the fall fed, fed, fed or they won't be the min frame strength. If your bees go into almonds strong they will split out really nice and strong after almonds. Being close to them would be a plus.

Lastly...remember if you are working your bees out there...its a business expense.

[Bud Dingler]

shipping your bees with a commercial operation. even good operations can have a break down enroute and cook the bees in Nevada in fall or they winter somewhere before almonds and you get a nice case of beetles or other nasties.

i know of several smaller operations who make out great sending their bees with a commercial operation for almonds and others who lost everything.

you must also be ready to split them out in april when they return all amped up.

i think thats the key is not send anything you can't live without next spring.

[Sundance]

i know of several smaller operations who make out great sending their bees with a commercial operation for almonds and others who lost everything.

I will be the only one trucking my bees. The almonds are
secondary to build up and Nucs. A nice secondary mind
you........