Ready for winter... ready for the almonds?

[Skinner Apiaries]

So you're saying they pay to keep the operation alive purely to know they'll keep having bees to rent?

[Matt Beekman]

I am not saying growers are making this conscious decision...but it is the result of the supply demand dynamics of almond pollination.

[benstung]

Quality hives from reliable sources booked through reputable channels always seem to find a home.

i agree with jim and ryan

A good product will always sell it self.

The guys willing to rent bee's for low low prices would probably also be willing to sell that same hive at the same low price, because if they dont make some money the bank will take their new swinger.


I hope prices will stay high, if they don't then farmers like us(we are farmers ya know) that take pride in having good bee's would be insulted by too low of a price.

i mean after all we put our lives into these bees and if the rental rate isn't high enough, then screw it.

make honey

[Keith Jarrett]

For the next two months, how beekeepers feeds & treats there bees will be the out come of a great almond season or a disaster almond season. Good luck to all that pollinate almonds.

This thread was more intended to spur thoughts about the timing, management decisions & input costs and getting bees ready for almond pollination than it was about the price.
But, as we know here on beesource.... let'ter-er rip.

[The Honey Householder]

Here, here I'm in for the honey part.

[suttonbeeman]

Here, here I'm in for the honey part.

I'm going to be like Householder. For the last 7 years we have sent bees to almonds. Up until this year 100% made grade as we went thru them before shipping. First load graded 12 frames with two at 20 frames. Three hives graded below the 6 frame min. Two graded 5 and one 4. This could have been drift
Regardless I didn't get paid for the three even though I was 5o% above the 8 frame Ave. Kinda picky I think! Second load was stronger leaving Florida but we incurred cold weather the last 48 hours and had some hives with chilled brood and loss of two or three frames ofbees. Broker complaining BEFORE nets removed of poor hives. Temp was 47 with rain. Now can u tell strength in that weather.my trucker immediately called and said I think broker has too many bres and is trying to cut yours as in this weather its BS to complain about need with nets on. We took s 25 percent cut but some colonies were not graded properly. I had two hives that graded 3 frames with 7 frames covered in bottom box plus bees in top.we could not get the bees released. Just because ONE peddle in on a tree doesn't mean its viable. I flew out to feed as in my area very little pollen andnectar. Bees did not build up as usual. I realize the grower has paid good money but if there us no viable bloom release the bees. I lost as much on orange honey as I got paid sitting ina orchard with no viable bloom or flow for 10 days. Also I never get paid until about the time the bees are released. I am nodegt a banker....taking twod months to pay is too long....If I go to buy sugar at Wally world they font wait for their money. I am also fed up with trying to get bees into CA at border due to idiots. One year I had two sugar ants they found on bed of truck in 40 degree weather. Wanted to turn me around or pressure wash. Y paper work stated I could enter with 5 ants three being fire ants. They said they changed rules. When I told them I was flying there and dome language o can't replete here about what I was going to do they released me to go. Another time it took them 3 days to figure out what a wax moth larvae was. Unbelievable...just ask a fisherman. So yes I have bees available for almonds in MY TERMS. 200 per hive paid upon unloadind and grading, bees released within 24 hours of last daily post on bloom
5 dollars per day per hive every day past that day.grower pays putight bill out. I pay return. Don't like my terms. Fine I'll stay in Florida make honey have better bees. I figure if I had stayed on the east coast I would have made well over 150k more. In 7 years doing almonds I have made more going to CA. One year I got almonds and orange. But as a hole several of my beek friends have done as well staying put. Bees are better, less stress on both them and me plus no California border idiots to put up with!

[Keith Jarrett]

I heard about a couple loads from Florida this year, that were five framers, when the beekeeper got a second grade(third party), well five framers. You here alot of stories out there, I think good & bad on both sides.Wish you the best of luck SBM.

[suttonbeeman]

RishKeirh . Yep I probably was one of those loads. With the warm weather in Florida and maple bloom along with feed most colonies had 4 and up frames sealed brood.. we hit below 40 degree weather from Dallas/ ft worth all way to CA border. As you know bees won't leave their babies and we had colonies with two frames brood chilled and bees lost due to chilling. That's part of the risk going to CA. The loaf that graded 5 frames. Was m. ore like 6.5. The colonies that suffered the most were the smaller ones. Some went from 5 or 6 to 3.every colony waschecked before leaving Florida and all were strong 5 with lots brood up to 14 framers. Most were 7 to 12 with lots brood and would have been two boxes within 2 weeks. I just don't think anyone can tell whether a load is 5 or 8 framers after being hauled in under 40 degree weather and its raining and 47 degree. The load was actually better than the first leaving fl. I know I didn't Ave 8 frames after the trip but they were still better than either graded. When I grade I am harder then most. I only count frames completely covered while grading standards are 75 percent. I think they were 1 yo 1.5 better but still about 1 or 1.5 frame under the 8 required. If the load hadn't gone downhill they would have exceeded grade. Beekeepers take a lot risk and anyone moving bees needs to realize the risk. I would have made much more staying in fl. Also I have pics of grade on lid and when u turn up hive there are at least 7 frame of bees in bottom box with a grade of 3. Getting bees released this year was absurd. I know the grower paid but if there is no bloom release my bees. The bees came back the same strength or weaker due to no pollen/nectar in my area. All part of the risk and I want compensated for my risk! I always check weather forecast but didn't due to warm winter
So guys learn from my mistake.....check the weather and adjust your route.

[Jim Stevens]

Keith,
How many lbs or shovels full of Supplements per Hive are your Bees consuming right now?
Here in the Northwest I will start feeding & treating on Friday.
Just removed the bees from the Fireweed last weekend.

[Keith Jarrett]

Supplements per Hive are your Bees consuming right now?

Ha, If only I could get to my hives..... The folks that are feeding Nutra Bee say they are consuming 3-4 lbs a week.
Good luck with your bees this fall Jim.

[Mbeck]

I've heard that some send there bees to a Florida beekeeper to put in Brazilian pepper grow out and split before Almonds. Florida guy gets to keep honey and or some splits, owner gets most of the splits and strong hives back.
Anyone heard of this or how it works?

[HarryVanderpool]

One thing we always have to remind ourselves of:
ALL of beekeeping is regional.
Hives in Oregon and Washington are consuming 3 - 4 ponds of feed, minimum, weekly as well.
The difference is that our bees are the ones hauling it in by the shovel-full!
And even in our northern locations, volume varies.
Oregon and Washington are worlds away from Central California.

Are you worried about your hives protien intake or nutrition status?
The solution is not to throw money out the window.
Do some casual hive inspections and READ THE FRAMES!
Do you have great big bands of pollen around the brood of pollen or solid sheets of pollen?
If so, there is no good reason to waste money on additional feed.
Are your brood frames completely devoid of pollen stores? Beter get on the phone and get some coming!
Take time aside from all of the "production beekeeping" for few hours every week and read the frames.
Thay have the answer to most all of your questions including disease, quens, parasites.....

[Keith Jarrett]

One thing we always have to remind ourselves of:
ALL of beekeeping is regional.
Hives in Oregon and Washington are consuming 3 - 4 ponds of feed, minimum, weekly as well.
The difference is that our bees are the ones hauling it in by the shovel-full!

All beekeeping is regional, Yes very well said.

BTW, just sent loads last week too hood river, Siverton & Walla Walla.

[HarryVanderpool]

BTW, just sent loads last week too hood river, Siverton & Walla Walla.

Glad to hear it. Glad to hear that some of us plan ahead.
They will be needing it soon, and they will have it in their hot hands!

[HarryVanderpool]

And now that I shot my mouth off; let me give you an update:
I hit a few yards today to do some mite sampling and was surprised at how low the inventory of pollen stores were in some hives / locations.
August went down as one of the most dry in history and it is showing up in the amount of available pollen.
So, I defer back to Keith's recomendations. We will be placing pollen soon. (NOW!!)
Thanks Keith!

[Keith Jarrett]

Keith's recomendations. We will be placing pollen soon. (NOW!!)
Thanks Keith!

Harry thanks for the kind words But.... If you look at post #30, I"ve been slow to put on sub too, cant get away from the shop. The ONLY reason I know that it's time is that the phone has been ringing for a month with other keepers saying we need to feed. The one good thing about making sub is you get a chance to talk to other keepers in different states and hear what going on in there back yard. Other than that, I think i would rather clean out septic tanks than mix sub all day.lol

[jean-marc]

I'm not sure I agree with post #32 in regards to "throwing money out the window". I never felt that it is wasting money when feeding bees even if they have good pollen reserves. By feeding them their protein levels go up and they can keep on brooding. Many of our hivs have several frames of pollen but by feeding them patties and syrup they keep on brooding longer. This allows us to make divides later in the season and we can keep on building them up thru the use of feeds.

Think of it this way, it's nice to have a fridge full of food, but nicer to have a plate of food served to you.

Jean-Marc

[snl]

[QUOTE=Keith Jarrett;845977 I think i would rather clean out septic tanks than mix sub all day.lol[/QUOTE]

We can arrange that!

[Keith Jarrett]

SNL, Yeah, lol.... I hear the sewer is overflowing down in Charlotte,NC this week, those poor boys are probably making a meant on over time this week.

[snl]

You're right Keith, I'm just hoping that the NC sewer overflow doesn't make it to SC!

Larry