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Has anyone ever had a confontation with another beekeeper, especially sideline/comm ?

23K views 64 replies 29 participants last post by  bigbill 
#1 ·
Just curious what kind of "turf wars" happen between commercial or sideliner beekeepers! Also, how about under cutting prices to get pollination contracts?
Just looking for some good stories whether you experienced it or have heard a good story on what happened to another beekeeper!
 
#39 ·
I'm new enough to beekeeping that I haven't run into any issues with my hives being too close to another beek's hives but since I'm planning on growing my own beekeeping operation I've often wondered about whether those issues are taking place out there. I do feel that individual's putting in new yards should be respectful of other beek's established yard locations. If they are aware of another beek's large bee yard being close by then they should act smart about their decisions. Putting in another yard too close to an existing yard only causes problems for both beeks at a time when the original yard was already there and not having a problem. Having said that, I also understand that what is one person's opinion of the nectar and pollen providing capacity of an area is not the same as another person's opinion.
 
#40 ·
I am curious why some beeks seem to think that a landowner/farmer doesn't have any rights and seems to be left out of the equation? (Not talking about going against contracts) What about land that is sold or inherited by family? What about the fact that there can be multiple owners all with their own acreage? Farmer A can have hives and Farmer B cannot? Messing with someone else's property (bees and equipment or even the land) to cause damage and loss of bees is dishonest and another form of stealing. That's what it boils down to. Be gentle.....:lookout:
 
#42 ·
I'd have to agree with BB. Been thinking of chiming in but kind of bit my tongue.

I recall as a teenager watching a couple of movies that had something to do with inner-city street gangs. I thought then and still do that the idea of "my turf" is ridiculous. It's not "your turf". A beekeeper, commercial or otherwise, can sign a contract with whoever he wishes to place bees on that farmer's property. If the contract gives him exclusivity, then OK, no one else may place hives on THAT PROPERTY. But what if I want to put hives in across the street that is someone else's property? Is that the "turf" of the first beek? I call BS. If it looks like a good place to put my bees and that property owner gives his permission, I'll go for it. Now, in making the determination that it is or is not a good location, I will obviously take into account known existing apiaries in the area. (which is one reason I wish states would have a site where you could identify locations of current apiaries.) Existence of another apiary would greatly diminish the attractiveness of an area. Even so, if the amount of forage is sufficient for a thousand colonies and a commercial beek has 200 in that area, then I am not going to pass up the opportunity to put in my dozen or so hives. I'll likely also take the opportunity to double the number of swarm traps.

I'm sure I am about to get stuff thrown at me and take some of the flak off Bee Bliss. That's OK. I'm thick-skinned.

-james
 
#51 ·
You are absolutely right Mark. But I do know that taking things in your own hands is criminal. Be it drug dealing, beekeeping or prostitution. Are you lumping commercial beekeeping in the category of thugs?
Reading many post here on Beesource I get the impression commercial beekeeping in the US is declining. What is wrong with new blood? How does somebody with 20 hives hurt someone with 1000 hives?
If it is all about hard labor and expertise, wouldn't you just laugh at them?
 
#55 ·
If we go WAAAAAy back, before Sulfa was invented for AFB, it was very important to keep all beeyards 4 miles apart to prevent transference of disease. The only cure at that time was fire.
This helped to establish the idea of 'Turf" in many of the Oldtimer's mind, and is often still alive today.

Crazy Roland
 
#64 ·
Could u imagine two old fat guys in white bee suits in front of a magristrate all bloodyed up sayen thats what u get for trying to put ur hives in my honey hole. I seen load my swarm. It was in my bee yard. u ant no better than ur bees just a low down robber. And how about those 8 talll hive bodies fulla honey.those are my dead outs with used equipment!... "oh" ....so u only got 2 hives? Duh.
....................... well u wanna get a cup of coffee when we get out.
 
#65 ·
back to what beegost was asking for / 20 years ago or so a commercial guy found another commercial guy dropped a load exactly on the firsts location right down to the water barrel he took his cat over there dug a hole an buried every last box needless to say it can get rough out there messing with the wrong guys. :lookout:
 
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