[Zeusophobia]

I was reading that you can keep more hives in an urban area. I live in a bedroom community to Tampa FL, the entire county has a million people and it's pretty much houses for people who work in Tampa.

From my understanding, this situation is pretty much as ideal as it can get for beekeeping. I wanted some opinions before I go for it though.

Also, my end goal is to make some money off of these bees, enough to quit my job. I know that can't happen over night, but can it happen ever?

 

[JRG13]

Sure, everyone loves bees..... urban beekeeping is not ideal, especially for lots of hives unless you like making people angry.... You need to elaborate on you plan somewhat, urban bees can do better, but cramming a bunch of bees into an urban area doesn't come without consequence.

 

[sqkcrk]

Also, my end goal is to make some money off of these bees, enough to quit my job. I know that can't happen over night, but can it happen ever?

Not if you wish to maintain your current standard of living.

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

Most folks who make a living off their bees count their hives by the hundreds. Stationary urban beekeeping doesn't generally lend itself to that scope of beekeeping. I think you need to talk to a few commercial beeks to get a better idea what is involved.

JMO


Rusty

 

[CessnaGirl]

I have bees in urban West Palm Beach. The state has rules on how many hives you can keep in one place based on acreage. Less than 1/4 acre is 1-3 hives with 3 extra during swarm season for 60 days. 1/4 to <1/2 acre 6 hives up to 12 during swarm season for not >60 days. 1/2 to < 1 acre, 10 hives, etc. I have just over 1/4 but I farm out hives to 2 other properties, but I am not making a profit, just help paying the expenses and maybe a little more. And, I get products from the hive that I know the history of them--the main reason we became beeks. A thing that happened that I did not anticipate, is that I feel such affection, well love, for insects! The girls are beautiful! And I feel silly writing this......BTW, I haven't had any neighbor problems, but I have a 4' fence with a higher thick hedge so the bees fly up and over.

 

[Zeusophobia]

What are these expenses? I thought you just spray them with mite treatment every so often. What am I missing?

 

[sqkcrk]

What are these expenses? I thought you just spray them with mite treatment every so often. What am I missing?

Everything. What are you willing to do and willing to pay for a tutorial on keeping bees? I spent two years in college and 30 years working to learn what I think I know about bees and beekeeping. Everybody pays for their education and education isn't cheap and I don't mean just money.

Before you take your first steps get a couple of books and read them cover to cover. Get a couple of thetwo major bee magazines, Bee Culture and American Bee journal and digest them. Then finds a bee club near by. Your State Apiculturalist or State Apiarist can tell you where they are. Join a club, befriend a beekeeper or two, and spend enough time in a bee hiveto see if you are really interested in working bees or just in love w/ the idea, romantically attracted to bees and beekeeping.

I think that would be a good start. Best wishes.

Oh, by the way, Zeus isn't anything to fear, he's just a Myth. Now, Apollo, he's a different story. One mean skater that Apollo.

 

[JRG13]

Here we go...

 

[Harley Craig]

Everything. What are you willing to do and willing to pay for a tutorial on keeping bees? I spent two years in college and 30 years working to learn what I think I know about bees and beekeeping. Everybody pays for their education and education isn't cheap and I don't mean just money.

Before you take your first steps get a couple of books and read them cover to cover. Get a couple of thetwo major bee magazines, Bee Culture and American Bee journal and digest them. Then finds a bee club near by. Your State Apiculturalist or State Apiarist can tell you where they are. Join a club, befriend a beekeeper or two, and spend enough time in a bee hiveto see if you are really interested in working bees or just in love w/ the idea, romantically attracted to bees and beekeeping.

I think that would be a good start. Best wishes.

Oh, by the way, Zeus isn't anything to fear, he's just a Myth. Now, Apollo, he's a different story. One mean skater that Apollo.

Ha ha, I think maybe he should have posted that in purple text to indicate sarcasm LOL

 

[sqkcrk]

I never know when to take a Post seriously or not. His or yours. I tend to air on the side of if it isn't obviously sarcastic then it's serious and deserves a serious answer.

 

[Zeusophobia]

Mark knows more about bees than you ever will about bees, but he took time out to read your post. He gave you good advice and you gave him

Sorry, it's hard to type from this beehive. I don't think they're made for a 190lb individual. I also just digested a magazine.

 

[sqkcrk]

Sorry, it's hard to type from this beehive. I don't think they're made for a 190lb individual. I also just digested a magazine.

Yeah, I thought so.

 

[sqkcrk]

I was reading that you can keep more hives in an urban area.

From my understanding, this situation is pretty much as ideal as it can get for beekeeping.

but can it happen ever?

Yeah, recycle that piece of literature.

Get a better understanding.

Sure it can happen. Not where you live. Not at your current standard of living. Not w/out knowing first if you can even take stings. Not w/out learning a lot of things which you can't even start to imagine. But it can happen. Plenty of people are doing it, have done it, and will do it. Whether you are one of those persons is solely up to you. "Cain't no body walk it for you, you gots to walk it, by your self." But we all stand on the shoulders of Giants, those of us who have walked it.

 

[dynemd]

Zeus- If you really like bees get some books or go to Michael Bush's website LINK, join a beekeeping club then start a couple hives to see if you like it and feel you could make a profit. I've got 5 hives in my suburban backyard doing very well because everyone around waters their gardens and it's very dry in natural undeveloped areas. I do harvest some honey from my hives but it's far from being something profitable and I don't think it could ever be profitable financially. I love my bees and the management/interaction though and find it very rewarding otherwise.

Probably would help being respectful as a beginner here on the forum, the advice and feedback given freely here is invaluable...

 

[Zeusophobia]

Sorry, I thought we were joking around. He did say to digest magazines. My bad, not trying to disrespect anyone. I actually thought being told to eat a magazine was pretty hilarious.

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

"Digest" as in break down and absorb the information contained therein.



Rusty

Edited to add that I have been at this for over 20 years and I am NOWHERE NEAR Mark's level of expertise. If you are serious about this, then listen to what he tells you because he gives good advice! Someone else to pay attention to is Jim Lyon and for the same reasons.

 

[sqkcrk]

Sorry, I thought we were joking around. He did say to digest magazines. My bad, not trying to disrespect anyone. I actually thought being told to eat a magazine was pretty hilarious.

That's alright. I hoped something like that was true. You shoulda seen how I handled myself when I first started Posting on beesource. Actually, Barry?, I don't know that I have changed all that much.

Be glad I didn't throw the word osmosis at you. My Dad thought that was how I thought I figured I could learn, since I wasn't reading my school books. It must have been osmosis that got me through High School. But not Osmosis Jones. He came along later.

You can subscribe to ABJ and Bee Culture on line and read them on your Kindle or iPad.

 

[Zeusophobia]

That's alright. I hoped something like that was true. You shoulda seen how I handled myself when I first started Posting on beesource. Actually, Barry?, I don't know that I have changed all that much.

Be glad I didn't throw the word osmosis at you. My Dad thought that was how I thought I figured I could learn, since I wasn't reading my school books. It must have been osmosis that got me through High School. But not Osmosis Jones. He came along later.

You can subscribe to ABJ and Bee Culture on line and read them on your Kindle or iPad.

Yeah, sorry for the confusion. All this time I thought everyone was just bantering.

I have beekeeping for dummies because I was considering this a couple months ago, and now I'm getting more serious about it.

Now I'm just seeing how legal it is to do this in my county. All I can find on google is that I'm allowed to sell honey as a cottage food, says nothing about actually keeping the bees.

 

[sqkcrk]

Yeah,you need to find another beekeeper near you and figure those things out. Local ordinances can really mess you up sometimes.

 

[odfrank]

Your county or town website should have a copy of the ordinances. Bees are often on the same page with chickens. If bees are not specifically mentioned they just fall under the nuisance ordinances.