This video discusses growing your bee business, primarily nuc sales. I came across a post on the Queen Breeders FB group that inspired me to talk about this subject. Thanks for watching!
I'm close to Bristol and people expect a NUC before its possible to rear queens with success. One guy was demanding, he bought a package with a drone laying queen and then wanted a mated queen to fix his mistake. I have good luck rearing fall queens on goldenrod to have fresh queens for spring buildup.. One insulated hive is crazy strong, intending to draw comb weeks before other colonies.
Here in Prince George, Virginia I have been a beekeeper since 1999 . Up until four years ago I used to buy bees and nucs that would come out of Georgia. Since I learnt the process of splitting and catching swarms I can make increase to replace hives I lost over this past winter. In four years I haven’t bought any bees or nucs . Folks have rode past my house and come back to ask if I plan on selling splits. So far I have sold five nucs to local neighbors and have decided to mentor some locals by showing them what to do or not to do . Hopefully I can try my hand at grafting a few queens.
Great points all the way around. I struggled with deposits for years. Now I require it up front and in full, no refunds. It separates the serious people from the ones that play around and cancel at the first opportunity of cheaper or earlier bees. I'm small scale though.
ive got limited experience, sold my first nucs last year, but i sold mine near over flowing with bees and told the customers that they needed to install them in a bigger box, like TODAY, or they will swarm. all you can do is just strongly suggest the customers what to do, and hope they do it.
Great chat Gus, I only sell about a dozen each season. I require a 50% deposit to help weed some people out. You will always have at least one complaint, guess that's human nature or the world we living in....
Thanks for giving me something to hope for and be prepared for next spring. Last winter and past spring was shot down with covid hitting me twice so I wasn't as prepared as I was the previous year and I had to cancel my state inspection and couldnt do all the prep work. I'll make sure I'm on the inspectors list early for 2023 and spend the winter getting things in order. Just getting over Covid again on day 13. My Dr. says I'm a magnet. Got it 3 times in 8 months and lagging behind on early prep for this winter I guess I can at least get it all written down. Going into winter with more hives than I planned but I did get to sell 3 nucs and a few queens this year. Front yard full of mating nucs again. I only plan to sell 6 nucs each year to pay my house insurance being retired and living in the city and don't have enough space to grow too many out.
Thanks for this post, Gus. I sell a few nucs each year just to keep my numbers from exploding. You don't talk about possible pricing, but that's probably a regional thing. Most folks undercharge, IMHO. I charge a $25.00 deposit on jester box so that I can replace it if they choose to keep it.
Thanks for the tips man. Us new into these revenue streams appreciate the experienced advise. A good mentor isn't always behind a beekeeper, though we should try.
Gus, after a couple years of people backing out , I started taking a nonrefundable deposit per nuc which is taken from the total. If someone backs out, I keep that deposit for my time.
Hello Gus this older video of yours just popped up an wanted to check in with you . Hope all is doing well. Look forward to more of your videos . Thanks
I have been really small scale so far, 4-6 hives, have been considering the idea of expanding quite abit in order sell more than just honey... You have input on how many hives to have to really make it worth the bother selling Nucs / queens etc. - I'm in Central VA, certifications are required to sell nucs. Thanks Gus for the great video!
That’s really dependent on how much you hope to make, and personal variables. Wish I could just tel you a number, it this is one of those questions you have to figure out what will work for you.
Great video. Have you done a video on your thoughts on selling honey as a hobby beekeeper? Seems that some folks want to buy it by the gallon, but that only brings about half the price per weight as the smaller sizes. Thanks
Thank you for covering this Gus! I am hoping to put more time into beekeeping as a side gig. I'm hoping selling bees will be a good way to do it and you covered a lot of my questions. Do you give people a choice on mediums vs deep frames?
Very good information. Thanks. Do you have a website? Through a search I see your classes and beekeeping experiences but couldn't find any information on your other offerings.
I like trapping swarms. And thinking about leasing bee yard out for bear hunting next year. If I don't get a license next year. The horizontal Lazutin hives with nail boards are working so far to keep bear out. I got into bee keeping to sell localized hardy yooper bees and give bees places to live. Bees per pound are worth more than honey. I am a cheap ask too. I use old scaffold boards to build hives. Misting bottle with sugar water, propolis oil mix instead of smoker. It helps with mites and robbing. Wet sticky bees need to be cleaned before they can fly again. Like hitting them with powdered sugar. I got a feather for a bee brush. I only get up north to bee yard 3 times a year for about a week at a time. So they get misted with sugar water 6 times a year. Memorial day, 4th of July, and Labor day. Someone has small apiary down the road from my central u.p. property. Never meet them only drive by it. Have bumble nest on property too. Which I may try to raise some bumble bees too. Those 2 things made me decided to try bee keeping. Kind of became a bee watcher at camp because of berries, service berry trees, and basswood. Made a swarm trap spring 2021. It seems like I need to make a hive every time I go to camp now. When life gives you bees become a bee keeper.
New bee keeper here. I found this video to be very helpful. I really appreciate your time and info. When you're making these nuc frames, I'm assuming you use natural wax foundation? With wooden frames? Also do you build your own frames or purchase premade. Thanks!
Hi there Gus. Thanks for your great videos. Have you an opinion on 4 frame nucs vs 5 frame. I am in Ontario, Canada, and we are predominantly 4 frame nucs up here. But some folks do sell 5 frame. I see Jester boxes only come as 5 frames as far as I can tell. Regards. WillowBee Apiary
@@gusmitchellcranesnesthoney6529 How you got started, what you do, the whole nine really. All I know is trying to sell at farmers markets, or online like Etsy or FB ... I have no clue about large qtys. Anything you share would be helpful.
At the 25 dollar a quart price thats like 500 bucks so Im guessing you discount it. Never thought about Restaurants. what about getting certified, who does that for ya?
I’ve found on resources hive that long langsworth hives with great queens are the bomb for resources easy access and big capacity try it it changed my operation saves time allows brood and comb resources . Build your own cheaply to keep cost down what I did bonus is winter great in them .
