For those of you that want to grow, what seems to be your biggest obstacle? For those that have a large number of hives, what was yours? Large is relative, lets say a sideliner size, 100 hives. Mine is getting new drawn comb in my short season in my area. None this past spring due to freezes. That means, to me, I need to follow the flow North or take them South prior. Either means I need some nice landowner to say, Sure, bring em on.
$$$$ and time! :mrgreen: Ever since my seven year old son got stung he won't come out with me to work the bees. :cry: That means putting him in daycare if I want to get anything done. It's really put a bit of a cramp in my keeping. I expanded from 10 hives to 20 this year and all of a sudden it seems like three times the effort. :roll: Top it off I normally do two extracting sessions, one in July and one end of Sept. but this year I've already done three just to bring honey to the market. (strange weather) Another keep from 100 kms. away has someone else selling his honey for him at the local market so I need to maintain a presence or my regulars may try his. Perry
I have suggested to others that the biggest limitation for expansion is equipment building and getting foundation pulled. If you go migratory you can somewhat relieve the last limitation by essentially having multiple season per year rather than one.
Ours seems to be the unknowen. Went into winter 2007 with 85 colonies. Got hit with Nosma Creana and lost 63 percent of them before we figured out what was wrong with them. Took the remaining colonies and split each of them, did a few nucs with the extra strong ones caught a few swarms and went into winter 2008 with 63 colonies. Did splits and nucs again this year with the really good strong colonies and caught 28 swarms. We will go into winter with 92 colonies this year. Kare (the boss) said we will stop at 100 colonies. Ya like I really believe that since she had me call on another 36 frame extractor to go along with the 72 frame one. I need a uncapper. :mrgreen: Al
perrybee writes: $$$$ and time! tecumseh: reminds me of an old moonshiner saying from a long time ago and down your way rast. he said all there was to moonshine was time and money.... either you made money or you did time. I think they had caught him for the 7 time when he made the statement. in regards to numbers I think my most difficult expansion was from 40 to 100 hives. from there to where I am now (approximately 150 but to be honest I haven't counted them in quite some time) a bit easier. I should add I hire no labor. to some degree expansion for me is somewhat easier since I raise my own queens.... which was really a good part of the game plan when I started up this little ad-venture. a word of wisdom repeated to me by numerous bee folks in various ways over the years....before I got to wandering too far down the road I would likely look at what might be out there and just around the corner.
Al ,, kare told me , that she does not know what your talking about , when you say that you need a uncapper . she has one already ,,, YOU !!!! :yahoo:
Tom I guess your right about that. Problem is her uncapper is setting at the desk pounding out stuff on the3 internet instead of uncapping. See post to many bees at home. :mrgreen: Al
