[rast]

I spent this morning going through about 20 3 deep hives that a 76 year young beekeeper is trying to sell me. He made the price very right. His health has became an issue. He does treat for mites, rotates treatments yearly, nosema in Dec. and had a few hive beetles. The hives looked really good. He spoke very intellegently about bee PH, damage from various treatments, rotating brood comb, how you have to stay up to date on such today and what it was like back when. He is a walking encyclopedia on various honey producing plants and how if they get near one plant it changes the color of the honey and knocks the price down even though it dosen't change the taste. Impressed me also that of the 50 or 60 hives he had in 2 locations, there was no junk woodenware.
Now the only negative (if it is one). He has all 8 frame boxes, fine, no problem, I've considered it. All the frames are 7 5/8. That dosen't interchange with anything I have. But pulling boxes (some were still full supers) sure was nice.
Any input is welcome.

 

[G3farms]

If the price is right I would go ahead and get them, You can always make splits out of them into your standard equipment with a little work.

G3

 

[Iddee]

How far away are they? Can you leave them there and work them until June or July? Do you have a yard available that you could keep them quarantined?

Otherwise, can you harvest enough honey to replace your purchase price now?

 

[rast]

G3, $400 a pallet delivered.

Iddee says-How far away are they? 6 miles give or take Can you leave them there and work them until June or July? I don't know, he is fixin to bring them to his place which is only about 3 miles from me so he doesn't have to drive to feed Do you have a yard available that you could keep them quarantined? From my bees, yes, from Miksa's no. I'd rather risk some of mine than his.

Otherwise, can you harvest enough honey to replace your purchase price now? No.

 

[Iddee]

I bought 44 last year about this time for less than 50 each and lived to regret it. I hope you do better.

 

[G3farms]

no no I was not wanting them, just saying what I would do. Getting them through the winter is what will make the difference.

G3

 

[tecumseh]

g3 writes:
Getting them through the winter is what will make the difference.

tecumseh:
the first thing I would consider is...do I have a place to put them.

I would then think condition of the hives right NOW (bees and food stuffs) would have much more sway than anything else. given rast's location he doesn't have much more winter left.

at the right price good lookin' bees and good equipment is a hard combination to pass up. I would look at the bees VERY throughly (every box) with a critical eye most especially to the frames. sometimes what's outside and inside are two different stories.

and a question to rast... isn't a health permit required for the sale of honeybees in florida?

 

[rast]

Iddee, reading between the lines on another post, I thought you had gotten burnt on buying some in the fall.
Tec, I currently have 3 locations I could put them, but here at my house is best for maple and willow build up proximity.
The inspection I did yesterday was complete down to pulling the brood frames out. No black comb either. He told me he rotated a percentage of brood comb each year. Some of the frames looked less than a year old.
They were inspected this summer and they are branded. Copy of law below.

Certificate of Inspection: A certificate is required:

* On each sale or movement of honeybees within the state unless the hives are branded with the beekeeper's registration number

 

[Iddee]

I did. Since the trees lost most of their leaves within the last week, I consider this the fall. It was still early enough last year to inspect them, but we just did a spot check, as those looked good and the beek was an older local that seemed to know what he was doing.

 

[rast]

Iddee says-and the beek was an older local that seemed to know what he was doing.
Kinda like you huh? :lol:

 

[Walt B]

See? Now there's a lesson to be learned. I'm ancient and I haven't got a clue what I'm doing! :lol: But I'm having fun.

Walt

 

[Omie]

See? Now there's a lesson to be learned. I'm ancient and I haven't got a clue what I'm doing! :lol: But I'm having fun.

The good thing is that being ancient often makes it seem you know what you are doing. :lol:

 

[Iddee]

Hey, Rast...

 

[G3farms]

Heck the old beek did know what he was doing...............he sold them before they all died out didn't he.

Smart fella right there.

Iddee I hate you got the short end of the deal though.

G3

 

[tecumseh]

walt writes:
See? Now there's a lesson to be learned. I'm ancient and I haven't got a clue what I'm doing!

tecumseh:
well when I was younger I thought I knew what I was doing???

it sounds like rast has this possibility well in hand. I suspect the next thing sir rast will need is to find is some more locations... quite typically an unavoidable consequence of expansion.

 

[sqkcrk]

rast, it sounds like it could be a good experience for you. I'd go ahead and take advantage of the opportunity. It sounds like you did a through inspection, so I wouldn't worry too much about your closeness to Miksa. he has been in the business long enough that it shouldn't be a problem for him to have some more hives near some of his. After all, aren't your bees already close to his? Or is it that his are close to you and yours?