I have a little farm in Stafford, VA, and am interested in bee keeping. Next year I would like to use them to pollinate my gardens. I appreciate the recent decline in bee populations and want to help make a difference. I am interested in learning more about the costs associated with bee keeping and the laws governing selling honey locally. Any input from experienced bee keepers is welcome.
Welcome to the forums! As far as cost goes you're probably looking at about $400 - $500 to start, that includes your gear your hives and bee's. Dadant has a really nice kit called the pollinator it has most of what you need in a kit for about $300. Then you 'll be looking at bee's and a queen. Before going that far though, I would contact your local beekeeping association and see if there are any members with hives in your area. Google "Virginia Beekeeping Association" and they'll be at the top of the search. Find someone in your area that has hives and see if they'll give you a tour of their setup. This will really give you a good idea of what it will be like to have bee's on your property. If you like to read try 'beekeeping for dummies' in paperback or beekeeping 101 from 'discover beekeeping' as an eBook. Good luck and keep us updated on how it goes.
Thanks for your help. I am reading Beekeeping for dummies and have contacted the local regional beekeepers association. With any luck I'll be in business next spring. I'll keep you posted along the way.
