When to Solicit

Moonshae · September 24, 2007, 10:26:23 PM

I have two hives in my backyard. The available forage has been...disappointing, to say the least. My plans for expansion cannot include more hives in my yard, for this reason and others (NJ Dept AG recommends max 3 hives on <.25 acres). I'm hoping to find a place to keep a few hives all year long, hopefully in exchange for free pollination. Seeing that people get paid $90-$150 per full-size hive for a couple weeks of pollination, and those who pay to keep their hives in a location year round give 1-5 lbs honey/hive, it seems that the person with the property is getting a better deal with my plan, but I'm ok with that.

When is the best time to put out an ad (I plan to start with craigslist, and move to the newspaper if I have no luck there)? I have two nucs to seed the new hives, and am hoping to split my two main hives into a third. So three hives need to have new homes. I guess the dandelion blooms in late March. I was thinking to place my ads in mid-February.

I know this is early to be thinking about this, but I like to have my plans laid in advance so I don't get caught playing catch up.

Michael Bush · September 25, 2007, 08:09:21 AM

>NJ Dept AG recommends max 3 hives on <.25 acres)

It doesn't matter if you put them on 10 square feet, they will still forage the 8,000 acres around it...

KONASDAD · September 25, 2007, 10:39:46 AM

I also am looking for places to place hives in NJ. I have chopsen to go a diff route however for the first few years. I plan to place my hives in friends backyards. I have two friends willing to take hives as they have a new found appreciation for them after seeing them in my yard. I expect they will be buying them, they just dont know it yet. I have another friend that backs up to about four hundred acres of apple and peaches in Mullica Hill. They would love a hive too! The farmer wil just get an unexpected windfall and I will have lots of early season fruit nectar available to grow my hives. Any friend w/ a fenced yard is eligible. Good luck.

sean · September 25, 2007, 05:03:21 PM

why not just have a talk with the farmer. you could possibly then place more hives than you could in your friend's yard

thomashton · September 25, 2007, 05:39:05 PM

Quote from: Michael Bush on September 25, 2007, 08:09:21 AM
>NJ Dept AG recommends max 3 hives on <.25 acres)

It doesn't matter if you put them on 10 square feet, they will still forage the 8,000 acres around it...

Beat me to it. Look at the Beemaster's set up.

Robo · September 25, 2007, 09:30:37 PM

Quote from: sean on September 25, 2007, 05:03:21 PM
why not just have a talk with the farmer. you could possibly then place more hives than you could in your friend's yard

You better talk to the farmer regardless and find out what he is spraying and the schedule, otherwise you might end up with dead bees.

amandrea · September 25, 2007, 09:35:51 PM

A wooded small hill in a highway medium near a creek is a good spot. No one ever goes in there except to hide a body.

sean · September 26, 2007, 08:46:06 AM

Quote from: Robo on September 25, 2007, 09:30:37 PM
Quote from: sean on September 25, 2007, 05:03:21 PM
why not just have a talk with the farmer. you could possibly then place more hives than you could in your friend's yard

You better talk to the farmer regardless and find out what he is spraying and the schedule, otherwise you might end up with dead bees.

that too

Moonshae · September 26, 2007, 12:42:03 PM

Quote from: Michael Bush on September 25, 2007, 08:09:21 AM
>NJ Dept AG recommends max 3 hives on <.25 acres)

It doesn't matter if you put them on 10 square feet, they will still forage the 8,000 acres around it...

It's not a regulation, it's a recommendation to keep you from annoying your neighbors. Since there doesn't seem to be much forage in my area for the two hives I have now, I don't want to increase competition by adding more.