To stop the wax cracking cover them with cardboard

In Poland is not snow😢

Its always nice to get a bit of cash back in the bank and you already work super hard anyway. merry Chrismas Ian

I wouldn't sell bees if I were you, greetings from Ukraine.

I am on the west coast, and have never really experienced dry snow, but then I went to Denver Colorado for a couple of weeks to play with helicopters (removing trees from the middle of a lake after the water drowned them lol), and I tried making a snow ball and was frustrated as it just poofed out through my fingers.... Sheesh

On a MUCH smaller scale I have the same problem. I have gone with a wait list approch. I tell them I can put them on my list of nuc buyers (no deposit) and I will let them know asap in spring if I think I can fill thier order. I know for many people buying larger scale that may have them looking to the next supplier, but it works for me.

How many of your kids are out of high school now?

Looks like a great day to make up some nucs!

You know it's Winter when Ian's videos start off with a wood stove. Nice fluffy snow, not real wet. That sure makes it easier to deal with but man does it blow all over. Merry Christmas Ian and Family, Blessed Days... I would have a difficult time taking reservations of nucs or brood frames before I know I have them. I don't Trust Winters to be kind to honey bee mortality.

If you work on efficiency while building your ‘herd’ take more time to build the structure you won’t make as many mistakes. A good apple farmer friend told me, you’re going to be there (where you live) you don’t need to do everything this year.

The snow is pretty , but you can keep it lol😂

You never count your chicks until the eggs are hatched. You never know what can happen

If I don't sell some bees I'm gonna have to change my last name to Steppler.

Ian i read your comment "I built this business on honey sales"... My question to you is how many hives can your body and mind cope with? For me sitting in my arm chair in the UK, it is your children are the key to your future honey busness... Some more right hands as good as Kerry, would boost the operation to a very different level..

Thanks Ian, we appreciate not only your insight and experience but your willingness to be transparent with your subscribers……! By the way, could you please send some of your snow down here to the mountains of Northern Arizona?

Waiting a year for expansion maybe a good idea allowing the unsettled economy/political worlds to settle down. Maybe mid- February run a Flair on the rows of bees and get a firmer grip on what you have and then sell your abundance. My opinion only. Must be fun to have those options.

Are you making the EXPO in Louisville this year?

I recommend 3 or 4 days in sunny Louisville. Relaxing with some good Bourbon and good company and no feet of snow 😅

I am a miniscule operation but am expanding, What I am doing is spending 1/3 of my minimum projected sales in new equipment this winter. Which in your situation would be for you to look closely at what you think your going to be able to sell at a minimum and pre-sell just a portion of that to stay on the safe side until you get firmer numbers.

👍вже років десять не бачив такої зими

Sell cells, mated queens nucs and make less honey More fun and less work . Its tough being our season is short . Enjoy life even if its plowing snow 😂🎉

I miss the snow myself lol. I feel like having the cold weather is pointless without having at least a little bit of snow lol. Im a beginner and i know i dont have the experience that you do, but i cant imagine preselling any bees without knowing what my survival rate is going to be. Now once i get some experience, i feel like i could take my worst year ever and use that to predict my survival so that i never over-sell and make myself short. I also feel like i would probably only be willing to pre-sell a percentage of what im predicting will survive, but time will tell how i manage my sales.

Go with your gut Ian!!!

Seems to me, sell, when you know what is available. Exspand with the profits, and then make as many fall splits as possible, limited by, equipment, and storage space.

My 2 cents... Wait and see what you have in the spring, then sell your excess.... if there is any.🥸

Stay loose in your planning. A world recession as well as a Canadian pullback in the financial markets and they pull back in the US markets should raise your heightened awareness to be prudent and smart… Feel free to pause as long as you need and not risk more than you can lose❤ ❤❤❤❤❤

I make a list and promise nothing.

I love this weather good sking weather

There's hardly 6" of snow here. I've only cleared it once and that was for the benefit of others. I know that presale risk all too well. I've been stung in the past by making commitments I couldn't fulfill.

Merhaba Ian. Seni Türkiye'den takip ediyorum. Türkçe alt yazı desteği yok ama senin videolarını izlemeyi seviyorum. Kolay gelsin. Noelini kutluyorum

Spring is stressful enough, I don’t need the added pressure of filling commitments I made in January. With the demand to open the border, there should be no shortage of people looking for bees.

Sell queens

Man I hate when I’m shoveling snow and the wind blows it right back at me

why do you feel the need to expand anymore don't you have enough equity to risk, why don't you find a way to sell retail what you already produce being dependent on someone else buying the bulk of the honey is a risk.

Can you tell me how much money is made from buying a package in 2024, accounting for labor involved, treating it, feeding it for winter, and don't forget about the average cost of package after winter lost from the group and then selling it in 2025?

I will email you too Ian too add me to your list of needing bees

Bonjour comment tu vas j'ai vu que tu as pas mal de neige du côté du Canada il fait froid là-haut et les abeilles j'espère qu'ils sont bien couverts😂😂😂😂

Hi Ian.....Happy Holidays! Yikes to presell is so stressful. I'm a backyarder and sell a few nucs and even that is stressful. Love your videos!

Will the demand for your bees still be there after they are out of the shed? Plan to sell but wait till then to pull the trigger maybe? Or say screw it and get on the train and ride it to 5000 colonies😮! Merry Christmas good sir

Those covers rock 🪨 🎸

" If I just had a little more space!" LOL!

Interesting about expansion. How big do you want to grow? That's probably a very important question to think over. Bigger requires more of your precious time. There is far too much emphasis on growing. Like it's a good thing to be doing. Yes more money. I limit my growth, at some point the input is not worth the output. The more you have the harder it is to hold. Just a thought. The refrigerator system is excellent!

so educational & well instructed 🐝

Used car lots will use an ozone generator to remove foul odors (smoke) from vehicles prior to selling. I don't know if it will work for mouse piss but have used for other smells successfully.

In Northeast Pennsylvania the mice this year have been awful! Keep that paint brush wet while cutting in! Good day for a dad drive, that’s what we’re here for!😊 Thanks for the content!

Family is always first.

-29. . No thank you.

I once read that at the end of our lives there has never been a dad that said he wished he had spent more time at the office. Good for you dad!

You know if you use cornmeal and baking soda mixed together when the mice eat it they will die

You can thank a liberal for all the great prices we get...