How much does beekeeping COST?

Рет қаралды 4,035

Күн бұрын

Пікірлер: 51

@rtxhoneybees Ай бұрын

Based on the interactions, you have a nice future on YT. Good recap and info for beginning beekeepers. I am also in central Texas, but "central" in Texas refers to an area about as big as 3 states!

@FaewoodAcres Ай бұрын

Ha, true! 😄 Totally different climates in different parts of Texas.. This is especially tough when talking about fruit trees and some trees work in "southern central Texas" and not in "northern central Texas" 😂

@mikerevendale4810 Ай бұрын

That's the finest beekeeping startup cost tutorials I've seen. Great job! As your apiary and experience grows you'll discover ways to cut costs. I paid $115 for two complete hives of bees in 1985; beekeeping was definitely more affordable back then, and honeybees weren't facing the problems of this era. However, overcoming the hurdles of managing robust colonies is indeed possible. It just takes time, knowledge, and determination. I wish you all the best with your beekeeping.

@FaewoodAcres Ай бұрын

Thank you for your kind words 🙏 $115 sounds much better than what I paid this year 😀 I definitely wish we didn't have mites nowadays. Both my hives have them now 😢

@mikerevendale4810 Ай бұрын

@@FaewoodAcres I've great news regarding combating Varroa mites. In 2012, I tracked down one of the commercial queen breeders(Wildflower Meadows Apiary/California)that is continuing the decades of work of the USDA to create a line of mite resistant honeybees, now called VSH Italians. As of today my whole apiary consists of that stock, and, I do not take any measures to "treat" hives! I have also been raising my own queens through open breeding for five years now and their hygienic behavior appears to be a dominant gene that is passed down to their daughters. What's also interesting is that many of the brood diseases which were common in the past have been absent with this strain of bees. Unfortunately, I still experience winter losses of around 20%. But managing an apiary of VSH Italians is very close to what I experienced in the days before mites. Lastly, two additional changes in my management practices also proved beneficial. I manage all my colonies in single, ten frame brood boxes; I add a queen excluder and honey supers in the spring, as needed. And I also insulate hives in the Fall using R-6 foamboard. Hope this helps!

@FaewoodAcres Ай бұрын

@@mikerevendale4810 😮 no mites! Now I need to research the VSH queens. It would be great to not deal with that. Thanks for sharing your experience 🙏🙂

@johnoconnor1948 Ай бұрын

Hi There from Ireland I am on a similar journey to you only got 2 hive this year I am envious of you costs, way higher here. On the flip side its great for the mental health and my grandchildre love the honey 3 frames this year and they are really interested in the hives asking lots of questions. It's a great hobby my only regret is that I did'nt start it years ago.

@FaewoodAcres Ай бұрын

Kids love it! It's so interesting to them. What's expensive over there, the boxes, the bees, or all of it?

@beebob1279 Күн бұрын

I started 25 years ago. It wasn't cheap then. It's crazy expensive now. With the excessive use of pesticides in my community it's difficult to keep the hives from dying. I used to run 30-50 hives. Now I run under 5. I keep mites under control, but when pesticides are used I lose too many. When they go I'm done

@FaewoodAcres Күн бұрын

😢 that's so sad! And there's nothing we can do. Luckily my bees are in a ranching area, but there are hay fields I'm sure are sprayed.

@ahmedbounce3053 Ай бұрын

The cost thing in Beekeeping is only temporary thank God! and thats why getting into Beekeeping is awesome man I wish you grow more in Beekeeping with Good Luck!

@FaewoodAcres Ай бұрын

Certainly the startup costs are scary, but the maintenance (especially if you don't expand all the time and need new boxes) isn't bad.

@myron2386 23 күн бұрын

An important factor to consider when purchasing that Nuc is the drawn comb your getting. A frame is roughly $4 each. When the bees have fully drawn it is worth $20-$30.

@FaewoodAcres 22 күн бұрын

Good point! 👍

@violet3242 Ай бұрын

Great breakdown!

@FaewoodAcres Ай бұрын

Thank you 😊 thanks for watching

@heavymechanic2 29 күн бұрын

Start-up costs are crazy when people just want a little honey.. You can buy hive bodies with frames and add a bottom and migratory cover at a more reasonable cost than many starter kits. I grow nucs out all year because during the summer dry season, many hives fail to requeen, get robbed out, or start to fail because there is almost no pollen to thrive.. Insulated hives are a great option as less feeding is required in both summer and winter as their resources are conserved.. Some people do not feed and its a mistake to save money only to have a weak failing colony, a double brood nest will save on sugar costs with less in the honey supers.. Most bees need a new queen every year because she gets tired and/or swarms for reproduction.

@FaewoodAcres 29 күн бұрын

Great info! In the beginning I needed hand holding, so I accepted the higher costs. Next year, as I expand my hives, I'll do it much cheaper. Thanks for watching 😊

@phillipriggs3375 Ай бұрын

I got 4 nucs in July and am beekeeping in Lampasas. Started on getting a ag exemption. It is very expensive. But man is this interesting. Hard to know if cost is justified. But well done getting it out there.

@FaewoodAcres Ай бұрын

I'm also doing it for the exemption. It's very interesting and very challenging, and I'm hoping next year, very rewarding. I guess we'll see 😂

@phillipriggs3375 Ай бұрын

@@FaewoodAcres I see you use Bee Supply in Round Rock, Good people!

@FaewoodAcres Ай бұрын

I like supporting local Texas businesses 😊

@phillipriggs3375 Ай бұрын

@@FaewoodAcres so how will you split this spring?

@FaewoodAcres Ай бұрын

@@phillipriggs3375 No idea! 😂 It's on my list to learn more about it in the winter. I know I'll make a trap with my 2 nuc boxes. But I am worried about my existing hives (varroa) so I'm not even sure I'll have anything to split in spring 😢

@dcsblessedbees Ай бұрын

More then you expect, then some more, after that maybe a little extra.😂 Well done video.👍

@FaewoodAcres Ай бұрын

😂 truth! It was way more than I thought

@kushytooshybees Ай бұрын

Then when you catch the "bug", it's worse than an heroin addiction. That can be very $$

@FaewoodAcres Ай бұрын

@@kushytooshybees 😆 I'm not addicted! I can stop whenever I want! 😆

@davidpotts3844 Ай бұрын

I have been able to reduce the cost of of a complete hive double deep w/ one medium for $180 from a local Amish supplier, they do classes for very little cost and sometimes free. The avg cost to get started is $800 for the first hive and about $400 for additional hive if you are purchasing the bees. Once you get going . A hive will reproduce 2-3 times per year so here is when you need the spend money immediately for extra hive boxes to house these new colonies and this never stops. Bees expand especially in Spring. You must stay on it, each new colony is worth $200 and bees and honey sell very fast. If a hive swarms and you didn't prevent it by making splits it will set the Mother hive way back. There is a lot to Beekeeping. You don't just put bees in a box and expect them to survive as they do take some care and common sense is essential

@FaewoodAcres Ай бұрын

When I was first starting I definitely thought I could just put them in the box and leave them alone until they give me honey 😂 boy was I wrong

@caz4523 8 күн бұрын

@FaewoodAcres same until I took a weekend class...after the class I paid for a year mentorship because there is so much to learn...it was worth every penny

@Manuherikiabeekeeping Ай бұрын

Hi from southern New Zealand 👋😃 great little video. I don't charge for teaching 😂 i have four beginning hobbyists that im teaching and mentoring in beekeeping this year and beginners can pick up some really crazy stuff especially from KZbin, 😂 however KZbin videos can be helpful if you get someone that actually knows what theyre talking about, there's some fantastic beekeepers in north America, with great KZbin channels and tutorials, guys like kamon Reynolds, bob binnie, Jeff Horchoff, Peter cowin, Brian of castlehives, and girls to like Natalee of beekeeping with Natalee to name a few off the top of my head. I started at 14 and apprenticed under a incredible mentor im now 54 and it's still amazing, every year is different and theres always something new to learn about beekeeping, i think the main difference between a novice and a expert is a novice wonders if they should have done something whereas a expert spends time going "damn, i should have done that already" or"damn, i shouldn't have done that yet"😂 glad you're enjoying your experience beekeeping and yes, its expensive 😬 but so are horses or cows or dogs, cats,chickens,pigs,cars,boats, jet skis or anything else if you sit down and do the maths😆👍

@FaewoodAcres Ай бұрын

Wow that's many many years of experience! You must have seen it all! I heard varroa mites aren't bad down there, is that true?

@Reevestkd Ай бұрын

Please adjust your hive stand blocks so that they are not on end. Speaking from experience, the stand can topple resulting in a pretty rotten experience for the bees and beekeeper.

@FaewoodAcres Ай бұрын

Good advice 👍 I think I'll do that. Look for the change in upcoming videos.

@aaronparis4714 Ай бұрын

We’re are you from ? I’m in Canada I hope you have a good outcome my friend

@FaewoodAcres Ай бұрын

I'm in Central Texas, very hot compared to Canada. Are you a beekeeper or want to be? Thanks for the well wishes. 💙

@aaronparis4714 Ай бұрын

@@FaewoodAcres I’m a beekeeper I keep 20 hives and 10 nucs

@FaewoodAcres Ай бұрын

Wow that sounds like a lot of work 😃 Hope your girls are doing well 👍

@aaronparis4714 Ай бұрын

@@FaewoodAcres yes lol it was only supposed to be a hobby when I had 3 but that did not last long it’s alote of work if you don’t make a plan lol took me a few years to get my system set up a cold front Has entered and it will be snow next week I have all hives wrapped and insulated now thanks you too

@FaewoodAcres Ай бұрын

😂😂😂 "it was only supposed to be a hobby" I really felt that 😁

@aaronparis4714 Ай бұрын

lol it cost too much things are way over priced 200 for a poly hive in Nova Scotia Canada and I have 20😅

@FaewoodAcres Ай бұрын

Oof. It's definitely more expensive than I expected. I only have 2 hives, but aiming for 12.

@aaronparis4714 Ай бұрын

@@FaewoodAcres it’s not to bad after you get set up and you can sell some nucs queens and honey threw your season it pays for seasons cost

@FaewoodAcres Ай бұрын

Those startup costs are shocking. Hopefully I can keep it cheap by capturing bees and making splits, but I will still buy boxes because making them is time consuming.