Make More Money With Honey

[@southjerseysound7340]

Great advice, one thing I've learned is that people that shop for real local products are also looking for a connection to where their food comes from. Another thing is places like Savannah bee company are selling a experience that's more than just honey. Granted it's a high end experience,but it's possible to do the same thing just on a different level. I have a small market garden that's just over 7acres and we've found multiple ways to keep our customers involved. It's a long story but my wife started making different canned things with our daughters and the goal was to use the proceeds from it to start a college fund for our daughters. The first time we put the stuff out at our stand we had the girls setup the display etc and while they were busy setting it up one of our regular customers that lives close by stopped by while we were opening to say hi. They were curious about the stuff that the girls were setting up and asked about it. As they're friends/customers I jokingly said that it's the girls college fund before I explained what it was and what we're doing with it. Now it's not something I planned on telling most customers but they talked us into it and our customers and daughters love it. The girls are involved with designing the labels and name the products etc. Every year I have customers waiting to place orders and we can't make enough. The customers love watching the girls grow and have been extremely generous beyond all expectations. they send Christmas and birthday cards/gifts and are a big draw for a lot of our older customers. Best of all is that the success has allowed us to spin off the idea into other products/projects. We now have another line of products that funds a thousand dollar per year scholarship for kids in 4H. A portion of the proceeds goes to the scholarship and the customer gets to vote for the student. It's been so successful that we're planning on increasing it to$1500 and 500 per year. Granted it's not a big scholarship, but the students have been very grateful for it and the customers enjoy the interaction. Best of all is it's quadrupled our growth rate and virtually eliminated customer attrition. Even when people move away they continue to buy from us and shipping is not cheap. If possible involve your customer because people want to included and while you can't offer a high end experience like the place shown. But there's more than one way to skin a cat too. But the key is that it has to be genuine otherwise people will see right through it and it will bite you in the butt. One last thing that we did starting out was we made donations to charity auctions etc in order to get our name out there. It's been some of the best advertising we've ever done and there's a few events that we truly enjoy. So while some where a bust there's a few we enjoy doing and we're able to advertise while giving at the same time.

[@scottpierson7495]

So true

[@jenniferking741]

Love this video! I agree honey is priced way too cheap here by most beekeepers. Extracting honey is hard work and you are working with stinging insects! Price accordingly. Don’t sell your hard work so cheap. These are fabulous ideas! Thanks!

[@randlerichardson5826]

Great place to visit me and my wife have been there several times over the past 28 years of our marriage. That acid rain kills the evergreen trees up high on the mountains be safe brother and GOD BLESS y’all Amen 🙏

[@628DirtRooster]

It's such a nice place. I can't wait to go back.

[@billklement2492]

Hey Rooster! That was really nice giving advice on selling honey. My take on it is (and I don't sell honey or even have bees) is to get your name out there! That should be the biggest thing on your label. You don't want to sell one jar of honey. You want people to remember you and buy YOUR honey! My wife and I buy honey packaged locally at our local produce stand. Have been buying the same honey for at least 20 years. Probably 30... I agree that you want to make it special. Given the choice between "honey" and "honey from the fields of Fredrick Maryland", I'd go for the latter. If I just want "honey", I'd go to the grocery store and buy generic honey. Make the label memorable! My local produce stand. I recognize the label and buy the same one. If I can't tell the difference, I'd just grab one. Keep in mind that shoppers aren't always bright! Remember, the more you make on your honey, the more you can put back into your hobby, or into a trip to Gatlinburg! Rooster, thanks for taking us along for your trip! Gatlinburg is beautiful and I'm glad you all could get away for a vacation! You're also a great photographer and cinemaphotographer. You have a good eye! I was hoping that you would at least include a small food vlog. I mean, come on... Tacos are Rooster Fuel! You talk about them all the time. You and that Ed guy often bet with the payoff of buying tacos, yet we have yet to even see these taco treasures! 😁 Keep up the great work!

[@Sleepyfirekiccs]

Love your channel man and thanks for the extra footage love the long vids

[@geneaustin5793]

I enjoyed your vacation, thanks for taking us along.

[@soggdogg]

I woke up this morning and was happy to see you posted another 30 minute video. Haven't watched it yet, but that's what I'm gonna do right now.

[@628DirtRooster]

Very much appreciated Brad. Hope you enjoyed it.

[@terrik38]

Woo hooooo Gatlinburg not far from where I live .....Those Blue ridge mountains.....🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲

[@rlsingle00]

Great job. Two videos in one. I loved both the honey story and the scenery of the ghost 👻 town. Thanks for sharing.

[@silversage03]

The Smokies are so beautiful, but the Rockies are amazing. I grew up in Tennessee, and loved going to east Tennessee and western North Carolina. Now live in Montana, Big Sky Country. Loving it here

[@dakota5660]

I found having a two sided booklet on the bottle with basic information about the bees themselves people are more willing to buy it. It helps the look and it gives the customer satisfaction of knowing where the honey came from

[@628DirtRooster]

Good idea.

[@egparis18]

Thank you very much for inviting us along DirtRooster. That was really kind of you. In case you don't upload again before Christmas, I'm taking the occasion to wish a great one to you and yours. See you soon.

[@628DirtRooster]

See you around New Years. :)

[@egparis18]

@@628DirtRooster Great.

[@sandracahill8849]

I went to the mountains after my son died in 1997 and you had to walk a dirt path to get to cleveland stone that thing is totally different now than what it was when I was there you walked up that same hill with no path markers just a dirt path and ever so often they had some rocks you could sit on I enjoyed the video god bless you be safe and merry christmas and happy New year I try to watch all of your vlogs on 628 dirt rooster where beekeeping is a way of life

[@joesoutdoorplaces]

Very enjoyable video. Thank you for sharing your vacation with us. I love Gatlinburg.

[@debrussell4921]

My husband and I rented a cabin in Gatinburg, TN; it was lovely there! Dont know if you knew, but Jack Daniels Distillery was 5 hrs away! My husband was like a kid at Christmas there! Loved the whole area! Glad you had a great trip!

[@terrik38]

Merry Christmas to you and your family 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

[@lynnpalfi4322]

Gorgeous photography! Happy and safe Yule to you and the wife Rooster.

[@aleset1]

I ENJOY your videos so much. I love the Smaokies, Cades Cove and Clingman's Dome. My mom and dad and 9 brothers and sisters used to camp out there in the 1960's.

[@JPthebeeman]

Enjoyed the video Dirt, good information on the honey labels & maximizing profits. The music you chose to use towards the end I thought was spot on. I’d call the raised cylindrical platform a “look out.” Looks like y’all had a very relaxing time on your vacation, it’s good to get away now & again to clear the mind of city distractions. Now about Yappy, didn’t recognize him right off without the “Yappy Eye.” Could be the first time I’ve ever seen him without one. 🤣 And btw, you get to claim him on your income taxes this year as you’ve visited with him much more lately than I have. Merry Christmas to you & your family brother & have a Happy New Year.

[@628DirtRooster]

I had to really work up the nerve to get to the top of that look out. The walls on that thing needed to be a couple of feet taller. I'll claim Yapp this year but you know Mr. Ed is going to want in on this little racket next year.

[@InTexasMatt]

JP, we need more vids from you sir!!!

[@dianeluke1746]

You know I loved those pictures Dirt! Thanks for giving this Florida gal some real mountains to see. I’m glad you got to go on a vacation. 🙂👍🐝 I hoped you stayed safe.

[@billymcmahan6810]

I saw this video the other day and saved it to watch because I didn’t have time to at the moment. I just watched it and at a 1:30 into the video I started yelling for my wife to come down and watch it with me. I was happily surprised because we live in Maryville, TN

[@628DirtRooster]

You've got some beautiful country up there.

[@371508129]

I try to buy local honey because I think it is good for keeping my allergies in check. 40 years ago when I moved in to a small town my neighbor noticed I had a runny nose, he was a bee keeper and gave me a jar from the hive in his/my backyard and my nose stopped running two weeks later. Been a believer ever since. Moved to Florida from Michigan and the first thing I did was find a local bee man. Enjoy your channel. Keep it up.

[@cswatson4823]

Thanks Randy. Yes. Presentation produces profit. Another idea you touched on, lots of folks like the easier way to dispense the honey whether squeeze point top or wide open jar.

[@katiesims3647]

What a lovely holiday ☺️ you’re so lucky to have that within arms reach!

[@1d1hamby]

Giving a little more information on the jar, like flavor profiles and/or facts or selling points. Things like no: sugar water, high fructose corn syrup or corn syrup.

[@joanneganon7157]

Merry Christmas to you and your Family 🎄 JO JO IN VT 💕😄

[@628DirtRooster]

Merry Christmas Jo Jo

[@katemetho72]

Thanks for taking time out of your holidays to show us some of the sights and beautiful scenery. Merry Christmas to you and yours.😊🌲

[@LegendHold1]

That area of Maryville TN is just beautiful. I used to live down that way and those cabins are incredible. Hope you had a great time and great video....

[@evonnewhalen9794]

Hey I live approximately 2 hours from Gatlinburg. I love your channel and trips on bee keeping. Your information on marketing, packaging and selling products was very helpful for me. I am a 2nd year beekeeper

[@donniebrown9562]

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

[@catsmandan]

Live about 1and 1/2 hours from Gatlinburg, always just to crowded for us. My wife does all our labels with all the info on our honey, our easiest seller is most defiantly the honey bears and the one pound plastic jars like the one you showed. Up here word of mouth is our best advertising and for the most part most local beekeepers sell out of there honey not long after harvest. Keep up the good work and videos.

[@timy5383]

Randy, hope you and the family have a very merry 🎄.

[@kurtwilliams2604]

We were at all those places too probably walked right by ya last week Merry Christmas

[@d.kuczewski2824]

the darker the honey the more the minerals. (i read this a long time ago. thank you for all your sharing, of this vid.

[@Sleepyfirekiccs]

😂😂😂 tell him I got room on my W-2 😂😂 great content

[@timgoodin42053]

Enjoyed your video, we do Townsend/Pigeon Forge a couple times per year. Great information on marketing. We will look up Mr. Kerr next time we are down in that area. Thanks for sharing your vacation with us. I stopped at every rest bench all the way up and down Clingmans Dome but awesome view!

[@628DirtRooster]

I only stopped once. I told our friends maybe a bear would eat me and I wouldn’t have to finish the climb.

[@robertmcgregor1514]

Merry Christmas Dirt Rooster you have kept me well entertained all year. Gods richest blessing and protection at this time to you all from NZ

[@stratman50th]

Always enjoy your videos Randy. Thanks for posting.

[@marianhoblyn1901]

Yay, it's Yappy!

[@papasplace2]

Some great tips... I can't believe that those turkey's let you get that close to them.

[@markbooth8458]

The turkeys are used to seeing people there.

[@628DirtRooster]

I was surprised myself. You know the ones down here are gone if they see anyone.

[@WKBHB]

From the Smokie Mountain Park website: No hunting is allowed anywhere in the park. The park is huge.

[@lcsdcar34]

That's only a couple hours from me! I've been to most of those places including Clingman's Dome. Hope you had a good trip! -Mike

[@MrGzuggy813]

Good episode buddy. The one thing I thought of is that maybe no one did is small sample box sets at low cost for people to try all different tastes like 1oz little jars oh maybe like a ketchup pack displaying your label. For jars maybe like a decor box . Xmas time maybe a tin canister with 628 logo a reef or tree so it can serve as collectibles and with advertising.

[@Ron-gu6bj]

Merry Christmas to you and your family

[@micksbeesstephens5327]

Thanks Randy , good insight on honey presentation and we really enjoyed the footage on your mountain trip...looks like you had fun, Merry Christmas from Nashville , Tn.

[@AwesomeFish12]

I live in QLD Australia and I find that the 1kg tubs and the 500ml squeeze bottles sell best. Most of my stock goes to the local chem free/organic co-ops. I'll tell you one thing, people love the convenience of a squeeze bottle. If you want to make money that's how you should sell it. People LOVE convenience.

[@OldManGibb]

The biggest thing for me, is that the label not only tells me where it came from, but what the honey is ie... Clover, Cannabis, orange, ect. Some flavors I just am not a fan of. Thanks for another great video, you all have a great Christmas and New years.

[@mikehill9888]

Thanks for the pics of the vacation sites. Great.

[@gerickjarmon4590]

Hello! That was beautiful & to honest that’s the only thing I miss about driving a truck over the road lol! The companies I drove for kept me in the North East!! Pennsylvania is a cool sight as well especially when the water has frozen on the side of the mountain! I think that was I81! You can get so high on a mountain that you will be driving looking out over a town!! Thanks for entertaining!! Happy Holidays!!

[@628DirtRooster]

I love those views.

[@markschoenhals185]

Thanks for shearing. Info on labels. Awesome. Actually never thought of that. As always enjoyed your videos.

[@firemanflash4164]

Merry Christmas dirt roster and family

[@kellylea]

Merry Christmas to you and the family, Sir! Stay safe! 😊🎄

[@danyoung5346]

Was there this summer what a Slice of Heaven!!

[@628DirtRooster]

Beautiful territory

[@trouble090794]

Next time you go up towards Maryville and Gatlinburg, y'all should visit Cades Cove. Last time we went we saw Turkeys, Bear and deer. There is old houses, churches and cemeteries to visit. It's a very beautiful place!

[@michaelfike7542]

Great information on the honey and great pictures. ❤🐝👍

[@Sleepyfirekiccs]

Great pictures you are good at taking great photos 💪🏾💪🏾💯💯👍🏾 🐝

[@darrenblattner2508]

Merry Christmas, hope you all have a great new year.

[@manicoptio9305]

Some good advice re provenance on your labelling. That's big over this side of the pond and if you can say 'hand raised, locally sourced, organic, all natural artisan Honey from Rooster's Beeyard in Biddidlyboing, odewaydaho.' then you can double your prices or more and people will pay. Some great holiday video pictures too, looks like a place you can relax with a cold beer, a warm fire and a good steak. It sure looks purdy. Best wishes, merry Christmas and happy new year to you and your family

[@628DirtRooster]

Good tip!

[@YappyBeeman]

Cheapest vacation I've ever been on.....it's like I was right there.

[@628DirtRooster]

You almost were.

[@johnniecarter3013]

Merry Christmas to the dirt rooster clan

[@bmckinney1316]

Merry Christmas 🎅🏻 and happy New Year to you and yours 628D/R keep making the videos we want to see more next year!

[@greatsilentwatcher]

Good information. I like the way you presented the subject. Be well in this festive season.

[@RadRelics]

I love your content brother. I am a fellow creator and just love your presence on camera! You do amazing! You should start a channel membership I would join!

[@l.dougherty7573]

The Babies😍How Precious!!!🤶🏾🎅😍🎄🎊🎉❤

[@dainjohnson2308]

Loved the video. I found zip code on the label makes a difference. Keep up the good work. Happy New Year.

[@USlisa50]

Beautiful! Happy Holidays

[@lynsmith2698]

Great video Randy. Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas.

[@ricochete9459]

Merry Christmas Rooster, from Porto Alegre, Brazil

[@Swarmstead]

Really nice video of your trip. The way your wife grinds you up all the time 😆. I like to have something about swarm removal on my labels. It's like a business card in the cabinet, and they know where it is when they find a swarm.

[@Tcrim354]

We just left Savanna Bee Company’s location at Broadway @ The Beach. Very impressive, great store, lots of folks walking through. $25 to Try the Mead. No one was spending money. loved the setup, but might be over done.

[@johnrschmidt2]

I climbed Clingmans Dome too. One heckuva climb!

[@wayneshoneybees5439]

Great video and gift for Christmas. Labeling information was awesome.

[@tomkingsley4398]

Thanks for the ride along. Looks like nice area. Glad the banjo music was not from Deliverance.

[@peterthomson7773]

Thank you for the great videos. I look forward to many more in the new year. Merry Christmas from North Queensland Australia

[@alexisdeville3605]

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

[@aremedyproject9569]

OMG that black honey!!! I like the darker the better! Yum! Geeze.

[@628DirtRooster]

I wanted to try it.

[@horizontalbees]

Another great video!!! Dirt rooster were did you get your labels from?

[@hornbakeracres9650]

I think another underutilized aspect of honey sales is advertising and building a fan base. Facebook is an amazing and free way to reach customers in your area. It is easy enough to build a demand before your honey ever even gets to the extractor. People will want YOUR honey and price is a second thought on the subject. Also, as you know all too well Randy, KZbin can make a great impact on the marketing aspect of your products, especially when done as well as this channel. Just my two cents on the subject. It is great that you have brought this point up. It is something that is rarely discussed but so very important. Especially for the small-timers like me.

[@hockinghillshoneyfarm9273]

Great video Dirt Rooster God Bless and Merry Christmas

[@unclebobsbees4899]

Merry Christmas to everyone. Nice info and ideas Dirt. I thought the FDA required the processing address on the labels? So far my jars have been gifts to friends, fingers crossed for a good '21 season.

[@markmurphy8303]

Hi Randy, cool vlog I liked your ideas for labelling, I sell my honey to a local farm store and have always thought I should be making more money now fancier labels and those bear shaped jars are the ticket, I get £7-50 that’s about $10 at the moment I think with the better presentation a more professional look I could charge say £10 a jar ($12-50) , thank you Randy for your helpful vlog and merry Christmas and a happy new year to you and all your family, godbless my friend.

[@jarredladuke]

Mr. Kerr has done so much for TN. He spoke at our local a couple years ago.

[@southjerseysound7340]

He really is a great wealth of knowledge and I saw him years ago. It's a long story but I was visiting family in TN and my cousin who hates driving volunteered for me to drive the 3hours to see him speak the day after I arrived after driving from NJ with my wife and kids. I wouldn't have minded if I had warning because I would've left a day earlier. But even though I was in a bad mood when I got there that all changed shortly after he began speaking. I learned so much that day. It was one of those moments when you are able to put all the pieces of the puzzle together. Granted there's so much more information on the internet now,but I still would recommend seeing him speak no matter what level you are.

[@lfurches]

I hate heights as well. I would not have been able to go up there without embarrassing myself. 😵 Great episode. Enjoyed it. My family and I spent the first week of October near Cherokee on the NC side of the Smokies. Merry Christmas to you and your family. I hope your dad is feeling better. God bless.🎄🐝

[@hootervillehoneybees8664]

Got stung in the eye last summer ..took two days getting the stinger out ..once it healed up improved my eyesight

[@randlerichardson5826]

Great video brother y’all be safe and GOD BLESS y’all Amen 🙏

[@dfishman76]

Maybe next trip y’all can come closer to NC and stay at the cabin for a few nights. I am going to bump up my numbers this year and try to get some honey out.

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

I need some of those champagne bottles. Interesting all the varieties he has. School of hard knox. I be he has a masters degree. I'm thinking about switching from the squeeze bottles to glass so I can put it in warm water to decrystallize and pop the labels on as I sell it. This is the first year I've had honey left at Christmas. I'm having a buy 3 get 1 free sale. Nice music for the montage. Dissed by Dirt Rooster. lol Thanks for the video!

[@donaldjones3580]

I'm a very time honey producer, 4-hives, 1) How do feel about recycling glass jars and lids? If the hives take off next year I plan on buying jars in bulk in stead of smooth side Mason jars like I buy now. I like to keep the net honey to 10-16 ozs. I moved my stand from the near the house out to a few feet from the road and my sells shot thru the roof. I raised my price $1 per jar after that. I'm having issues with the honey crystalizing so I have to check my stock at the stand as it does not sell. I use a 40w light bulb in a stew pot to return the honey to liquid. Enjoy your videos, Stay Safe and Merry Christmas!

[@RICDirector]

Ever tried whipping that crystallized honey to make honey butter? YUM

[@donaldjones3580]

@@RICDirector Not me, but I'm trying to sell the stuff. I got a lot of poor feed back on the chuck honey I had out, Hogg's comb honey containers don't sell very good either.. The Hogg's equipment was a total waste of money for me.

[@bake257]

We use regular Mason pint and quart jars and sell them for 10 and $20. I bought Avery 2 inch lid labels and they seem to work very well and you can print them at home.

[@bake257]

Avery’s website has a label designer software and it’s really easy to use also

[@HereWeGoSteelers]

Who do you purchase your clear labels from? Thank you for the video...

[@628DirtRooster]

SpotMyStuff on Pinterest

[@HereWeGoSteelers]

@@628DirtRooster Thank You

[@lenscap8925]

At 25:45 you learned the same lesson I did... pretty leaves are filling holes and tripping hazards...I went down,my camera on a tripod found a rock to smack,my elbow, knee, hand and face also found stuff under those fluffy leaves, and after righting myself, carefully examined each step back to the truck

[@628DirtRooster]

Ouch! It’s a shame I didn’t get my fall on video. We were taking pictures by a waterfall on a different day and I almost fell in the creek. I squatted down perching precariously on some tree roots at the edge of the water. I stepped on a root that gave way and I gracefully rolled over sideways and backwards worried more about my camera than myself. The family got a good laugh.

[@boldger13]

Thank you for your experiences and insight!

[@rchopp]

Looks like you had a great vacation, it was about 14 years ago I climbed up to that dome and it just about did me in.

[@628DirtRooster]

That was some hike. I only stopped for a rest one time so I didn't do too bad.

[@AKshooter100]

I agree that better packaging add appeal. My issue is some of mine crystallizes in the container before it sells. I used to add labels once it was jarred. I stopped doing that cause the labels would come off when I would decrystalize. Finding containers this year has been an issue also.

[@628DirtRooster]

We decrystallize in a warming cabinet at 105 degrees instead of in water so the labels survive.

[@AKshooter100]

@@628DirtRooster I will have to look into a warming cabinet.

[@JoeHell67]

i like the business aspect of making and selling honey, i myself just eat a little honey cause i have diabetes 2 but i know raw honey, not heated is good for you, a teaspoon everyday has health benefits.. I suggest everybody to support your local beemaster and buy from them instead of supermarket honey.... i'm a hobby flea market seller and there is a beekeeper on my regular stop who sells his honey and honey and beewax products, i would only buy from him or similar independent beeekeepers Joe from Germany

[@thilltony3362]

Very nice going on vacation with your family. You have two baby roosters. Congrats! Your hands will be full more and more as they grow, but it can be a real joy if you raise them right. Oh, and the selling honey part was good too. :)

[@alaefarmestatesllc]

I’m guessing thems grandkids. Grandkids you can give back lol

[@thilltony3362]

Oh that makes it even more fun. Borrow them, have lots of fun, then return them and get your deposit back, haha.

[@alaefarmestatesllc]

@@thilltony3362 lol yup

[@johnblack9038]

honestly, after a cost/benefit analysis, the cost of selling honey is not usually profitable on its own. Time/labor/consumables factored into producing honey for sale makes the break even point $7 per 12 oz honey bear, based on a yield of 40 pounds. That's not counting the investment into equipment such as supers, and tools. In order to profit you have to have a side gig. Selling cutouts is the common one. It takes minimal time and resources and adds 300-450 per year in profit per hive.

[@RedMoonsEcho]

Love the content thank you! I love that store but I wouldn’t sell that fancy looking stuff unless it’s special honey. Everything you said about the store is what I seen in it.

[@BlanchardsBees]

I'm struggling to come up with a nice label. I know I want a clear label but thinking of a nice design is hard. Thanks for sharing friend.

[@RICDirector]

If you live near a college nearby that has classes in graphic design, throw your problem to the class and have a good money prize for a winner that you truly like. Pizza if they don't come up with one, though. :)

[@628DirtRooster]

If you can’t find a graphic design person near by try the the Fiverr web site. You can get stuff done there very affordably.

[@BlanchardsBees]

@@628DirtRooster thank you much!

[@joshuastandifer]

Gatlinburg is a tourist town. Anything you buy there is usually a little more expensive than the surrounding area. I live local and I usually don’t buy anything there unless that’s only place around that has it

[@shevlin2650]

Really enjoyed the video. Look forward to seeing you in January in TN. Tried to look at all your old videos and could not find the explanation of the start of the Dirt Rooster. So where did "628 Dirt Rooster Bees" come from? There has been be a meaning to the 628. Craig from VA BTW: Merry Christmas and Happy New year to you and your family.

[@johnnyr3757]

He explains in a video that he originally started a dirt bike channel. 628 was the size of the engine on his bike at the time.

[@shevlin2650]

@@johnnyr3757 Thanks for the info. Must have been when he was younger and not as wise.