Hobbyiest to Commercial - Insight for your Journey
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ม.ค. 2018
- a Canadian Beekeeper's Blog, Some insight into the journey ahead of the hobby beekeeper dreaming to build into a Commercial operation. Maybe not the feedback you'd expect but core fundamental insight from my experience throughout my journey.
Ian , I am 65 and very impressed with you're words of wisdom on family and work ethic. I've been following you for a couple of years(beesourse) and have enjoyed every bit of it. Thanks for taking time from your busy busy life to help other beekeepers
Marathon watching your video's. Came across this one. When you speak about family.....It really hits home. Very wise....thank you for this one...easy to get lost in the work, and forget why we work hard.
It was vary nice to hear how you got into beekeeping it is nice that you help out other Canadian beekeeper about how to take care of their bee hives I only wish I had a mentor like you here in ontario thank you 🐝🍯🇨🇦
Hello from Australia biggest fan . 2nd yr on almond pollination 170 hives . Even tho we are in different countries an climates your educational videos give me more confidence an inspiration as I'm a one man show thnkx again
Ian, You've been most generous in sharing not only your expertise but also, and more significantly, in explaining your vision, strategy and work-arounds. It is pure gold, many thanks.
Great video Ian. Been watching your videos for a long time but just saw this one. Great advice for anyone with a business.
I am amazed that in bee keeping how many people are so willing to help, give advice and mentor I dont know of another interest like it
Fantastic! Howdy from Texas...Yea Astros!! I am a new beekeeper as of last spring with 3 hives and a great mentor. 2017 was a devastating year for Texas beekeepers, the loss of hives from floods was very overwhelming. We are a farm family and you sharing from the heart, is so refreshing. Keep the videos coming!
I have never bought a hive nor have I ever bought queens, always done it all myself, I started in 1965 with my first swarm, split it 4 ways the following spring then twice again first year and so on. I made a decent living from the bees, now i am retired and the kids look after the business but I still have 4 or 5 hives in the yard ....... wouldn't know what else to do lol
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! Very important to try and get the balance right between family and work! Like you say, the day job sometimes becomes very attractive at times! But the rewards are there! Nothing wrong with hard work!!! Another great Video Ian! Thank you!
Greetings from Ukraine! Our country passes through impetuous development of beekeeping. And Canadian beekeepers are strong example of imitation for us. So thanks a lot for the video! Go on! :)
Thanks for sharing Ian, great to see how someone at the top of their game & running 1200 colonies got there, genuinely an inspiration to a small expanding beekeeper like myself wintering 45 colonies here in Dublin, Ireland. Love your videos & some day would love to have an operation and set-up like yours. Thanks for sharing & investing the time in making them 🐝💤💤💤
Gold!!!
Hello from Iowa.
Thanks again for sharing.
Hi Ian,
Thank you for your insight! I'm just starting out and find your videos priceless.
Another great video, thanks for taking the time to talk about this very broad topic. I bought two hives last year without any bee experience. I watched TONS of YT videos and read about bees during the week, then spent most of my weekends observing and learning everything I can about bee "culture", and I caught my first swarm on July 1 last year.(My hives are 150 miles away from my home) I was nervous going into every day because I had to do it. I couldn't rely on anyone else but me, and my gut. I did lots of testing on different things like feeding, pest control, and my greatest fear: over wintering. I made a few videos for documenting my progress through my first year. Fortunately I've been successful in all those areas, and my 3 hives (to this point) have survived a tough winter in the West Virginia mountains. But with the new season upon us, I have new obstacles to overcome, but my past learning has given me confidence that all will bee ok. I only want to buy bees once and I'm planning to expand from my now three hives to 10 hives via swarm catching, and splitting my current hives.Your insight justified my thoughts that "you have to do it". You have to spend the time, and make beekeeping a commitment. The balance between life and work will come in time. Hard work and perseverance is a great teacher! Thanks again
Ian you have been one of my mentors on my journey- 12 months ago I broke my back had surgery and needed a focus,, 3 months ago I went to my first bee club meeting and knew I could contribute, I started by looking for my first wild hive and be buggered my mate and I found one in a bird box that day, some advertising on face book and word of mouth I now have 14 strong box’s of bees ready for winter from cutouts. Built my BEEVAC bought a strainer and loads and loads of study. You have just confirmed my thoughts on how I’m going to build up
Thankyou very much for your talks
Andrew
Burrowsbees 💜👍👌
Thanks for this Ian. I find your videos very educational but this one was particularly informative - always great to hear from someone with practical real world experience. Appreciate you sharing your knowledge.
That was amazing thank you, just your experience and reflection unmasked, hoping your family is as strong as ever, God Bless you .. I lost all my 8 hives last winter (first year) and made some big mistakes but I'm learning .. hoping that my 10 at the moment will come through the winter
Thanks for sharing this!!! Excellent words of business and family combined... True wisdom in that!
Novice keeper, starting my first two colonies this spring. Your videos are very informative and inspiring. Thanks for taking the time to make the videos and share so much important information.
Thanks this was the BEST words spoken of wisdom an hard work an most of all FAMILY is core to it all . Keep up the great work. The mountains of work it take to get thru this will seam impossible at times just like anything.
I work full time which also involves shiftwork. I run about 65 hives and Ive decided to increase and hold around the 100 mark. Im busy keeping my hives profitable while as mentioned in the video trying to balance out my other responsibities as husband, father and employee. Beekeeping is not easy, nor is it light work and if you enter this field with the intention of making a living out of it you can kiss your summers goodbye
Thank you for passing on your experience to the next generation . . . . so wise to build your livestock and borrow on the trailer.
Thank you very good, Loved it all and helped me so much. God bless you.
thank you so much for sharing. You are a great truth beekeeper.
Inspiring video, thank a lot for sharing it.
Keep posting
many manyyy beekeepers enjoy it
Regards from Chile.
One of the best (if not THE best) beekeeping channel.
Inspiring video, thank a lot for sharing it.
Keep posting up the awesome videos!
Greeting's from Bulgaria
Thanks, Ian. I love your videos. I am taking this advice to heart. I have been beekeeping for 3 years as a hobby. I worked for a beekeeper with 600 hives in New Zealand. Thought I knew enough to get started quickly in one year...very wrong about that. I am up to 18 hives now and hoping to double my hives every year.
this is a very nice piece. Work and family together. Thank you
Hello from Jamaica
Love your videos always learn something new
I absolutely love and appreciate your videos. 1st yr beek here if i dont include a very rough late season start in 2019 lol I plan on building my bees but also my boxes. Thanks for the Vid's 👍
Great Insight and the boldness to share life , family and bee's awesome thanks from South Africa
You are amazing
God bless you and your family.
Very informative and enlighten video , thank you very much , you're such a great person, I wish good luck on your business and good luck with your family
Excellent advice! Hope you’re doing well and your family!
thank you so much ian you videos are great love the focus on family thats our busness model
Curtis Simpson agree
You are a good man not alot of people share there ideas thanks and I will take this advice is great and best advice I ever heard :)
I too have followed you on beesourse but have to say Miami is what caught my eye there. At 68 years old and only the last 3 years (2 years before that helping in the 70's but everything has change)under my belt I know just enough to be dangerous. Running between 11 and 16 hives I seem to have my hands full. While I think there is a plan it usually falls apart by the 5th hive when something pops up that throws me. Have to learn to put that away and continue on so each receives what they need. Mites and nosema I can deal with and have a treatment plan. But other diseases have not entered the picture yet and hope to gain enough knowledge before they come into play. Thanks for the help and all your info.
Thank you for your videos. I am running swimmingpool business and recently started with bee keeping. From South Africa.
Awesome and wise advice Ian! I LOVE that you have a successful family farm! And I am truly AMAZED at all the things you accomplish.
I have kind of started as you suggested in that I have purchased and built my equipment... and have actually never had to purchase bees (or even a Queen) since I obtain my bees from my bee removal service and have grown organically via splits. Just trying to figure out my niche. This year I reached 88 colonies and found it was too many for me with my current management. Do you have any recommendations for how to work more efficiently? My priorities are nuc/Queen sales, teaching, & consulting rather than honey.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing
Interesting journey, I too have a Holy Hive, two in fact, both from a church rescue.
Amazing advices love it
Thanks 🙏 bro
I started with ten. Lost 8 the first winter .But I did it my way.With a little help from my friends. Its been ten years now and I have a little knowledge and confidence now.Growing bees is not my problem now.Making or affording all the wood ware.And marketing is now the biggest challenge for me.
Tablesaws (two) on craigslist. Set one up for dadoes and leave it set up. Compound miter saw for cutting to length. Air compressor and a couple staple guns and you're going to save sooooo much cash.
I enjoyed this video very much Ian ! Thanks for making it …
I am not starting with 4 hives I’m starting with 80… wish me luck
Fantastic elaboration and insight Ian. Thank you for your videos. I'm really enjoying your channel and appreciate hearing you speak
Thanks for the great video. Although I have no plans to go commercial, your comments on the 10,000 hours struck home. Just getting started I get discouraged as the bees don't do what I want or expect. But it is all a learning curve and I am only like 4587 hours in. :)
Great video....you are the real deal.
Such good advice. Thanks!
Great video.Tank you...
Great advice !! Family.
Thanks from Romania!!!!!!
Great Info. That's how I'm building my Business.
I love the way you explain things. Thank you.
Houston Astros! Tuning in from Houston, keep up the awesome videos!
Cheaters! lol
Wonderful!
Thank you for mentioning the importance of nurturing our family relationships. Too many times our families pay the price.
Very nice!!!
Good advice I am starting out with 2 hives and hope to be at 10 in the fall. I called all the places here to get swarms. This is how I plan to expand
1 year later I will buy 4 nukes this spring as I bought 10 hives now this spring at 7 hives and started last year late in the year
@@RaySarasin good man thank you for the update. How are you going now?
Thank you.
Ian, just let me summarize an advise for new hobbyist.
Plan for new beekeepers:
1. Start small and learn to propagate your bees. Buy 2-3 nucs from well known local supplier. Nucs should be local and overwintered with queen! it cost a bit more to start but will ground you well for next few years.
2. Split your colonies in 1:3 ratio when they will have 8 frames of brood with adhering bees.
I do splits like this (short version):
a. I start when I see 8-9 frames of brood including drones. Remove old queen with one frame of brood and 2-3 frames shakes of bees to another
yard in a nuc box, make sure they have feed (at least for a week, the you ca return them back)
b. In a week time, bees will pull emergency cells and I will split remaining hive into 3 nucs. If weather is cold do only 2 nucs. Nucs stay on the same pallet. Plan in that only 50% of your queens will mate. Check for eggs/brood in 2-3 weeks. Combine nucs that do not have mated queen (make sure that there is no virgin queen running around)
3. make sure that your nucs are growing well and have enough feed.
4. get ready for upcoming winter, plan in 30-40% potential winter losses.
5. No honey extraction this year (whatsoever), make sure that bees grew up and have 10 combs for upcoming winter.
6. get your equipment ready for new season and restart the process again until you reach desirable size of the apiary.
7. New learning objective should : successful overwintering your bees
8. After you mastered stock propagation and winter management, focus on proper colony management through the season aiming for good honey production and raising your own queens. (see Ian's "Single colony management explained")
This all will take you 5-10 years... ;)
..and Plan, plan and plan....write your plan on paper and follow it! Adjust when you needed based on your results...
excellent advice
Love it the holy hive.
Ian can I follow on from this last seen comment yes I am in my 60s I wish you as my son - but your my start up again mentor! Thank you Lord for this guy's help amen . Chris buzz England
Great Advice
Hi.. great video
I am also bee keeper from punjab india
That "feel". You know when you got it when you walk into someone else's yard and look into one of their hives. For instance: Was led to a hive that was "a strong over-wintered colony".
Open it up and was expecting to see a whole lot of bees. Not so much. So the inspection progresses. Hmm...queen cells looking like they were inhabited a week ago, maybe less. "Oh there's the queen and she's a virgin". OK lets go visit the next "strong overwintered colony" and hey do you mind if I put swarm traps here here here here and here? Yeah it's like that.
I maintain between 100-150 colonies on my own...treatment-free...love your videos and advice
BeeFriendlyApiary What's your rate of loss? And why treatment free? I'd rather go that direction, but the outcries from fellow beeks, oy!
I just have to wonder out loud; if you had children and there was a small pox or typhus or bubonic plague outbreak, would you immunize them or just sit back and say......"I'm not immunizing my kids, let the strong survive and the weak die...survival of the fittest you know....how we weed out the undesireables. If they die, they obviously didnt deserve to live."
Really? I don't think so. Why should any keeper take such a view towards their bees...simply because they're bugs in a box?
@@mark-wn5ek I see your point and understand it. I don't plan to get the vaccine for covid or give it to my kids. Is that irresponsible? Some of the treatments are very harsh on bees and can kill them. If I need a respirator to apply the treatment I'm not going to think it helpful to the bees. If there is a problem I'll treat it but widespread treatment for the sake of just in case builds tolerance for the disease. just like weeds have become resistant to roundup. As a side benefit now there are traces of glyphosate showing up in ground water that we drink.
Wise words.
Thank you :)
Spot on.
Along with jaxxbee12 I don't know if you raise much hay but have you tried raising any sainfoin? Both for your bees and the cattle? along with everyone else thank you for your gold mine on info and insight.
Great video. Greetings from Poland.
Pasieka MARCYŚ hi pol hhhh
Max Bees Hi. You are everywhere :)
Pasieka MARCYŚ we have same goal :) we all like bees and hairy legs hihi
Max Bees I am watching a lot about beekeeping.
Pasieka MARCYŚ man Every day learn something new :)
Thank you, you are certainly a very interesting and good-hearted man there Ian. I have to wonder why did you quit wintering outdoors. As of yet, I have not lost any colonies and I know that my queens have started to lay. Just based on pervious experience from winter die outs and starvation.
researcher truma preference leads me to winter inside.
They sit in plus 4 right now, knowing nothing of the weeks of -28 and wind lately
a Canadian Beekeeper’s Blog i ask myself how they live outside in wild in three
Not sure if I understand your question? I group my colonies in 4's. I insulate the outside with R-12 fiberglass insulation. I then cover the hive tops with R-20 insulation. I wrap the outside with 5 mm black plastic wrap of which I make small pin holes for that insulation to breath. I use that same black sheeting to cover the hive tops stapling and nailing onto the hive covers. I leave about 6 inches overlap so that the wind will blow the plastic over the 1 inch vent hole if it comes from that direction. I also nail a small sheet of 1/4 inch plywood over the vent hole (that 1/4 inch plywood has a hole that matches the vent hole in the upper box.) so that the bees on cleansing flights can land and re-enter the hive. I usually do two hives back to back from southerly to northerly and vice versa but have done it west to east etc.. If I am to do 3, I group two hives to the south and one 90 degrees facing east. It depends on terrain and what wind breaks I have.I hope that helps Max Bees.
researcher truma yup, the way I use to wrap too.
Skunks, mice...terrible weather
I’m a control type of guy, indoor climate controlled wintering option is right up my alley
I’d much rather move in hives than wrap and unwrap sticken wraps lil
researcher truma
Perhaps Max meant how they live outside in trees?
Does 10,000 hours of youtube videos count? Thanks for another great video!
Douglas Frantz 😂
thank you for all of your videos. I Was wondering if you could tell me the aproximate square footage of your honey house, and if you see a need for high cielings?
High ceilings clear the forklift.
СПАСИБО.
Got a PM on Facebook last night talking about nucs I've built and preparing for winter ... fellow bee keeper said he enjoyed my vids and I seem to have plan of where I'm going with these nucs ... I thought well thanks to Ian I do have a plan ... pollen pattys syrup best northern strains I could find .. there only 23 double stacked 5 frame boxes and I do know exactly how to build them thanks to Ian ... buy your equipment raise your bees words to live by ... queen rearing is my next step looking forward to that .. no one in my area can supply large orders of queens
Ryan Nims
And that is why I do this
All I ask is you pass it forward
Well said hobbies are fun but at some point it will become a job and seem like work. Time management is key. I would also stress the importance of having a business model. You dont want to put everything into building up to 1000 hives if you haven't marketed to be able to sell your product or if you are going to try and cram it all into 5 acres. Be realistic about what you can handle. At some point you will have to enlist help and they may not be as productive, talented, or motivated as you. Employees require maintenance too.
So true
In your videos about your bottom boards and top covers, you mentioned that you dip them in a wax resin solution. Can you say a little more about that? Is that a commercial product or something that you mix from your own bees wax? Thanks again for all the information that you provide.
Gary Lee that is paraffin resin mix dip
I get that work custom done through
www.lewisandsons.ca/
Call for pricing
nice bro !
Do you ever go abroad and have a holiday like in Australia
Thank you for sharing. Since you're also a crops and cattle farmer have you planted additional forage for your honey bees on your 3500 acres? I'm just curious if you've augmented hedge rows, drainage or maybe created additional buffer between your fields and neighbors or livestock fields grazing fields? I'm not sure if it practical or not, but very curious to hear your thoughts
jaxxbee12 yes
We have 500 acres virgin bush ravine, maintain tree rows and pasture marginal lands.
We do improve our lands to increase productivity, but we don’t plant forage for the bees other than crops and pasture cover forage
We preserve wetlands and participate with our local conservation group, with 5-6 watershed damn on our property
to help maintain erosion control
Everything is in balance,
a Canadian Beekeeper’s Blog Thank you for your quick response. Good luck and Go Astros.
Is it worth the time to be a commercial Beekeeper , because i have seen some documentary that commercial bee keepers loosing money
Do you still lose hives every winter?
DIYMarta yes
Typical struggle
Nice
I needed to hear this. Lol. How much for 40 hives ???
Stove Swain
I hardly remember, $110 per single I believe. A lot for me then 🙂
a Canadian Beekeeper’s Blog I really appreciate you taking the time to get this information out to folks who need it. Thanks a bunch. 🤘
Could you put an ezy-loader on a trailer, or just a flatbed?
Joe -XwolfdogX- I use truck mount
Neighbours use trailer mount
a Canadian Beekeeper’s Blog thanks! And keep up the great videos and amazing info
Joe -XwolfdogX- soon as I get a chance
I’ll post a detailed video on the loader and my truck
a Canadian Beekeeper’s Blog Awesome, that would be great!!!
Ian how do you store honey comb?
maximc86 cold storage
In sheds and semi trailers
I’ll show you in a vid
Ian,knowing what you know now. Why did you lose your first thirty colonies?
Malcom Gladwell- 10 years or 10,000 hours.
How much profit from just the bees. $ not anything else. For let's say 1000 hives, also how many employees, again just the bees. Thanks
nat saxon I hire 5/6 school kids each season.. I pay them well enough that I have a waiting list to work here
I make enough on the honey to get me TIL next year 😉
a Canadian Beekeeper’s Blog hey, ian thank you a lot for your videos, can you tell me the abbreviation TIL, lol, thanks.
Even though you are busy, you should set up a Patreon Account so people like me can financially support production of your videos. I know lots of people use that system to support the TH-cam channels they enjoy for entertainment or they use for learning. Best regards!
Россия Курск, молодцом!
I've done it for 25 years in different businesses. If you're a person that doesn't like to be told what to do it is worth it as long as it doesn't cause a divorce. If your spouse is not 100% on board do not be self-employed.
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