People don’t realize how challenging beekeeping is unless they have done it. So many challenges to overcome. Yet, when I’m in my bee yard, just me and the bees, it’s all worth it. Keep on Nathan. Good luck.
First generation and start up is the toughest. My parents started a mostly grain farm from scratch. Not even a decent house on the place. I know they were very disappointed when no one wanted to carry it on. By then the buildings were there, the equipment, everything but none of us wanted the stress of being a farmer normally let alone during climate change and when corporate farms are all around you squishing you out. We aren't even going to mention the neighbors who use specialized seed that if found on your land and you didn't buy it, you get sued and eliminated by that huge corporation. Doesn't matter if the wind blows it over or someone puts it there intentionally because they want your land, all it matters is that it's there. Seen it happen to one guy and once was enough thanks. Had you been 2nd generation you already have a step up.
I looked up the website for Gardner, but it doesn't say much about the operation. I'd love to know more about what you guys do, and size / scale. Thanks
For myself, it has taken me 5 years to finally catch up to the capital purchases for the size of operation I want to run…so hopefully I will actually be able to leave a little bit of money in the bank account next year. lol
We're having the same problems in Southwest Bullitt County next to Fort Knox, more rain coming in this weekend one bee yard I can't get into because of the rain. We where down your way at Henry Horton State Park early spring, beautiful country. Enjoy your videos 😊
Yeah I hear ya. We thought we bought enough equipment at the expo in January. But we ended up with more boxes than frames for them. Ordered more frames and now we need more boxes and frames. Rain has taken a toll on our flow as its been raining 2-3 days a week for the last month it seems.
Ha always enjoy your videos how is your flow it is the 25 now of may. I am in virginia our flow started early I think it is about over but I cant tell. How do u tell if your flow is over. Have a blessed day
Hi Nathan. As a growing Sideliner I feel your struggle regarding living hand to mouth on equipment and the Bees. How are you paying your other bills? Feel free not to answer, but my day job covers my auto, mortgage, and plethora of other bills. Thanks for all your content, I’m pulling for you.
Hi, When I add a super I put it under the other supers so the bees have to pass through it to get to the super they are working. It seems to speed up comb buildout in the new super.
I had a old Carpenter tell me that a successful job is just a series of "F" up's you fix until your done. I remember those words everytime I hit my thumb with my hammer.
Messing with bees cost a lot I do not have a business or want one. I just cant I hope u figure it out and every thing goes good for you every thing you cant controle the weather everything can be going good with the bees and the weather just destroyes it all. I have 60 hives I just want honey for my people and i grew it from 30 to 60 this year When do u harvest. any way again hope every thing works out good for you have a blessed week
Please don't take it as me giving you lessons. When we put hives in 3 rows like that we put the smallest ones in the first row and the ends.. and the strong ones in the third last line of hives. Some "smart" guys even used to park a box trailer we use in front of an other beekeeper trailer for a day and steal all his flying bees and move on without anyone seeing him if his lucky. When I put mine in a 20-30 hives line those two first and two last always get a box more than the central ones.
I don't get it .. I just watched your last video and it seems that in your situation the back rows are getting stronger and the end hives have less boxes. Maybe it's a carnie thing in my country but I don't think so. I seen it in other places in Europe when I was younger and worked seasonal for bigger outfits. The first row would always pick up more bees and the ends and corners too
I probably wrote it wrong and we didn't understand ich other. We did it with hives because the flow was all on the side where the entrances were looking at. So when bees come back from collecting they would enter the first row and equalize them self. Seme ting with the trailer. It's a 50 or more hives box (kinda like a Slovenian but for Langs) bees on wheels to move from flow to flow. Like a container made for hives on wheels. You work hives from the inside. (Great invention). Everybody here uses them. If you Google 'kontejner za pcele' something should come out. There's all kinds.. from old fridge trucks to really beautiful hand made from metal with top windows and beds in the middle between the hives. Always with this long comments. Sorry, it's not easy to explain some time
@@DuckRiverHoney these usually get on a truck bed. And have 4 long legs so you park them and remove the truck from under them. And the hives stay inside protected with only the entrance visible. Any good welder can make it from the stuff that's already on Google. The problem with them is that in a small country like mine the competition gets to the point where we have to keep secret spots and open new roads. I'm just whayting to hear that some were set on fire. It will happen soon...
Hey bee lovers! Did ypu know, if you watch the short commercials and not skip, our friend here will get some pocket change to help him pay on that loan. Lets show him some love!
The fastest way to make money is with someone else's. I'm at year 6 in this venture, and I haven't taken any money for myself yet and have also added a few hundred thousand dollars from my old job over the last 5 years. I'm renting 400 colonies out this year at $200 each and have an expected 20 to 30k pound honey harvest, I still don't see me being profitable this season, probably not until year 10. I will need 800 honey supers alone next year and pallets to properly move them with loader and a wear house to extract honey in. I will have a little money after I stop expanding my colonies but will always have debt repayment for the honey house. You will see that after 300 colonies, you will need trucks, loaders, and a faster way to extract honey, like a $60k cowen and a loader to handle drums and pallets. If you think you are dabbling with a little debt now in this business, just wait until next year.
You're working like a one-legged man in a butt kicking contest for sure! And spending time editing videos isn't helping much either. Really appreciate the video! Hope you can work up apprentice type help, that would help a lot.
If you did not make these videos, I would have never known how tideous and how much a person needs to know to run a bee business. I always thought that you just stick hives out in the field and wha la peanut butter sandwches.
Minute 5:20, "You can't use debt to get yourself out of a hole." Please become a politician. Between that principle and trying to tax a nations people into wealth. It seems our current politicians were never loan officers.
Can’t make honey without rain, can’t work when it’s raining. Yep, we are farmers
It needs to rain just enough, but not too much, and be gentle rains, only at night.
People don’t realize how challenging beekeeping is unless they have done it. So many challenges to overcome. Yet, when I’m in my bee yard, just me and the bees, it’s all worth it. Keep on Nathan. Good luck.
Absolutely, thanks!
Another great video. Thank you for including us in your journey. 🐝 🐝
Thanks!
Pure GOLD. Thanks for this!
Thanks!
I feel like I need a break just following how hard you work ..
Great job Nathan!!
😂
You've got some awesome bees!!!! Keep up the great job you're doing 😊
Thanks!
Mud is better than dust mate. Love the work ethic.
I bet. Mud means rain, rain means a productive landscape.
First generation and start up is the toughest. My parents started a mostly grain farm from scratch. Not even a decent house on the place. I know they were very disappointed when no one wanted to carry it on. By then the buildings were there, the equipment, everything but none of us wanted the stress of being a farmer normally let alone during climate change and when corporate farms are all around you squishing you out. We aren't even going to mention the neighbors who use specialized seed that if found on your land and you didn't buy it, you get sued and eliminated by that huge corporation. Doesn't matter if the wind blows it over or someone puts it there intentionally because they want your land, all it matters is that it's there. Seen it happen to one guy and once was enough thanks. Had you been 2nd generation you already have a step up.
Hopefully the kids will benefit in whatever they want to do, but I’m not going to try to force them into it.
It's a never-ending cycle. More bees = more equipment = more honey and hopefully for you, more money!
I work at Gardner Apiaries in South GA. Everyone works bees differently and I enjoy seeing how you work yours. Keep up the grind my guy 💪🏼
I looked up the website for Gardner, but it doesn't say much about the operation. I'd love to know more about what you guys do, and size / scale. Thanks
For myself, it has taken me 5 years to finally catch up to the capital purchases for the size of operation I want to run…so hopefully I will actually be able to leave a little bit of money in the bank account next year. lol
The biggest lesson of being stuck is to stop before you’re really stuck
Yep
We're having the same problems in Southwest Bullitt County next to Fort Knox, more rain coming in this weekend one bee yard I can't get into because of the rain. We where down your way at Henry Horton State Park early spring, beautiful country. Enjoy your videos 😊
Thanks!
Yeah I hear ya. We thought we bought enough equipment at the expo in January. But we ended up with more boxes than frames for them. Ordered more frames and now we need more boxes and frames. Rain has taken a toll on our flow as its been raining 2-3 days a week for the last month it seems.
Equipment sneaks up on you.
Ha always enjoy your videos how is your flow it is the 25 now of may. I am in virginia our flow started early I think it is about over but I cant tell. How do u tell if your flow is over. Have a blessed day
We’ve got a few chances left but the main flow is dwindling.
I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one that luck even tho it is bad...
Hi Nathan. As a growing Sideliner I feel your struggle regarding living hand to mouth on equipment and the Bees. How are you paying your other bills? Feel free not to answer, but my day job covers my auto, mortgage, and plethora of other bills. Thanks for all your content, I’m pulling for you.
What size glass jars are you using to feed?
I’m not using glass jars. Just my internal feeders for now, but I’m going to put together some bucket feeders to double what I can feed at a time.
Hi,
When I add a super I put it under the other supers so the bees have to pass through it to get to the super they are working. It seems to speed up comb buildout in the new super.
Would you film while making a barrel of sugar syrup?
Is the flow on still for you? Down here in Giles County south of you I’m still seeing plenty of nectar coming in.
It’s been slow recently.
@@DuckRiverHoney seems I've just been hit with enough rain but not too much. Other parts of south middle tn have been flooded
We lost a lot of prime day flight weather.
Where did you buy boxes for $13.50?
Do you find that the black matting is helping reduce your beetle problem??
I bet its mostly tall grass control, beetles can fly so they can move further out.
Felt paper is for weed control. Beetle larvae can travel a surprisingly long distance if they need to.
Always problems to solve. My dad would say “it’s okay to get a little stuck just don’t bury it!”
I feel your pain… work hard to grow and work hard to not be over run because it’s outgrowing you…
At times it’s a lot. At other times it’s not.
I had a old Carpenter tell me that a successful job is just a series of "F" up's you fix until your done. I remember those words everytime I hit my thumb with my hammer.
🤣
Messing with bees cost a lot I do not have a business or want one. I just cant I hope u figure it out and every thing goes good for you every thing you cant controle the weather everything can be going good with the bees and the weather just destroyes it all. I have 60 hives I just want honey for my people and i grew it from 30 to 60 this year When do u harvest. any way again hope every thing works out good for you have a blessed week
Where can I find boxes for 13$
Is there no issue with rain when you offset the honey supers? Love the videos, great work and good luck!
Strong colonies handle it fine. I wouldn’t try it in cold weather.
@@DuckRiverHoney got it, cool.technique
🦃
What all is left in your Honey flow
White clover, smooth sumac, sourwood, then a chance at basswood or shining sumac.
I see a turkey tail!!!
Yep, for the decoy.
Please don't take it as me giving you lessons. When we put hives in 3 rows like that we put the smallest ones in the first row and the ends.. and the strong ones in the third last line of hives.
Some "smart" guys even used to park a box trailer we use in front of an other beekeeper trailer for a day and steal all his flying bees and move on without anyone seeing him if his lucky.
When I put mine in a 20-30 hives line those two first and two last always get a box more than the central ones.
I don't get it .. I just watched your last video and it seems that in your situation the back rows are getting stronger and the end hives have less boxes. Maybe it's a carnie thing in my country but I don't think so. I seen it in other places in Europe when I was younger and worked seasonal for bigger outfits. The first row would always pick up more bees and the ends and corners too
I haven’t equalized them yet, just picked them up and moved them out in the dark. So the distribution is random.
I probably wrote it wrong and we didn't understand ich other. We did it with hives because the flow was all on the side where the entrances were looking at. So when bees come back from collecting they would enter the first row and equalize them self.
Seme ting with the trailer. It's a 50 or more hives box (kinda like a Slovenian but for Langs) bees on wheels to move from flow to flow. Like a container made for hives on wheels. You work hives from the inside. (Great invention). Everybody here uses them. If you Google 'kontejner za pcele' something should come out. There's all kinds.. from old fridge trucks to really beautiful hand made from metal with top windows and beds in the middle between the hives.
Always with this long comments. Sorry, it's not easy to explain some time
Very interesting. Some beekeepers here move bees to different flows on trailers.
@@DuckRiverHoney these usually get on a truck bed. And have 4 long legs so you park them and remove the truck from under them. And the hives stay inside protected with only the entrance visible. Any good welder can make it from the stuff that's already on Google. The problem with them is that in a small country like mine the competition gets to the point where we have to keep secret spots and open new roads. I'm just whayting to hear that some were set on fire. It will happen soon...
Hey bee lovers! Did ypu know, if you watch the short commercials and not skip, our friend here will get some pocket change to help him pay on that loan. Lets show him some love!
Or just pay for TH-cam premium like I do and watch with no commercials and Nathan gets TH-cam premium income on his videos.
The fastest way to make money is with someone else's. I'm at year 6 in this venture, and I haven't taken any money for myself yet and have also added a few hundred thousand dollars from my old job over the last 5 years. I'm renting 400 colonies out this year at $200 each and have an expected 20 to 30k pound honey harvest, I still don't see me being profitable this season, probably not until year 10. I will need 800 honey supers alone next year and pallets to properly move them with loader and a wear house to extract honey in. I will have a little money after I stop expanding my colonies but will always have debt repayment for the honey house. You will see that after 300 colonies, you will need trucks, loaders, and a faster way to extract honey, like a $60k cowen and a loader to handle drums and pallets. If you think you are dabbling with a little debt now in this business, just wait until next year.
You're working like a one-legged man in a butt kicking contest for sure! And spending time editing videos isn't helping much either. Really appreciate the video! Hope you can work up apprentice type help, that would help a lot.
If you did not make these videos, I would have never known how tideous and how much a person needs to know to run a bee business. I always thought that you just stick hives out in the field and wha la peanut butter sandwches.
It gets to be a lot at times.
You will be living hand to mouth until you decide to stop growing…
If you’re expanding it will take it every time…
Minute 5:20, "You can't use debt to get yourself out of a hole."
Please become a politician.
Between that principle and trying to tax a nations people into wealth. It seems our current politicians were never loan officers.