How much does it cost to run a hive?

[mbc]

Why does anybody try to keep bees as a commercial activity in the U K ? ? ?

For the love of it
It should be taken into account that income is only the hard half of the story, if a person can survive the low income years its fairly easy to increase capitol value even in poor years and wait for the good years to yield a tidy income.

 

[dclewis]

Not strictly answering the op, but as a relative newcomer all costs versus all income for first 3 years without putting a price on my time the account looks as follows:
2009
Cost €2700 income €0
2010
Cost €1200 income €120
2011
Cost €1250 income €460
2012
Cost €1050 income €1050.
Now a lot of that cost is capital expenditure in hives and honey house equipment and so should last years but I am not to dissatisfied to actual cover cost this year and so hope to bring the negative balance down from now on. But I don't ever expect as an amateur to get anything much at all for the time spent, but then its for fun and how many hobbies are there when you make money out of them..

 

[Into the lions den]

??? what's molesting sheep got to do with it?

Mountain goats?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Mountain goats?

I've never mounted a goat whatever the local papers maintain !

 

[REDWOOD]

nor me HONESTLY

 

[REDWOOD]

seriously what does it cost; stuck in the mud had to get pulled out by a tractor that ripped my towbar off, stepped in sheeps sh!t with bare feet, burnt my new fleece with my smoker, lost my marbles, 6 gallons of sweat, ruined 2 bees suits on brambles glued my fingers together with polyurethane glue.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

seriously what does it cost; stuck in the mud had to get pulled out by a tractor that ripped my towbar off, stepped in sheeps sh!t with bare feet, burnt my new fleece with my smoker, lost my marbles, 6 gallons of sweat, ruined 2 bees suits on brambles glued my fingers together with polyurethane glue.

I'm told crocheting is a good hobby, Redwood.



Dusty.

 

[Poly Hive]

Yes..................but extreme crocheting is near as dangerous as extreme ironing...

Try using the billy goat's horns to hold the wool....

PH

 

[For want of a better word]

BUT ... the tales of daring do in Beekeepering can earn you more free drinks than any other hobby I know of !

 

[mbc]

BUT ... the tales of daring do in Beekeepering can earn you more free drinks than any other hobby I know of !

Only ever had free drinks from beekeeping out of sympathy when looking like the elephant man after a sting round the eyes

 

[VEG]

When the op finds out the cost of running a hive please let me know as i am still spending after 5 years in and its a hobby

 

[farbee]

Not strictly answering the op, but as a relative newcomer all costs versus all income for first 3 years without putting a price on my time the account looks as follows:
2009
Cost €2700 income €0
2010
Cost €1200 income €120
2011
Cost €1250 income €460
2012
Cost €1050 income €1050.
Now a lot of that cost is capital expenditure in hives and honey house equipment and so should last years but I am not to dissatisfied to actual cover cost this year and so hope to bring the negative balance down from now on. But I don't ever expect as an amateur to get anything much at all for the time spent, but then its for fun and how many hobbies are there when you make money out of them..

Over 6000 euros on 5 hives.
That must be diamond encrusted hives.

 

[Salamagundy]

I've never mounted a goat whatever the local papers maintain !

My daughter currently works in the West Midlands, where social mores may be different from those in Carmarthenshire. We were walking outside the village she lives in when we saw an elderly man in a field beside the road grappling with a young ewe. Having grown up in Hong Kong, my daughter asked innocently 'Are you shearing that sheep?' 'No!' he replied, 'B****r off and find your own.' We left, confused....

 

[Outlander]

I've never mounted a goat whatever the local papers maintain !

Bull ---- he mounted the goat.

 

[mbc]

How does a welshman find a small sheep in long grass ?













Irresistable !

 

[PBee]

I've never mounted a goat whatever the local papers maintain !

I'm betting you have the local taxidermists number on speed dial.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

An old lady down by us had a pair of pet monkeys who were very attached to each other funnily enough both died at the same time and she decided to have them stuffed. The taxidermist asked 'do you want them mounted?' she replied 'oh dear! better not - just have them holding hands!!'

 

[dclewis]

Diamond crusted they are not.

For a fuller break down, I will say that

Hives and Hive equipment comes in at about €2500 that has bought 5 full hives (Floor BB 3supers CB and roof) plus 5 spare BB, floor, CB and roof, 4 5F nucs and 3 mini nucs,

Personal equipment counts for €600,

Honey house equoipment €1500

Consumables €900, and

Memberships/books and mags €1000.

So yes there is spare equipment but running 5 hives this year I needed/used 90% of it and to be honest I think I am short on of a few Supers to be comfortable if we get a good spring next year.

 

[madasafish]

Hmm..

I reckon selling one TBH nuc a year (bees and frames only , not the actual nuc) at £100 or thereabouts pays for 75% the running costs of all my hives (4 full, 3 nucs, 2 warres)...My building costs were about £200 all in.

No shed: have to make do with a garage


But then I was brought up near Aberdeen...

 

[tonybloke]

my bees pay their own way. honey and nuc sales in first 4 yrs paid for all equipment, selling 3 full colonies this spring put me into profit