11/27/2012
Why working with Imagines Farm and Co-oping a hive works.
Most experienced beekeepers tell you that 3 hives is the minimum to start with. The reason for this is you get 1 hive and you have an all or nothing scenario. The hive could produce outstandingly or it could up and leave you. 2 hives your chances are 50/50. 3 hives and your chances are better. The law only allows 1-2 hives on your property. When you co-op a hive with me you have access to me and my resources. You'll also have access to my hives on Imagines Farm – there will be at least 25 there. What this means is if your hive under performs or leaves and it isn't the right time of the year to replace it or it won't produce that year, and you are wanting to learn really badly, you can come down and work beside me to learn how to care and manage the hives. This is open to anyone that co-ops a hive. Even if yours is producing great!
Working with bees, or producing anything for that matter, is hard and not guaranteed. Having your own hive is a huge investment in time and money if you do it on your own. At a minimum you need a hive, bees, a suit, a smoker, a bee tool, and knowledge. Then when it comes time to get your honey you need the equipment to separate it. We are coming from the idea that combining resources is a much better way to start beekeeping. You provide the location, the care, and your personal equipment (suit, smoker and tool) and I'll provide the hives, the bees, the knowledge, and when the time comes the equipment to harvest with.
What to do once you harvest? Well you can keep half of the honey for yourself or to sell. Or you can have me sell your half for you. Selling takes time, packaging, labeling, and a lot of effort. If I'm all ready doing it, it doesn't add the cost to me like it would to you doing smaller amounts.
What happens if you decide beekeeping isn't for you? Simple. I come and get the hive from you and take it to my property in Lakeside.
What about registering with the County and blah, blah, blah? Even simpler. I do all that for you.
In the interest of complete transparency there is a simple equation that I am running off of. Raw materials + Labor + Time + Knowledge + a little luck = Finished Product. Time, knowledge and luck all remain the same (relatively) no matter if I have 1 hive or 1000 hives. What changes is raw materials and labor. I've decreased my raw materials by building my own hives. I can decrease my labor by hiring people to work the hives. But then I have them tucked away in Lakeside. How is that helping the bee population in San Diego City? How is that spreading the joys of beekeeping? The solution is to Co-op them out. There is no trickery here or hidden agenda. I want you to find beekeeping to be rewarding in your life. On all levels but especially financially. Because once it becomes financially important to people they start to pay attention to the issues affecting our bees.
So I guess there is a hidden agenda – I want to save our bees and I am secretly recruiting all of you to do it!
