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New Zealand Beekeeping Forums
NZ Beginner Beekeepers
Hosting vs. Running Our Own Beehives (for Mead + Personal Use)
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<blockquote data-quote="mead" data-source="post: 13875" data-attributes="member: 908"><p>Kia ora! We’re based in <strong>Far North, Cable Bay</strong>, on a 50-acre property where we used to host beehives for a friend (who’s no longer keeping bees). We're now thinking about setting up hives again and have two options in mind:</p><ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Hosting hives</strong> – finding a local beekeeper to install and manage hives, in return for a small fee and some honey</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol"><strong>Running our own hives</strong> – we're complete beginners, but my partner makes mead (not commercially) and has time and interest in learning. We'd love to eventually be self-sufficient in honey.</li> </ol><p>We’re looking to collect around <strong>50–100kg of honey</strong> a year just for personal use and mead. We hosted around <strong>20 hives</strong> in one location before without issues – good health, no food shortages. Given the size of our land, we could probably host more hives in other spots too.</p><p></p><p><strong>Site info:</strong></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">50-acre block, 15 minutes from town, all-weather access, locked gate</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Surrounded by <strong>kanuka, gorse, and nearby native bush</strong> within ~5km</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">No issues with past hives – healthy and productive</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">No commercial land use</li> </ul><p>We’re also interested in <strong>alternative hive types</strong> like <strong>top-bar hives</strong> – we know they yield less, but they seem more natural and maybe easier for beginners?</p><p></p><p>We’d love to hear from experienced beekeepers:</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Would anyone even want to expand or host hives in the current honey market?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Is it crazy to consider starting from scratch with no experience?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Are top-bar hives a good beginner option, or more hassle than they’re worth?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Any gotchas we should know about if we go DIY?</li> </ul><p>We’re not aiming to go commercial – just want to support our mead-making, learn a new skill, and enjoy the process.</p><p></p><p>Cheers and thanks in advance!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="mead, post: 13875, member: 908"] Kia ora! We’re based in [B]Far North, Cable Bay[/B], on a 50-acre property where we used to host beehives for a friend (who’s no longer keeping bees). We're now thinking about setting up hives again and have two options in mind: [LIST=1] [*][B]Hosting hives[/B] – finding a local beekeeper to install and manage hives, in return for a small fee and some honey [*][B]Running our own hives[/B] – we're complete beginners, but my partner makes mead (not commercially) and has time and interest in learning. We'd love to eventually be self-sufficient in honey. [/LIST] We’re looking to collect around [B]50–100kg of honey[/B] a year just for personal use and mead. We hosted around [B]20 hives[/B] in one location before without issues – good health, no food shortages. Given the size of our land, we could probably host more hives in other spots too. [B]Site info:[/B] [LIST] [*]50-acre block, 15 minutes from town, all-weather access, locked gate [*]Surrounded by [B]kanuka, gorse, and nearby native bush[/B] within ~5km [*]No issues with past hives – healthy and productive [*]No commercial land use [/LIST] We’re also interested in [B]alternative hive types[/B] like [B]top-bar hives[/B] – we know they yield less, but they seem more natural and maybe easier for beginners? We’d love to hear from experienced beekeepers: [LIST] [*]Would anyone even want to expand or host hives in the current honey market? [*]Is it crazy to consider starting from scratch with no experience? [*]Are top-bar hives a good beginner option, or more hassle than they’re worth? [*]Any gotchas we should know about if we go DIY? [/LIST] We’re not aiming to go commercial – just want to support our mead-making, learn a new skill, and enjoy the process. Cheers and thanks in advance! [/QUOTE]
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Hosting vs. Running Our Own Beehives (for Mead + Personal Use)
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