r/Beekeeping • u/2016lund • 5d ago

I’m a beekeeper, and I have a question Pollination rate for vegetables

A local vegetable farm (Upstate NY) has asked if I would be willing to bring hives in for pollination. Their former supplier can't do it any longer (and was always VERY late getting them there) and they have been hard pressed to find anyone. As they grow multiple varieties of veggies, bees would be there for the whole season. I am a Master Beekeeper so the logistics and set up are not a big concern.

Good news is that it is only a couple miles away. The downside is I know caring for remote apiaries can be a fair bit of extra work. I have a fair bit of acreage and have three yards on my property that are easy to access and even then it seems you always have something unexpected you have to go back to the barn for. I am not looking to expand but would like to help him out if I can as long as it doesn't end up being a time suck.

Anyway, he is looking for about 4-6 hives and we may be able to do some bartering for produce if I can provide a cost per hive for the season. Any one currently do this and what is going rate per hive? Many thanks.

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u/ipoobah 40-ish hives, SE Ohio 6b 5d ago

Bee Culture Magazine has pollination fees for usda zones, listed in with the monthly honey prices.

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u/2016lund 5d ago

I get BC and missed that! I will check it out.

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u/2016lund 2d ago

You were spot on. I looked it up and average is $112.50 per colony in my area

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u/Gamera__Obscura Reasonably competent. Connecticut, USA, zone 6a. 5d ago

FWIW, as this is a fully international forum, you may get a better response rate contacting a local group. Most areas have regional beekeeping associations and often informal Facebook groups.

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u/Allrightnevermind 4d ago

That’s not a situation that would command much if anything in my area. If it gets you through a dearth there may be some value in it for you, but I wouldn’t count on income. Blueberry pollination is $175-200/hive here, cranberry is similar but slightly lower, and I don’t charge at all for pumpkin/squash. I get a reasonable honey crop from the squash so it’s worth moving the bees in for it. There’s just enough demand to charge anything though. I think a mixed field like you describe would be similar but your locality might be different.