LazyBkpr

[Perry]

How are you holding up buddy?
Almost all the bees here are in blueberries now, and now we are in for a week of damp rainy weather. The price of blueberries is rumoured to have dropped below 50 cents, somewhere between 40 to 45 cents a pound. Some keeps have been informed by growers they don't need the bees, with prices lower than the cost of production. By the time they pay for the chemicals, harvesting and shipping to the packer they actually end up owing money. The weather is going to frustrate growers who did go ahead anyways.
In the meantime those 5,000 hives from Ontario (SHB area) are here.
It is a tough racket to get into, but with your tenacity I am sure you will do fine.

[lazy shooter]

From Perry's above post, it is apparent that the other lazy has entered into blueberry farming.  In the last couple of decades blueberry farming has flourished in East Texas.  The sandy soils must be good for blueberries.  Also, many of the blueberry farms are on smaller acreages, twenty acres or even less.  It appears that many thousand pounds of blueberries can be grown per acre.  Most of the blueberry farms sell the byproducts of blueberries, mainly jelly.  I have a good friend in Louisiana that provides me blueberries each year.  My family thinks blueberry jelly is the best of all the jellies, and blueberry muffins are from Heaven.

I do wish you well Lazy.  It appears that blueberry bushes have a long life.  May you and the bushes prosper in life for many years to come.

lazy

[Perry]

Hey LS. Actually the "other" Lazy  has gone into the pollination business, and has ramped up big. I believe he is around or over 200 colonies now, with the intention of transporting them to Maine to the blueberry fields.

[lazy shooter]

The pollination business seems to be place to make some bucks.  It looks like a lot of detailed planning, hard work and diligence required.  I do  wish lazy well in his new endeavor. 

lazy

[LazyBkpr]

Yes, ramping up big, but NOT going to be in the thousands..   Pollination of private fields, the folks who WANT bees but cant afford, or dont want a truckload..   I have plans for 100 hives to head to Maine in the spring, and have already received requests for more.. seems there are a lot of people with 20 or more acres of blueberries that want hives, so getting a little afraid..

   Worked to 11 pm last night making boxes, will probably do the same tonight making frames.  Have to work at night now because I have too much happening during the day... but CANT slow down due to the time of year..    I am so looking forward to sliding the toon off into the water.

[tedh]

Wish I could be there to help.  I'm a little swamped here.  Ted

[LazyBkpr]

Aye, same here, its THAT time of year. Gritting my teeth and getting it done, looking forward to when it slacks off a bit.