Depending on the size of your apiary or backyard beekeeping set up, selling honey can be incredibly lucrative. Many people will be willing to pay good money for raw organic honey from their local beekeeper. However, if you're only offering honey from your apiary, you're probably not making the most of your hives. Here are a few products you should be selling that aren't just your usual raw organic honey.

Bee Pollen

Some people look to nature and bees as a source of nutritional supplements, and in these cases, bee pollen can be your best-seller. Bee pollen, usually food for young honey bees, is about 40% protein and is rich in amino acids. Bee pollen is sometimes taken as a dietary supplement, usually in small capsules of pollen. Gathering this can be a challenge, but can be a great money-making opportunity for the savvy beekeeper.

Honey Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar and other types of artisan vinegar are usually found at farmer's markets and specialty shops for a surprisingly high price tag. With the right supplies, you can produce your own artisan fermented honey vinegar to sell alongside your other products, attracting plenty of foodies to your apiary.

Beeswax

Beeswax is one of the better known bee products you can offer for sale, but this one has a variety of opportunities. For the craftier beekeepers out there, you can fashion your beeswax into candles, crafts, and other products. However, plenty of people will be willing to purchase beeswax pellets as well, so even without getting creative, you'll still have options here.

Flavored HoneyStix

While technically this product is also honey, honey stix are often more consumer-friendly than buying an entire bottle of raw organic honey. Flavored honey stix can be a nice treat, or can be added to tea; either way, they make a great single-serving option for customers. HoneyStix are time consuming to make, but the payoff can be worth it.

Beekeeping can be a great way to make a bit of extra money, but even more so if you're selling a variety of bee products like pollen, honey vinegar, and wax in addition to your usual honey. For more information on bee products or to stock up on beekeeping supplies, contact Glory Bee today.

Spring is finally here, and that means it's finally peak beekeeping season. Now's the perfect time for making changes to your apiary or home beekeeping practices, including going organic. Organic beekeeping can be a bit tricky, but can help you make a bit of extra money, since people are usually willing to pay a premium for raw organic honey, organic bee pollen, organic royal jelly, and more. Use these tips to help your organic beekeeping this spring.

Know Your Environment

In some situations, genuinely going "organic" might not be entirely possible. Not all climates are suitable for organic beekeeping, and that's okay. There are still plenty of ways to keep your hives safe and healthy even if raising them organically isn't a realistic option. Take the time to learn as much as you can about your climate and other environmental conditions that might impact your apiary and your bees, as well as the plants surrounding them. At the end of the day, the most important thing is keeping your bees safe, even if you have to use non-organic methods to do that.

Consider The Plants

Even if you're using all organic components in raising your bees, have you considered what kinds of plants they are pollinating? Bees are pollinators and are responsible for cross-pollination, which helps at least 30% of crops and 90% of wild plants thrive. However, not all of those crops are raised without pesticides or other non-organic compounds. If your bees are accessing non-organic crops for pollen and nectar, they won't be producing truly organic honey. Pay attention to what flowers and plants are attracting your bees to keep your products organic. Talk to your neighbors and farmers in the area to see if going organic is truly an option.

Label Honestly

To be fully organically Not all organic products are created equal, and that's not always the fault of the beekeeper or farmer. The meanings of "organic" can vary and often aren't very well-defined, meaning many farmers and beekeepers use the word "organic" or "all-natural" without having the practices to back it up. Make sure any language you're using on your packaging is honest about the practices you're using for your apiary.

Organic beekeeping can be tricky, but having the right supplies and knowledge can help. To learn more about organic beekeeping and to stock up on beekeeping supplies, contact GloryBee today.

Keeping bees is about constantly learning lessons and sometimes relearning the same lesson. This is my second year keeping my bees out in a field that is occasionally used as a grazing pasture for sheep. Last year when the sheep were put into the field by the sheep farmer they forgot to put an electric fence around the hives and some of the sheep rubbed up against the hives and jostled them a bit. No damage, just some of the boxes ajar. After contacting the farmer he put up an electric fence and all was well.

This year we should have known that the sheep would be back and therefore should have reached out to the farmer and reminded them to put up a fence. We found out too late the sheep were back and by the time we went out to the field all of the hives had been tipped over. We lost most of the hives to exposure and only two look like they might make it through the winter. The lesson is that we should have learned from the past and taken proactive measures to protect our hives from the sheep.

The same lessons can be applied to many of the other threats to our bees during the year. Checking your mite loads can be one of the best ways to help your bees make it through the winter and entire year. Checking their food supplies and supplemental feeding also dramatically increases the survival rates through winter. What lessons have you learned lately? Check out our beekeeping 101 section and brush up.

The beekeeper’s suit is an essential part of beekeeping equipment that every bee farmer should have. Bees are not like other domesticated animals that get used to the smell of their owner. It is the nature of bees to get easily provoked. Once they are provoked, they produce painful stings that can be deadly to allergic victims.

If you are a beginner in the beekeeping business or you started it as a hobby, then you must know from your research that if you're allergic to bees, you'll need quality protection. Even the most experienced bee farmers cannot ignore the importance of the suit. Parts of the beekeeper’s suit are listed below.

1. The beekeeper hat and veil: The head is one of the most critical parts of the body, followed by the neck. The beekeeper hat is for protecting your head while handling the bees. You cannot wear the beekeeper hat without the veil. The two go together although some might prefer purchasing the two as separate pieces. The veil is for protecting your neck and face from bees. One important tip while buying your beekeeper suit is to go for the beekeeper hat that is joined with the veil. This is because it will be much easier to fasten it to the rest of the suit.
2. Beekeeping gloves: The beekeeper suit doesn't come with a set of gloves to protect your hands. You should never go working in a hive without your beekeeping gloves. A bee sting on your hands is just as painful as a bee sting on any other part of your body. As you harvest for honey with your gloves on, there might be some fatalities. Therefore, most farmers prefer not to wear gloves. I say, put on the gloves and be careful not to kill any bees.
3. Beekeeping Jacket: Among the things in your beekeeping kit should be the beekeeping Jacket. The beekeeping Jacket protects you from the lower neck to the waist. You will be wearing the jacket on top of your clothes, so be sure to pick a larger size than usual. Another tip is to choose a jacket that has a zipper to fasten the beekeeper hat and the veil. This way, you are confident that your suit is secure. Also, you do not have to carry your hat around when you’re done; you can unzip it and let it hang on your back when you are at a safe distance from the bees.
4. Beekeeper Boots: The boots complete the beekeeper suit. The beekeeper boots prevent bees from climbing up your clothes. Some bees can fly low during harvesting and find their way into your clothes and sting you. It is crucial that you always wear your boots with the rest of the suit.

Now that you have taken care of your safety on the apiary. You can check out other beekeeping tools that you need for your farm. If you are getting into beekeeping and have some doubts if you will make any profit from the business, you should know that the retail price of honey has almost doubled since 2006. Also, products like organic honey, bee pollen, and honey vinegar are gaining popularity in the market, so choose your niche and run with it.

On average, a honey bee will produce one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime. But honey isn't the only thing bees make; there's organic beeswax, bee pollen, and even royal jelly. Pure royal jelly has recently been catching the eye of consumers everywhere, sometimes being sold as a supplement or "superfood." But what is pure royal jelly anyway, and why are consumers so interested in it?

What Is Royal Jelly?

Royal jelly is produced naturally by bees, similar to honey. It's a mixture of water, sugar, proteins, fats, vitamins, and amino acids and is often used as a health food item or health supplement. Royal jelly can be consumed fresh, frozen, dried, or as powder in capsules. Royal jelly is, like honey or beeswax, a natural product created by bees during their normal, healthy life cycle that humans are able to benefit from.

Where Does Royal Jelly Come From?

Royal jelly is created by nurse bees, and acts as food for queen bees throughout their life. Queen bees mostly eat royal jelly throughout their lives, giving royal jelly its name; this also allows them to grow up to fifty times the size of other members of the hive. Royal jelly is collected from hives after nurse bees deposit it into special areas of the hive created to nurse growing larvae. The process can be delicate, so it's important to harvest the royal jelly at exactly the right time.

Why Use Royal Jelly?

What about royal jelly has it flying off the shelves? Royal jelly is used in a variety of supplements, and is also sometimes consumed on its own. Because of the difficult process involved in producing and harvesting royal jelly, it is also often processed in a few different ways so it can be saved for longer. Organic royal jelly capsules are often found on supplement shelves, but if you're able to, purchasing it raw can be great for using it in a variety of recipes.

Royal jelly is just one additional incredible product that bees produce naturally on a regular basis. For more information on royal jelly and its uses, contact GloryBee today.

Every beekeeper wants to get the most out of their hives as possible, whether you're a hobbyist or running your own beekeeping business. With enough success, you'll be able to start selling all sorts of honey products, even bulk honey if you can produce enough. But how can you reach that level of production? Here are a few tips to get the most out of your beekeeping setup so you can maximize your production.

1. Set the right expectations: Even in ideal conditions, a single hive can only produce so much honey. To make one pound of honey, a honey bee would have to fly about 90,000 miles, or three times around the globe. Remember that your bees are only capable of producing so much while still staying healthy, and set your expectations for your hive accordingly.
2. Bees first: One of the essentials of beekeeping for beginners is learning about your bees. Just about every beekeeping book out there starts out with teaching you about your little workers; learning what they need and their ideal environmental conditions will help you keep them healthy and producing plenty of honey.
3. Inspect, but not too much: It can be incredibly tempting to constantly check up on your bees to see how they're doing, but doing so can disrupt the hive. However, you'll still need to ensure that they're healthy. Infrequent checks are recommended for keeping your hive and bees in good condition without interrupting their daily lives too frequently. You should aim for once a week or so, if possible.
4. Don't stop at just honey: If you really want to make money from keeping bees, you'll want to look beyond selling bulk honey. Check out what bee products could be popular near you: everything from bee pollen to beeswax to organic royal jelly can turn a profit in the right circumstances.

Beekeeping can be incredibly rewarding, but in order to get the most out of your hives, you'll want to use these tips and tricks. Taking proper care of your hives might even get you to the point where you can start offering bulk honey for sale.

Building your very own beekeeping effort is a wonderful way to connect with your inner carpenter, nature-lover, and sweet tooth for organic honey. In desiring your personal hive, you are in good company. According to the USDA, the number of bee colonies cared for by human beekeepers was, as of 2014, the highest it’s been in 20 years. The reason is sweet - - the average American consumes approximately 1.3 pounds of honey every year.

Establishing that first hive requires care, learning beekeeping basics, acquiring beekeeping tools, and performing initial labors of love, and ongoing maintenance. Beware the romantic notion that beekeeping is light work; heed the reality that it is gratifying and satisfying. Volumes exist on undertaking home beekeeping; the below beginner steps take the sting out of getting underway and filling those jars with organic honey.

The Best Bees. The best bees are those without stingers, yes? Well, not quite, but there are many ways to choose the friendliest bees. All honey bees are liable to sting if they feel endangered. However, there are bee breeds that are more laid-back than others. Still, any beekeeper must be ready for potential stings. This is where quality beekeeping gloves and apparel come in. Beekeeping suits are available at many price points and while you may not require the Cadillac of beekeeper suits, an investment in well-guarded protection is a good one. As for the bees themselves, there are a number of species and “races.” The U.S. is home to only one honey producing species (apis mellifera), but there are various  “races” of honey bees (italians, carniolans, russians, etc). These races interbreed and this results in a healthier mix of genetics.

The Beehive. Creating your beekeeping hives will require at least some basic carpentry skills. Left to their own devices, bees have a tendency to build their nests in curious places. Providing your bees with a proper home in a suitable location that works both for you and them takes some planning. Starting with a user-friendly book, taking precise measurements, and following directions to the letter should get you off on the right foot. A quality hive-building book will also provide important information on the types of wood and other materials that will work best and save you issues down the road.

Beekeeping is a fast-growing hobby in many parts of the world. One honey bee produces one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in its entire lifetime. This means it’s critical to learn and utilize the best ways to keep your hive healthy so you can make use of as much raw organic honey as possible. From there, safe and healthy beekeeping will keep your tea sweet for years to come.