Main fundraiser photo

The Honey Op: Help Start A Hive!

Donation protected
Hi and thanks for your interest in The Honey Op, a crowdfunding project to support my first hive.

The project: My goal is to fund at least one hive, possibly two if sufficient funds are raised. The hive(s) will be part of a brand-new apiary opening Spring 2018 in the Veterans' Healing Garden, which is located within one of Milwaukee County's community gardens.

Here's a super cheesy video I made on a below-freezing winter day here in Wisconsin (sorry, the sound is terrible so you might need to boost the volume. Hey, I am much better at beekeeping than videography!): https://www.wevideo.com/view/1045012229

The beekeeper: That's me! In 2017, I completed the University of Wisconsin-Extension's Beekeeping for Certification program, a six-month course that included both classes and fieldwork caring for a hive with four other teammates. When I inquired about having my own hive in 2018, my instructor offered me a spot in the new Veterans' Healing Garden apiary. Full disclosure: I am not a veteran. I served my country as a federal employee overseas, but I don't want anyone thinking I'm trying to pass myself off as a vet. I am thrilled, however, that my bees will help to pollinate what the vets grow, and what the vets grow will help sustain my bees. It's win-win!


Where the funds will go: It's not cheap to start a hive. For the first year, I'll be purchasing bees, hive components, tools and personal protective equipment. A few words about each:

Bees: After researching my options, I've decided to purchase a 3-pound package of bees and a queen from a Wisconsin distributor. The bees will arrive from California in April. This is the typical way beekeepers start a new hive. While it is possible to catch a feral swarm and start a hive with it, that's way beyond my skills as a new beekeeper. The cost: $125-140 per package (I'm waiting for the 2018 prices to be set).


Hive Components: I will be purchasing new hive components, including brood boxes, honey supers, a hive stand and other pieces, from a local or regional purveyor (I've identified two companies and am watching their sites for sales). While it is possible to purchase this stuff used on Craigslist, I feel strongly that it's important to start with new hive components to give my girls the best chance of survival. Items sold as "used" may harbor everything from disease to residual toxic chemicals the previous owner applied inappropriately. The good news is, once purchsed, the hive components should last for years. The cost: $250-375 (I'm watching for those sales!)

Tools: As you might imagine, beekeeping requires a lot of specialized tools. Because I used class supplies during my certification program, I need to purchase all the basics, including a smoker, hive tool and other implements. My goal is to find quality tools that will last for years at the cheapest price. The cost: $100.


PPE: Personal Protective Equipment! I need it! I have gloves and also a jacket and veil from my class. However, the jacket is too large on me now. I learned this the hard way while tending to our team hive when several bees flew up inside the jacket and stung me. I did not enjoy this experience and would like to avoid a repeat, so I plan to purchase an economy suit. My current gloves, purchased at bargain basement prices, have bargain basement quality, so I am looking for a better pair on sale. The cost: $150-175.

Miscellaneous Costs: There are a number of other expenses, some of which depend on the weather, the bees' productivity and the bees themselves. For example, my bees will be arriving in April, which is a tricky time in Wisconsin. There may be food available for them to forage, or I may have to feed them a natural sugar solution for the first few weeks. Another example: you may have heard that bees face many threats, including disease and parasites. I will not treat my bees with any of the toxic chemicals often used commercially to reduce these threats, but the alternatives have their own costs. The cost of miscellaneous supplies: $100-200.

Stretch goal: While my initial goal is $1000, which will fund a single hive, if I am able to raise $1,400, I will install a second hive. Any funds raised over $1,400 will be reserved for 2019 costs or used for honey harvest and processing equipment. Right now I plan to borrow this equipment from fellow beekeepers. If, however, autumn arrives and my girls are thriving and producing a lot of honey, I may invest in one piece, such as a solar wax melter. But that's a long way off. Bees face a lot of challenges and I'm a new beekeeper, so it's premature to think about purchasing honey harvest equipment. Right now my focus is on setting up the hive(s) and making sure my girls are healthy and happy.

I took all of the photos on this page during my certification program, and the one below is my favorite. It's one of my team hive's foragers returning to the hive after a successful outing. The yellow pollen sacs on her back legs are full of pollen-y goodness that will nourish her hivemates. Saddlebags never looked so good on a lady, amiright?


Timeline: I need to place orders for my bees by mid-January 2018, so I'm hoping to make significant progress towards my goal by then. The bees arrive in April, when my new blog for supporters will launch.

Why You Might Want to Support The Honey Op: First of all, thanks for reading this far. There are plenty of reasons to consider supporting The Honey Op, and different levels of support are available. All supporters get access to a regularly updated blog, and a vote. The Honey Op is just the working title of my project. Supporters will be able to suggest official names for the hive and then vote on the top contenders. Some levels of support include other perks. See the Reward Levels section for details. ***Please note: while a guided tour of the apiary is included for my top level supporters, the tour must be scheduled in advance and is weather and season-dependent. I will not disturb my bees during times when they may be particularly vulnerable or aggressive.

What about the honey: Here's the situation. Beekeeping is not a sure thing. Bees face many challenges from disease, pesticides and parasites as well as robber bees, bad weather, destructive wildlife and just plain bad luck. Of all the team hives in my certification program, only about half survived, and even fewer produced enough honey to harvest (beekeepers can't take all the honey a hive produces, only what the bees produce above and beyond what they need to survive the winter). I will do everything I can to keep my bees happy and healthy. If everything goes well and my girls produce honey for harvest, I will be sharing it with my supporters. But I cannot guarantee they will be productive, or even that they will survive. So remember, supporters are not guaranteed honey. See the Reward Levels section for more details about potential honey products.

Organizer

Gemma Tarlach
Organizer
Milwaukee, WI

Your easy, powerful, and trusted home for help

  • Easy

    Donate quickly and easily.

  • Powerful

    Send help right to the people and causes you care about.

  • Trusted

    Your donation is protected by the  GoFundMe Giving Guarantee.