The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Bees & Beekeeping => Topic started by: Part time dabbler on September 05, 2016, 12:50:39 pm

Title: Loaning out my field to a beekeeper
Post by: Part time dabbler on September 05, 2016, 12:50:39 pm

I am not in a position yet (and probably wont be for 2 to 5 years) of keeping my own bees but I have contacted my local beekeeping association and have made contact with a new beekeeper with the view of allowing him to put hives on my land hopefully in return for some honey each year.

Has anyone else participated in this sort of arrangement either lending out land or putting your hives on other peoples land? If so are there any issues I should be aware of?

Thanks

Title: Re: Loaning out my field to a beekeeper
Post by: Carse Goodlifers on September 06, 2016, 09:40:36 pm

I started keeping bees this year. I have my 2 hives in a neighbours 3 acre paddock.
They let the paddock out to a neighbouring lady who has sheep.  She was asked in case she had any issues but thankfully she didn't. So with this in mind I fenced off an area roughly 4x8m with plank fencing.  It's situated against a perimeter fence line.

So far, so good.
The sheep owner is happy and the paddock owners are happy and the sheep haven't gotten into the 'apriary'.
We won't have any honey this year but hopefully next year we will have some and so some will be going to the neighbours.  A bottle of plonk will probably be given at Christmas too.

Title: Re: Loaning out my field to a beekeeper
Post by: cloddopper on September 06, 2016, 09:48:05 pm

Quote from: Part time dabbler on September 05, 2016, 12:50:39 pm

I am not in a position yet (and probably wont be for 2 to 5 years) of keeping my own bees but I have contacted my local beekeeping association and have made contact with a new beekeeper with the view of allowing him to put hives on my land hopefully in return for some honey each year.

Has anyone else participated in this sort of arrangement either lending out land or putting your hives on other peoples land? If so are there any issues I should be aware of?

Thanks

 This is a fairly standard way of going about it to protect yourself .
Hopefully the land in question is registered in your name at the land registry
 Get a simple home produced contract in writing saying it is your land and that he can do it for a set period .
 Also get their signed agreement that they are totally responsible for all events relating to the hives   & insurance of the hives .

You could also include being supplied with a pond a jar of honey for each hive sited  on your land  .

Title: Re: Loaning out my field to a beekeeper
Post by: Part time dabbler on September 07, 2016, 10:39:36 am

Thank you for the suggestion, I had not considered a simple agreement but I will now especially as at some point I will want my own hives.