Homestead Honey Farm and Homestead Apiaries has relationships with more than 150 landowners and our hives are hosted throughout southern Minnesota on a combination of our own land and with other owners like you.
Here are some commonly asked questions and answers.
Common Questions by Landowners:
Q: WHAT IS THE TIMELINE?
- We place bees/hives in May/June and remove them in October
- We visit hives every couple of weeks to feed, add boxes, remove honey, etc.
Q: WHAT’S IN IT FOR THE LANDOWNER(S)?
- A case of honey for each location
- Improved pollination
Q: WILL I GET STUNG?
- Highly unlikely. Honeybees are very non-aggressive compared to hornets and wasps
- Honeybees will only sting if threatened, i.e. getting caught in your hair/clothing or disturbing their hive
Q: WHAT MAKES A GOOD LOCATION FOR BEES?
- We need about 15 x 40 feet for 50-60 hives, plus room to turn around with a truck and forklift
- Relatively level and smooth
- Not wet (we won’t visit if the roads are soft)
- Great locations: old farmhouses, pastures (cows & horses ok), corners of hayfields, near old bins
- We need to stay 1.5 – 2 miles from another bee location (bees forage 2 miles in any direction)
