Denver Honey Purchase

[TXANM]

I have been looking for local honey suppliers and found the following prices. I have another e-mail asking about bulk orders. Let me know if you are interested in any at these prices or if you have found it lower somewhere else.

Chris

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Currently I have Colorado wildflower/alfalfa, which is medium dark brown and very flavorful, a mild sweet. It is $26 per 12 lb jug or $22.50 each in a case of 4 ($90 total)

Also I have Colorado Clover, which is light in color and flavor, but very sweet. More of a tradional honey. It is currently $30 per jug or $25 each in a case of 4.

I am wating for farmers market time in a month so I can open California orange blossom and Oregon Raspberry, and also might possibly have California pomegranate honey.

 

[Bush_84]

Prices in Minnesota are closer to 40-45 from what I've seen. That sounds like a deal.

 

[nomile]

As a hobbyist beekeeper in CO, that's dirt-cheap.

 

[jamesnsw]

I might be in on this. That is definitely a good price.

 

[wayneb]

Hey, TXANM, I'm curious. Could you let me know who that supplier is? It sounds like the same folks I have been buying bulk honey from for the past several years, and if that is true, then we should probably combine forces (to get even better pricing). Are they from the Ft. Collins/Loveland area?

BTW - Summersolstice can vouch for the quality of the honey that my guys source. We got some absolutely killer raspberry blossom last year, and I definitely want more!

 

[TXANM]

The reply to my inquiry was from a Jeffery Johnson, and I think he is out of the Cherry Creek area. I sent him a second e-mail to ask about more discounts if we purchase a lot, but have not heard back yet. He said he would be at the Cherry Creek Farmers Market starting on May 1st as well. That is the only reason I think he is in Cherry Creek area.

 

[Matrix4b]

I get Bulk from Madhava's for Wholesale prices which is $81.50 for a 42 pound bucket. I think that beats your price by a bit. I am sure if you bring in samples and explain that you are not reselling the honey you can get wholesale prices to. Oh the bucket has a $5 return deposit on it too.

 

[wayneb]

The reply to my inquiry was from a Jeffery Johnson, and I think he is out of the Cherry Creek area. I sent him a second e-mail to ask about more discounts if we purchase a lot, but have not heard back yet. He said he would be at the Cherry Creek Farmers Market starting on May 1st as well. That is the only reason I think he is in Cherry Creek area.

Yup - That's the guy. He's Jeffrey Johnston, and his place is actually up in Loveland although he sells at many of the Front Range farmer's markets, including Cherry Creek. I have been buying from him for several years now, and the quality of his honey has always been first-rate.

He will give us a pretty good deal if we decide to buy in true bulk - minimum of a 55 gallon drum. I did that last year and provided several folks with 5 gallon pails of raspberry blossom honey for a really good price.

And the higher prices that TXANM is quoting are applicable to his varietals. Occasionally he'll get wildflower honey from different producers, which he is willing to sell even cheaper -- he has one batch of stuff he calls California C%@& that he'll sell to us at $1.60/lb, in bulk. It is a very dark, somewhat pungent California wildflower that has a good deal of western buckwheat in it, from what I can tell. Great for those more robust meads!

And Matrix, even his CO wildflower is slightly cheaper than Madhava, if you buy the 4 gallon minimum.

 

[chromados]

I would be interested in a jug of Colorado Clover honey if we are able to get this going.

Chromados

 

[TXANM]

Great news Wayne. I just got a message from him and he said he just got word from his sister that she will have some California Sage and avocado very soon, as well as the orange blossom and raspberry are coming into season in the next couple weeks.

What would everyone like to get if we go with a 55 gallon drum?

 

[Matrix4b]

And Matrix, even his CO wildflower is slightly cheaper than Madhava, if you buy the 4 gallon minimum.

Unfortunately, I can't spend that much at a time, though I would love to. That minimum would make about 2 1/2 batches for me. For information purposes, I would like his number or some way to purchase. Should I get enough money together to do it. I am planing on buying 2 42 pound buckets soon. When does the guy harvest is first harvest of the year?

 

[Matrix4b]

Anyone know how much honey a given hive makes in a year? OR how many hives makes said 5 gal drum? Just curious for those amature bee keepers out there. Wondering what the cost of the hives/bees and upkeep is and what kind of harvest it would yeild.

 

[wayneb]

Wow! I could work with either sage or avocado -- but since avocado is so rare and hard to get relative to other varietals, that would be my first choice.

 

[wayneb]

Anyone know how much honey a given hive makes in a year? OR how many hives makes said 5 gal drum? Just curious for those amature bee keepers out there. Wondering what the cost of the hives/bees and upkeep is and what kind of harvest it would yeild.

It is highly variable, due to the part of the country you're in, the weather in any given year, the health of your bees and the configuration of your hive. (At least that's what my buddy, who is a beekeeper, tells me.) He typically gets from 40 to 65 lbs of honey from each of his hives, here in the farthest eastern edge of the Denver metro area (he's actually in a predominantly rural county just east of Denver).

 

[nomile]

Anyone know how much honey a given hive makes in a year? OR how many hives makes said 5 gal drum? Just curious for those amature bee keepers out there. Wondering what the cost of the hives/bees and upkeep is and what kind of harvest it would yeild.

I started beekeeping last year, and had a fantastic first year at about 50 lbs. (Usually first year one gets minimal honey harvest b/c bees are building up the hive) The greatest number I've heard about in my beekeeping club was ~200lbs from one hive (in a killer year). Varies greatly. I hope I have another season like last year. 2 more hives coming. This is above Lyons, CO btw... at about 6500ft