Over the past 10 years we've noticed something significant when talking to our friends about keeping bees in the S.E. Michigan area: Newly purchased package bees are often not surviving Michigan winters . . . and many are not even making it to Thanksgiving. It doesn't take long for Michigan beekeepers to realize that something's not right with the mass-produced packages coming up from the South and California by the truckload each Spring.
The Problem: Mass-produced Corporate Queens & Packages
Most queen and package producers cannot take the time to ensure that their queens are laying for the recommended full 28 days after mating (which helps develop strong, working ovaries in each young queen). Most suppliers package newly emerged queens immediately after mating for quick shipment, whether they are proven or not. This practice often results in queens that are frequently superseded or fail later in the season. At Back Forty Bee Farm, we are convinced that much of the frustration beekeepers experience with under-performing packages is due to the problem of shipping mass-produced queens that are immature and not selected on the basis of quality and winter hardiness.
One Solution: Carefully Selected, Mature & Local Queens
We firmly believe that the solution to the current crisis in beekeeping can be found in following bio-dynamic bee rearing principles (click here to learn more). Due to the growing local demand for naturally-raised, high-quality, Michigan winter survivor stock nucs and queens, we have made the decision to cut back on 2020-21 honey production in order to invest in expanding our queen and nuc production facilities at Back Forty Bee Farm. Our goal is to be able to supply S.E. Michigan beekeepers with the highest quality, winter-hardy and locally raised queens and nucs that are produced from disease-free and mite resistant, genetically diverse stock starting in the Spring of 2023.
Our Queens, Nucs and Small Hives Will Be:
The response to our northern bee rasing probram has been overwhelming . . . to the point where we are not taking any more nuc orders for the 2023 season. However, 10 frame medium starter hives will be available starting in May of 2023 (see product page for more information). Also, in an effort to downsize our operation (hives and supers are feeling a lot heavier now that I'm in my 60s), we wil be selling complete, over-wintered 3-4 medium body hives. Check out the products and services page for more information.
"People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it."
- George Bernard Shaw
The Problem: Mass-produced Corporate Queens & Packages
Most queen and package producers cannot take the time to ensure that their queens are laying for the recommended full 28 days after mating (which helps develop strong, working ovaries in each young queen). Most suppliers package newly emerged queens immediately after mating for quick shipment, whether they are proven or not. This practice often results in queens that are frequently superseded or fail later in the season. At Back Forty Bee Farm, we are convinced that much of the frustration beekeepers experience with under-performing packages is due to the problem of shipping mass-produced queens that are immature and not selected on the basis of quality and winter hardiness.
One Solution: Carefully Selected, Mature & Local Queens
We firmly believe that the solution to the current crisis in beekeeping can be found in following bio-dynamic bee rearing principles (click here to learn more). Due to the growing local demand for naturally-raised, high-quality, Michigan winter survivor stock nucs and queens, we have made the decision to cut back on 2020-21 honey production in order to invest in expanding our queen and nuc production facilities at Back Forty Bee Farm. Our goal is to be able to supply S.E. Michigan beekeepers with the highest quality, winter-hardy and locally raised queens and nucs that are produced from disease-free and mite resistant, genetically diverse stock starting in the Spring of 2023.
Our Queens, Nucs and Small Hives Will Be:
- Fully mature - laying successfully for at least 28 days after mating. We will be able to do this because we are not a large, corporate production facility that depends on mass production and distribution.
- Hand selected for quality - only the largest & most vigorous queens will make it to the mating yards.
- Raised from hardy, over-wintered Michigan stock - all our queens and nucs will be produced exclusively from Back Forty Bee Farm over-wintered stock each Spring. You will be dealing directly with the producer!
The response to our northern bee rasing probram has been overwhelming . . . to the point where we are not taking any more nuc orders for the 2023 season. However, 10 frame medium starter hives will be available starting in May of 2023 (see product page for more information). Also, in an effort to downsize our operation (hives and supers are feeling a lot heavier now that I'm in my 60s), we wil be selling complete, over-wintered 3-4 medium body hives. Check out the products and services page for more information.
"People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it."
- George Bernard Shaw
