Episode Details

Every hobbyist beekeeper eventually contemplates scaling up to a commercial operation with thousands of hives. Our podcast guest, Charlie Linder, embraced this challenge and has been forging ahead ever since.

Initially, Charlie's beekeeping business centered on honey production. However, facing declining wholesale honey prices and competition from imported honey, he pivoted to pollination services. Now managing over 5,000 colonies, Charlie still feels like a novice compared to beekeepers with over 10,000 hives.

Currently, Charlie is preparing his colonies ready to go into almond pollination mid-February. The almond orchards lure in over 2-million colonies from all over the USA in what is considered the largest single bee migration in the world (of course… via four colonies to a pallet on a semi). The pallets of bees get dropped off in the dark, settled in place in the low glow of head and taillights, smoke and cloud of confused and disoriented bees.

In six weeks, this process is reversed. The bees are transported again, undergoing grading, splitting, and preparation for other crop pollinations, as well as for package and nuc sales.

Apart from running his bee operation, Charlie serves on the American Beekeeping Federation's board of directors. Contrary to popular belief, the ABF's efforts extend beyond commercial beekeeping. The Federation vigilantly addresses national issues to ensure honey bees and their keepers aren't adversely affected by ill-informed legislative actions. Today, Charlie talks specifically about the proposed transfer of miticide regulation from the EPA to the FDA, a move that could delay critical varroa mite treatments.

Listen to today's episode as Jeff and Becky talk with Charlie Linder, a backyard turned commercial beekeeper!

Leave comments and questions in the Comments Section of the episode's website.

Links and websites mentioned in this podcast:

• EPA Advisory on Pesticides Targeting Varroa: https://www.epa.gov/pesticides/epa-issues-advisory-pesticides-used-control-varroa-mites-beehives-including-coordinated

• EPA Q&A on EPA and FDA Oversight: https://www.epa.gov/pesticides/questions-and-answers-regarding-epafda-whitepaper-modern-approach-epa-and-fda-product

• American Beekeeping Federation Legislative Issues and Updates: https://abfnet.org/legislation-advocacy/

• Honey Bee Obscura Podcast: http://honeybeeobscura.com

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Betterbee is the presensting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Betterbee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

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