Peardale man encourages others to try the business of bees

Beekeeper Randy Oliver of Peardale has a reputation as "the man to talk to about bees."

Oliver has turned a childhood passion about bees into a profitable beekeeping venture and has also mentored thousands in his classes all over Northern California.

Oliver's interest began at age 13 when he and his brother tried to move a swarm. Wearing sweat suits, gloves and skin diving masks, they managed to get the bees into a box, but they got stung. After a beekeeper showed them how to transfer the bees to a bee box, Oliver became fascinated. He helped that beekeeper in return for learning the ropes.

Oliver now is on the cutting edge of a movement to promote natural or non-chemical beekeeping. He has contributed a series of articles to the American Bee Journal and soon will have a Web site.

"I'm trying to shift the paradigm of the beekeeping industry," Oliver said.

His interest in natural beekeeping began after the varroa mite, from Southeast Asia, wiped out most wild bees and 70 percent to 90 percent of domesticated bees worldwide in 1993. The disaster left only Australia and Hawaii unaffected by the mites.

Oliver lost all but six of his 250 hives. He was so devastated, he gave up the business for about two years. When medications became available to combat the mites, he started again.

"We're still recovering (financially) from those lost years," he said.

The struggle to combat the mites led Oliver and his partner, Stephanie Hughes, to experiment with non-chemical practices in caring for their bees. They now use essential oils, selective breeding and a special high-protein paste bee food, made with brewer's yeast and sugar.

"A typical chemical operation risks killing the bees, ruining the honey and creating resistant mites. They also lose 30 per cent of their colonies per season. I lost perhaps 5 per cent of mine this season," he said.

Since going with non-chemical methods, Oliver and Hughes have grown their operation to 500 hives.

Pollination is a real business

There's more to beekeeping than wearing a bee suit and harvesting honey. Beekeepers also rent out their hives for pollination.

"The industry as a whole will make more money in February in one month, pollinating the California almond crop, than all the bee keepers in the US will make producing honey for the entire year," Oliver said.

California grows 80 percent of the world's almonds. Beekeepers truck their bees in from all over the United States - even from the East Coast - the demand is so great. Almond growers will pay $125 to $150 per hive for the four-week pollination period.

Even milk production depends on bees, because cows eat alfalfa and bees pollinate alfalfa seeds. One third of the food we eat is directly or indirectly dependent on honeybees or pollination. If bees were gone, U.S. agricultural production would lose 20 billion dollars a year, with all the fruits, nuts, seeds and dairy products dependent on bees.



A typical day

"On the up side - it's wonderful working outside, in agricultural areas, following the bloom," Oliver said. "On the down side, there's too much driving and working on vehicles and equipment. And it's very repetitive I have 500 colonies, so I need to do the same thing 500 times."

Oliver and Hughes extract honey in late summer and fall, producing 20,000 pounds of honey. They sell the honey in 55-gallon drums to a honey packer for $1 to $6 a pound. They also sell jars of honey to local customers.

"Beekeeping is hard work," he said. "During the summer, it is hard, hot work."

Every beekeeper has a comfort level for how many times in one day he can get stung; Oliver's is 15 to 20 times, and he works a lot without a protective suit.

"The stings don't swell or itch anymore," he said.



Agricultural opportunity

Oliver encourages people to get involved in beekeeping, especially young people. "If you work hard, educate yourself and invest some money, you can make a good, honest living outdoors and produce something satisfying," Oliver said.

"The next three to four years, there is a real opportunity. But it is best to start out small, because there's a big learning curve," Oliver said. "Start with $500 as a hobby."

"Experience is the best teacher," Hughes added.

It is clear that Oliver is passionate about bees and his business. "We feel good about our bees and our honey," he said. "And we're helping to supply food for the world."



To learn more about beekeeping

• The Nevada County Beekeepers Association meets at 7 p.m. the first Monday of every month; go to the back door of the Veteran's Hall, 225 So. Auburn St., Grass Valley.

• Beginning beekeeping class is taught by Randy Oliver starting March 5. For information on apprenticing with Oliver, call 272-4450.

• There are more books written about bees than any other animal or insect. Check your local library or online book sellers.

- Diane Covington



Bee facts

• There are worker bees, which are females; drones, which are males; and a queen bee.

• Bees spend three weeks in the hive, then fly out, fly 500 miles, then die. They live longer in the winter, when they don't fly as far.

• Bees make honey from the nectar of flowers. Pollen is a protein source, so it's food for the bees.

• Nurse bees make royal jelly to feed the queen and larvae. A top queen bee can sell for as much as $799 at auction.

• You should not feed honey to a baby less than six months of age.

- Diane Covington