Very well said Ian..this is the life of a business owner that so many people don’t get. All of the weight lays on your shoulders, the business starts and stops with you. Ya learn a lot about yourself as a human being owning a business. It’s VERY humbling. But still at the end of the day problem solving and having a team of people whether that even just be your family members to rely on can give ya a kind of fulfillment that not doing this wouldn’t be able to give you. Hang in there, you’re an inspiration to many!

Thanks for sharing Ian. Always appreciate you keeping it real.

Much respect Ian, I stress over my small operation doubt I'd be able to ever sleep with more risk. Looking forward to following your continued success

That scenery is both beautiful and intimidating!

Man I hope you have a good year. Last year I really felt your pain. I honestly don't know how you separate yourself from it. When I have a hive die out and I do an autopsy on a few thousand organisms that I put that much into, it reminds me of why so many people give up this part of the industry, or their hobby, or whatever.. Keep truckin. I'm learnin everything I can from you to try and keep my girls alive.

I’m in Michigan and anymore it seems like you’re better off sacrificing a chunk of your operation and missing out on pollination or making honey with that lot of bees, and just use them for making numbers and divert all attention on just keeping them as healthy as possible for the winter.

Ian you are just human, trying to walk in the ever changing world of business. An age old task, as old as business it's self. You have learnt the skills you need over your years of experience. Business, like life is step by step. Blessed Days are ahead of you Ian.

I like that drive through the tunnel. Wishing all the best of luck, you have the skills so just need things to line up.

You know Ian, I don’t know if this is a good or bad to hear. You’ve been doing this way longer than me, so seeing you have hard times makes me feel like it’s not just me. But at the same time that turns the light off at the end of the tunnel.😂 I always go back and think of some advice I gave to my cousin a decade ago when he started farming. Don’t expect to get rich. Just expect to make a living. And that’s how’s it’s turned out.

Rain at night and heat during the day is all i ask .😂 Its going to be a great year 🎉

Do your best and pray about the rest Ian !

Package dealers never seem to be in short supply of bees. Maybe ask if they'll mentor you.

I almost wish I could plant my honey and know for sure how to time my bees. But then it wouldn't be interesting. It would be a quantity business. I like my search for quality more.. (now when I'm older) I used to work for quantity in Denmark and Germany. It was good money but it wasn't the bee work i knew and loved.. and I stopped breaking my back for a paycheck, sharing my Carniolan knowledge for free. I agree with your thoughts about bee business. It's not easy these days. But even then it was always "war" on competition, secrets... you can't find a honey extraction video from a serious beekeeper here even now. Or someone who will tell you where his bees are...

Да у Вас учиться и учится гениальный пчеловод!!!

I think Ian was showing off boxes boiling with bees last week? 😂 I thought he could totally split and completely rechage his batteries. But i suppose its also good business selling bees. So these trips to BC are great.

Can’t wait. Good luck. Mother Nature 🥰

Good luck I wish you well.

My newest strategy is making an insane amount of queens later in the season to bank over winter. They all start the next year in nucs, with that many "extra" queens I have a crazy amount of brood at my disposal pretty fast. Then once the season is rolling the queens either get sold off or rolled into a new yards.

Beautiful site 💯

Would love to buy some off you in the spring

Building the management plan of the unknown punches of mother nature.

I suppose if I wanted any BC bees I’d have to come get them and bring them back to the states? It would be a good road trip!

Wait a minute ... I didn't know Manitoba had the Rocky mountains running through it?? 😮

3:38 I always wondered how much a 10 frame hive could donate in average temperature of 15°C ?

Farming of any kind is about minimizing risk in an ever changing environment. Plans must change to meet the economic times as prices of inputs and products change. The best laid plans fall apart when mother nature decides to throw a curve ball.

The other bee keepers in your area may have sustained losses like your hives. Randy Oliver says to get all bees in the area mite free as a safeguard for infestations 💯

My father said never Juggle Risk always plan for it and keep a shape knife handy to cut it free.

Ian where did you get your honey processing equipment? I’m starting to build a new honey house and I like your setup.

Hi Ian ! Hello from SoCal ! May I ask what product you use to treat your wooden migratory covers ? Thank you so much and all the best !!

I think the honey is way too cheap and the hazardous nature of this business is not equaled by a fair price .

Hello Ian I do not know if it was the camera or not but was that the three pound package. From this end they looked to be bigger boxes . Hope you an us all have a great season. Thanks

Hi Iain. Just wondering, do you ever set swarm traps. it is my default for gaining new colonies (but then I'm not commercial)

Hola que linda sona vamos las abejas 💪👏😎🐝🐝🐝🤮

Are Canadians allowed to bring bees in the lower 48? Would it be possible for you to keep donor hives (from which you take bees) in the southern portion of the US?

Do you sell nucs I am going to be in Winkler next Wed wondering if I can drop by

Do you live by the ocean? Seagulls

Pretty nice ride for the girls this time., must of been complaints from the last load of girl's.... " it smells like cow shit in here"😂😂😂

Okay, okay. Subtitles with translation are not yet available.... We'll see it again later. You seem to have a very, very large number of bees. Why else do you need more. We'll listen to it later:)

Man... Now that we know you ain't much on discussing how and what you do in Beekeeping. We wouldn't bothered you with that email. Please don't take the bothered part the wrong way. We understand and get what you're saying with not wanting to disclose what and how you do things.

“typically rebuild and hold one-third of my apiary to a battery, and I decided I got to bump that up to 50%”. -Ian The struggle is real in PA too.

It's beekeeping. Did you ever had two same years in a row without having to change strategy in the middle of it. I actually hate 😂 your possibilty to keep bees in a strate line way of doing it. I have giant colonies right now after the flow and it's looking like my dry dearth could be 5 months this summer. It's already starting. And they have to be ready for the main flow after it for October, November and some times December. It's not easy to make them want to brood enough numbers at the right time for that flow. And that's the honey l need to be profitable. There's always a strategy but it's getting difficult. The honey moved way north over the last couple decades and this place looks more and more like a desert

Did you have a strategy or did you have a plan? To me, much of what you mentioned were plans. I get that the long and short term plans are to be self sufficient and to make a profit. Now, unless you are trying to compete or crush your competitor only then what you are saying is more akin to strategy. Okay, that is my mental exercise for the day. I wish you well.

Can you Speak German? 😅😊