Backyard beekeeping and local honey

Neighbors, coworkers, farmers market shoppers and local gift buyers who want local honey.

Jars of honey sold at a price per jar or pound, with small extras like beeswax candles or lip balm.

• Patience and calm around bees
• Willingness to learn colony care through a season
• Basic bookkeeping and selling at markets

• Local zoning, HOA or lease rules on keeping bees, check before buying
• Your state's rules on registering hives and on selling honey, including any cottage food or labeling requirements
• Stings and allergies, and the need for protective gear
• Colony losses to mites, disease or winter, so budget for replacing hives
• Product liability and general liability insurance for selling food

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around $800 to $3,000, depending on how many hives you start with and what gear you buy. Budget extra for replacing hives, since colony losses to mites, disease or winter can happen.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around $100 to $800, depending on how many hives you keep, how the harvest goes and where you sell. Treat these as estimates, not guarantees, and remember colony losses can reduce what you have to sell.

Check before buying: local zoning, HOA or lease rules on keeping bees, and your state's rules on registering hives and selling honey, including any cottage food or labeling requirements. Also look into product and general liability insurance for selling food.