🐝💗Our Backyard Beekeeping Journey!💗🐝

[R2elk]

I have a few questions about selling honey, if you don't mind.

Like with egg cartons when selling eggs, do you ask for the jars/caps back? If not, what would you say is your "add on" cost for those? Mason jars and the plastic caps aren't cheap here. I might be able to get jars at garage/estate sales, but not caps.

What's your price for a pint jar, a quart jar, and a gallon jug of honey? It's sold by weight, but I know people are going to ask me for "a quart jar" of honey if I sell it.

Might be wrong but I believe the plastic containers such as the honey bears cost less than quart jars.

 

[Sally PB]

Might be wrong but I believe the plastic containers such as the honey bears cost less than quart jars.

You're probably right. We aren't planning to sell a lot of honey, so I'm hesitant to order stuff like that. Our plan is to have plenty for our own use, maybe give some away to friends. (Like we do with eggs.) But a couple of people have said they'd love to buy honey from me.

 

[R2elk]

You're probably right. We aren't planning to sell a lot of honey, so I'm hesitant to order stuff like that. Our plan is to have plenty for our own use, maybe give some away to friends. (Like we do with eggs.) But a couple of people have said they'd love to buy honey from me.

I have people wanting to not only buy my honey but wanting to either sell it for me or buy it for resale.

I don't sell any honey because they wouldn't leave me any for the people I give it too.

I do package mine in honey bears that come with the lids that contain a seal.

Mann Lake does sell them in small or large quantities, with lids or without and lids sold separately.

 

[Sally PB]

We only have two hives, and figure that's enough for us. The second hive was a nuc this spring, so they get to keep what they make. They're busy drawing comb and raising brood.

Hoping for some goldenrod honey from the first hive... We'll find out in a a few days to a week.

 

[drstratton]

I have a few questions about selling honey, if you don't mind.

Like with egg cartons when selling eggs, do you ask for the jars/caps back? If not, what would you say is your "add on" cost for those? Mason jars and the plastic caps aren't cheap here. I might be able to get jars at garage/estate sales, but not caps.

What's your price for a pint jar, a quart jar, and a gallon jug of honey? It's sold by weight, but I know people are going to ask me for "a quart jar" of honey if I sell it.

I've seen people say they charge $1 per oz. plus the cost of the jar and lid. Seems reasonable to me for local honey.

 

[R2elk]

I've seen people say they charge $1 per oz. plus the cost of the jar and lid. Seems reasonable to me for local honey.

Whatever the grocery stores are charging, you can charge higher for local honey especially if it meets the qualifications to be sold as raw honey.

Honey is normally sold by weight, not volume. A 12 oz. honey bear will hold 12 oz. of honey or 8 oz. of water.

 

[drstratton]

Whatever the grocery stores are charging, you can charge higher for local honey especially if it meets the qualifications to be sold as raw honey.

Honey is normally sold by weight, not volume. A 12 oz. honey bear will hold 12 oz. of honey or 8 oz. of water.

That's a good point.

Yes, that's how I thought it was done. Thanks for the confirmation.

 

[Sally PB]

Whatever the grocery stores are charging, you can charge higher for local honey especially if it meets the qualifications to be sold as raw honey.

How much higher, would you say?

A beekeeper friend of mine charges $48 for a gallon jug (12 pounds) of raw honey. I don't know what he gets for smaller jars.

An orchard about an hour away was getting $55 for the same amount 2 years ago.

 

[R2elk]

How much higher, would you say?

A beekeeper friend of mine charges $48 for a gallon jug (12 pounds) of raw honey. I don't know what he gets for smaller jars.

An orchard about an hour away was getting $55 for the same amount 2 years ago.

It really depends on the quality and flavor of the honey.

Smaller quantities can go for higher per oz. prices than bigger quantities.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

I have a few questions about selling honey, if you don't mind.

Like with egg cartons when selling eggs, do you ask for the jars/caps back? If not, what would you say is your "add on" cost for those? Mason jars and the plastic caps aren't cheap here. I might be able to get jars at garage/estate sales, but not caps.

What's your price for a pint jar, a quart jar, and a gallon jug of honey? It's sold by weight, but I know people are going to ask me for "a quart jar" of honey if I sell it.

Since the Masons are given to friends and family, we get them back for trade for more honey. Pints only roughly a pound +. Masons will give a little more than 16 ozs to the cap ring on jar. As far as selling, $2.00 give or take for 1 lb Queen Line Jar, lid and self-printed labels. We only sell 1 lb jars and the going rate here is $10 a lb. I did recently sell a gallon for $50, $10 under the local rate but it was to friend who asked for a friend who was making gift bags for shower guests. They supplied the container. Any money will ultimately go back into supplies, bees and maybe a cup of coffee. Did make money when I had 20+ pollinators 40yrs ago. Have a seasonal vender selling for us and refuses to take a % which doesn't sit well with me. Told DW I'll fix her, a thank you card and gift card @ the percentage rate. I do it because I like it and now to a point where the bees are supporting their selves, but I'm still in the hole, sorta like what your first egg costs.