Want the benefits of a beehive on YOUR PROPERTY, without doing the work?
LEND a small corner of your property to a beekeeper! Your garden will love you!
There are many reasons you'll enjoy providing a spot for hives:
- Beekeeping is a LOT of work, and you do none of it!
- Prestige / bragging rights
- Satisfaction of knowing you are helping bees, and a beekeeper
- Improved pollination of your garden flowers, fruits, veggies, & herbs
Why would a beekeeper need a place to keep a beehive?
Maybe they:
- Live in an apartment
- Their own property isn't suited
- They already have too many hives in one location
- They are splitting one hive into two and need to keep the hives separated by two miles
Step One:
Think through the commitment. Here is a starter list of topics for the beekeeper and property owner to discuss:
| Yes | No | Does the site have easy access for the beekeeper? |
| Yes | No | Can the beekeeper come and go as needed? |
| Yes | No | Does the landowner abstain from pesticide use? |
| Yes | No | Does the beekeeper need access to a water spigot? |
| Yes | No | May the beekeeper store supplies on the property? |
| Yes | No | Can the landowner limit human/animal traffic around the hive site? |
| Yes | No | Is the site suitable for bees? The Beekeeper will evaluate the site first hand, but some considerations will be: sunshine, distance to a water source, room to work, wind break, dry soil, etc. |
| Yes | No | If the colony needs to be split, can the additional hives be placed on the property? |
| Yes | No | Will the property owner notify the beekeeper of unusual situations? E.g. a windstorm knocks over the hive, raccoons or other wild animals seen bothering the hive, etc. |
| Yes | No | Does the beekeeper retain ownership of all the equipment? |
| Yes | No | Is the beekeeper responsible for all hive maintenance? |
| Yes | No | Is the land owner responsible for clearing any needed permissions, like HOA, or simply notifying neighbors? |
| How much of the honey harvest goes to the land owner? 1-pound? 2? 3? | ||
| How will the agreement be terminated? E.g. How much notice does the beekeeper require? | ||
| Yes | No | Will you print and sign your list of agreements, so everyone can remember the terms. |
Step Two:
Check the table below to see if a beekeeper in your area is currently SEEKING an outyard, then contact them to discuss a possible arrangement. (The list is sometimes completely blank).
Step Three:
If you don't find a match in Step Two, OFFER YOUR YARD. If beekeepers see a ready-made option, they may be spurred to create an outyard. You can put your name on a private list -- only MCBA Beekeepers can see your contact info. To add your name, Register as a Guest Member by clicking HERE.
You are not logged in. You MUST be logged in, and a full member, to see the contact info of people offering their yards.
Notes
- Everyone can see the list of MCBA beekeepers SEEKING an outyard, but only MCBA members, logged in, can see the details for people OFFERING an outyard.
- If you are not a member, you can easily join - whether you are a beekeeper or just a bee enthusiast. Sign-up is all done instantly, online. CLICK to JOIN.
- Members can list themselves as either SEEKING an outyard, or OFFERING an outyard (a very nice gesture!)
- Members, to LIST or REMOVE your name on this page, login and update your Profile Page
- MCBA provides this unmonitored, unendorsed bulletin board as a service to Montgomery County, MD residents. Use at your own risk, MCBA assumes no liability.