Douglas Farm

Farm Pollination

We will service your farm's pollination needs in a symbiotic relationship. Our relationship will help each other grow. Services can be structured in writing to suit your needs. Call us to figure out how many hives you need based on acres and crop type.

Pollination Seasons

2010 Pollination Rates

• Special plans available for arboretums, parks and environmental centers
• A discount is available for organic farms & sites keeping hives for 12 months

Rates above do not include transportation, any hive relocation, or gardening charges. Each trip to the pollination site has a rate of $10 plus, 75 cents per round trip mile, plus tolls. Hive relocation or similar request is $5 per hive plus travel.

We recomend 5 hives per acre for densely planted apple trees. Douglas Farm is not responsible for situations due to weather or poor crop performance. Hives, honey and structures are owned by Douglas Farm for all pollination contracts.

Honeybee Pollination Effects:

Estate Contracts for Farm Land Property Tax Assessment

Do you have 6 or more acres? Are you not farm land tax assessed?

Our estate apiary contract will work with you to a mutual benifiting relationship. Several hives can be setup in a remote part of your property. Honey produced can contribute to the income requirement of the assessment. There are certain criteria requirements including a time interval that you need to meet. This arrangment can save you thousands of dollars every year off your property taxes. Contracts are flexible to meet your needs.

Basic NJ Requirements:
1. Applicant must own the land.
2. Owner must annually apply for Farmland Assessment on Form FA-1 with the municipal tax assessor on or before August 1 of the year immediately preceding the tax year.
3. Land must be devoted to agricultural or horticultural uses for at least two years prior to the tax year (also see Qualifying Woodland, page 8).
4. Land must consist of at least 5 contiguous (adjoining) acres being farmed and/or under a woodlot management plan. Land under and adjoining the farmhouse is not counted in the 5 acre minimum area needed to qualify.
5. Gross sales of products from the land must average at least $500 per year for the first 5 acres, plus an average of $5 per acre for each acre over 5, except in the case of woodland or wetland where the income requirement is $.50 per acre for any acreage over 5.
6. Owner must represent that the land will continue in agricultural or horticultural use to the end of the tax year.

Example of bee contribution to farm assessment: 

On a 16-acre parcel of woodland 80 beehives are maintained. A gross income in excess of $4,000 is received annually from farmers in the area for use of the bees in pollinating their crops. Over $1,000 is also received from the sale of honey. Because the 16 acres is not being managed for honey production, the landowner hires an approved forester to develop a woodlot management plan. The woodlot management plan will need to be implemented for two full calendar years to be eligible for Farmland Assessment in the third year. For purposes of gross sales criteria income from pollination of crops does not count, only honey sales.

Honey harvested from the estate owner's hives can be sold back to us to show farm income. This money can help off set the cost of beekeeping services. It should be noted that we charge a fee if we do the work to extract and / or bottle the honey.

Possible arrangment examples include:

• Land owner owns or buys our hives and pays for beekeeping services
• Land owner leases hives and pays for our beekeeping managment
• Keep in mind qualifying acres will need to be active managed such as:
  • A fruit orchard
  • Pature for sheep, goats, chickens etc.
  • Woodland under a managment plan

We do not cover the cost to install permanent structures, utilities, walls or fencing.

Apiculture Supporter - Land Owner

Do you have a spot on your property for a hive? Would you like your garden to grow more flowers, fruits, and vegetables than you ever imagined? This option is for people who cannot afford beekeeping services. Note: Supporters looking for free pollination will only get hives placed at their location if Farmers and Estates have not reserved all our hives. Travel expenses will still be expected to be reimbursed. Hives may be removed at our discression.