Pollen collection

I am just getting back into bees after about 10 years, and this time round it just happens that we are in the process of transitioning from a hobby farm to a business. So it would be nice if all components of the farm could contribute to making a living. I was just reading an older thread, https://permies.com/t/47176/Beekeeping-part-diversified-farm-income, that has some very interesting suggestions for income potential.

The one that I hadn't really thought about is collecting pollen. It sounds like this could be a lucrative opportunity, and one that during times of heavy pollen flow could be done without overly affecting the bees. I'm going to need to learn more about this, and am wondering what people's experiences with this have been?

Specifically, the questions that occur to me now are:

(1) Can this be done without adverse effect on the bees? I am not too worried if it reduces the production of honey in the honey super(s), as it seems like the economics could be a reasonable tradeoff; but I don't want to harm the health or survival of the bees.

(2) In people's experience, is this a product that has a market, and a decent economic return?

(3) What are the best pollens to collect?

(4) What is the best way to do this, with minimal effect on the bees?

I'm also very interested in harvesting pollen. I like you're line of thinking Andrea, but I too have never harvested it.

I think you're spot on seeking multiple yields form the hive. The wild protein and enzymes and flower goodness are no doubt a great thing to consume. I'm looking into that this season as well.

I'm just putting in my 2 cents and am still quite new to this.

1)  I think that you harvesting pollen would more affect their brood rearing as its only the young and queen that require protein. I've heard it wise to only keep a pollen trap on for short bursts so as not to starve brood of much needed protein.

2) I know I used to buy it from health food stores and farmers markets and loved eating it. Seems that if you were already marketing other hive products, it wouldn't be difficult to sell. I would say much of your question has to do with how you manage your bees, input and labor costs, marketing avenues etc.. There are certainly plenty of folks willing to spend money for such a valuable resource. Shelf life is certainly a concern too. It might be worth investigating options, perhaps mixing with honey as a pseudo bee bread?

3) I don't know. We have plenty bright red atulsi pollen that I've sampled before. We have oodles of Amorpha fruiticosa but the pollen tastes odd. I think it would be neat to do an assessment of what the bees are foraging for based on the harvested pollen.

4) my only guess would be not keeping the device or screen on one hive too long.

I'm interested in hearing how this goes for you. I too am looking for diversifying harvests from the hive. Just but a pollen trap in a 19 frame Layens so I can tincture some.

Oo, tincturing pollen sounds very interesting...hadn't thought of that, and definitely need to learn more about it!

I haven't put a lot of time into finding out more about my pollen question (lots to do this time of year, not much leisure for research!) but it sounds like pollen is often used for desensitization of individuals with allergies. If that's the case, perhaps collecting at times of pollen release by common allergen plants might be beneficial. I like that this approach is particularly beneficial when used with locally collected pollen.

Pretty much the only other thing I have learned is that the pollen collector should only be left on for two weeks per hive. I think that is two weeks out of the whole season. And it doesn't collect all the pollen, but only some of it. So hopefully will not have too much effect on the bees, especially if used at a time of major pollen availability and the bees don't have to go too far to collect the pollen.

I was already intending to plant mugo (or mugho) pines as a source of pine pollen at a height that humans can easily reach and collect, with the intention of drying the pine pollen for personal use and sale (and maybe, now that I'm thinking about it, tincturing). I think that for something as easily collected as pine pollen, logistically there isn't any benefit to stealing it from the bees - I could probably collect a larger amount myself by shaking the branches inside a paper bag.  i wonder, though, is there any difference in benefits of pollen collected by bees versus pollen that humans collect in a bag? No doubt the bees can collect a more diverse local assemblage of pollen, but is there any other benefit intrinsic to bees having handled the pollen? I am not aware that they are adding any bee spit or anything to pollen, isn't it just carried on the legs, and if so I guess the main benefit is that they are doing the work of collection?