Beekeeping Unfiltered

What does building a beekeeping business really cost you?

Gruffydd Rees of Gwenyn Gruffydd joins me for an honest conversation about making a living from bees. We started putting beekeeping videos online around the same time, then built businesses with very different demands.

Griff committed to a physical bee farm, honey production and beekeeping supplies. I moved towards queens, nucs and online education after failing to find the farm I wanted. We compare those choices and talk about the money, the risks and the work behind them.

We discuss why YouTube didn't sell the honey we expected, what the videos actually do for our businesses, and how we each fit filming around the bees. Griff explains his approach to diversification and employing people in-house. I share the pressure and expense of building the digital side of Black Mountain Honey.

Then we get into family life, working where you live and the fear of leaving a secure job. We finish with what we'd do differently if we were starting again.

If you've ever wondered whether you could turn your beekeeping into a business, this conversation gives you plenty to think about.

New to beekeeping? Get my free beginner beekeeping guide:
https://black-mountain-honey.kit.com/basics

Explore 14 Day Beekeeper:
https://blackmountainhoney.co.uk/beekeeping-courses/the-14-day-beekeeper/

Black Mountain Honey:
https://blackmountainhoney.co.uk/

🎥 About This Video
How do you breed better bees without running a formal breeding programme? I sit down with European Buckfast breeder Lutz Eggert to talk about calmness, swarming, honey production, bee health and the selection decisions that shape the next generation.

🧠 What You Will Learn
We cover what Buckfast breeding really means, why Lutz describes Buckfast as an idea rather than a genetic race, and how ordinary beekeepers can improve their bees by learning to read colonies and managing drone influence. We also discuss mating stations, local adaptation, feeding, colony stress, hygienic behaviour, Varroa resistance and what the pin test can and cannot tell you.

🧬 Breeding is more than choosing your best queen
A productive colony still has to stay healthy and survive the season. Lutz explains why breeders record performance across daughter groups, remove poor drone influence and judge colonies over time rather than trusting one impressive result. We also discuss where Buckfast and native bee breeding could work together.

🎓 14 Day Beekeeper
If you want structured, step-by-step training that builds your confidence and removes guesswork, start with 14 Day Beekeeper:
https://blackmountainhoney.co.uk/beek...

🐝 Queens, nucs and honey from Black Mountain Honey
For calm queens, nucleus colonies and Welsh honey, visit:
https://blackmountainhoney.co.uk/

💬 Join HiveQ
HiveQ is our private community where beekeepers can ask questions, share what is happening in their colonies and learn together:
https://blackmountainhoney.co.uk/hiveq/

📂 Recommended Playlists
Buckfast Bees - Genetics, Temperament, Productivity And Queen Performance - • Playlist
Bee Breeds and Bee Races - Understanding Genetics, Temperament, Productivity and Local Suitability - • Playlist
Beekeeping Interviews - Real Conversations, Practical Lessons, and Takeaways - • Beekeeping Interviews - Real Conversations...

If you enjoyed this conversation, please like the video, subscribe, tell me which trait you would select first, and share it with another beekeeper.