We’re migratory beekeepers, which means that we move our bees across Germany to harvest more and different kinds of honey. We typically start the season at our headquarters in Baden-Württemberg where the canola blooms, then move the bees to higher regions in Baden-Württemberg or Thüringen, where the canola blooms later. After that bloom is over, we move the bees into the acacia trees near Leipzig, only to move them into Leipzig itself for the lime trees (Linde). Once the lime tree bloom is over, in some years we move the bees into the Black Forest for Christmas tree honey or back to our headquarters for some mixed summer honey. We also started moving our bees into warmer regions like Freiburg or Karlsruhe in the spring—even before the first canola bloom—so that the bees have a few more weeks of breeding and start stronger into the first crop.

The most important thing to be able to do this is having good yards in each region. Given the high number of hives we have, we actually need lots of good yards in each region. People often ask me how we find these yards, and as I’m writing this article, I’m sitting in a hotel near Leipzig on a quest to find more lime tree yards for this summer. So, how do we do it?

The first step is to find general regions in which the desired plant or tree is actually growing. Over the years, we either saw or heard about different regions that might be interesting. Ten years ago, for example, we didn’t move our bees into the lime trees, but a beekeeper colleague told us that Leipzig has lots of them. So, I got in the car, Googled what a lime tree looks like, and drove into the city.

The second step is finding specific spots. Bees can fly up to 3km to gather honey, so you need to find locations that have lots of lime trees within 3km of the bee yard. The only way to figure that out is to drive through the region—in this case, Leipzig—and try to find areas where there are clusters of trees. You do that by driving around and looking at the trees.

Once you’ve spotted an area, step number three is to find actual bee yards. For a commercial beekeeper, there are a few criteria you have to check: The yard needs to be big enough for around 100 to 120 beehives, which is one truckload. The yard needs to be reachable by truck; i.e., you need to be able to drive a big truck, sometimes with a trailer, directly into the yard so that you can unload the bees. You also need access for checking the hives and harvesting honey. The yard also has to be a bit out of reach for humans. That means the yard shouldn’t be right next to a place where lots of people are passing. The more hidden and off the path the yard is, the better. However, especially in a city like Leipzig, that’s easier said than done.

Once you’ve spotted a potential bee yard, the next step is to figure out who the owner is. That step is almost like door-to-door sales: You go to houses, companies, or farms near the yard and start asking if they know who owns the place. Sometimes they know, or they know someone you can call to find out. Sometimes this and the previous step are switched. Especially in rural areas, I typically start by driving to farms and asking if they know of a place that fits the criteria. The approach is always a bit different depending on the region you’re in. Another good resource is the local forestry office. For that, you have to figure out which office is responsible for the specific region and just keep calling until you have the right person on the phone. Once you can talk to the owner or the decision-maker, I get their permission.

Once you have permission for a yard, you need to contact the local veterinary office and send them proof that your bees are healthy. There are always different requirements in different regions.

Then, once the season comes, you move the bees into the yard. In the first year, it’s not uncommon that the next day you get a bunch of calls from people who live nearby and are annoyed by all the bees flying around. The good thing is that, as a beekeeper, you have the best cure for complaints: honey. So you calm people down and bring them honey the next time you’re there. In 9 out of 10 cases, you never hear from them again – as long as you make sure to bring them a few jars of honey every year.

Once the bloom is over, you harvest the honey and move the bees to the next yard. That’s also the “moment of truth.” Since you’re never able to figure out exactly how many lime trees are in the area, you compare the harvest to other yards: Was it lower, higher, or similar to the average? If it was similar or higher, you come back next year. To be able to do that, always make sure to bring some honey to the yard owner around Christmas.