Today we’d like to introduce you to Scott McKane.
Hi Scott, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
In 2010, I became interested in owning bees, and after attending a beginner’s beekeeping class Jan 2011, I started my journey of becoming a beekeeper. As my adoration and admiration for honeybees grew, so did the number of my hives. In three years, I was up to 55 hives, had started doing colony removals from structures, swarm relocations, crop pollination, and beehive sales. In 2019, I traveled to Europe to research beekeeping techniques in Slovenia and Germany.
In 2020, I made the move to the Austin, Texas area. McKane Apiaries is now supplying Austin with hive leasing contracts, colony removals, beekeeping classes, and a hive management option. I am growing our apiary to have a vast array of hive styles found around the world. From the typical Langstroth hive to our favorite AZ hive.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I worked as a programmer at UT from march of 2020 till March of 2025 while building the business in Austin. 40 hours a week at UT and 50 hours a week working bees was a challenge.
challenges I also face are managing colony health (mites and diseases).
Seasonal dependency and weather unpredictability.
Competition from imported or adulterated honey in the market place.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about McKane Apiaries?
I’m proud of the growth of my business, which has been built primarily through word-of-mouth referrals. I currently manage approximately 1,000 honey bee colonies throughout the Austin area. My services include leasing bees for Ag Valuation, mentoring and supporting new and experienced beekeepers, operating a mobile honey extraction trailer for client hives, and selling honey bee colonies and queens.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
a lucky referral that snowballed into many more and being in the Austin area as pollination and Ag Valuation demand grew
I’ve been fortunate in timing and relationships, but the growth came from years of hands-on experience, reliability, and earning trust one client at a time.
Pricing:
- bee lessons starting at $75
- hive management starting at $100
- honey $10 8oz
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mckaneapiaries.com
Image Credits
McKane Apiaries, LLC
