I currently work on a farm with 5 acres of mixed vegetables. We are looking to get establish a colony in the interest of pollination and to help w/ the plight of the bees. A little honey for ourselves would be a bonus but not a priority.

There is so much information and conflicting opinions, it's difficult to sort out what I need. We are looking for a hive which can support a large enough colony to pollinate our small farm (~5 acres), low maintenance - we'd like to be able to simply host the bees and avoid having to work the hives too much, and we would also like to avoid using any pesticides or chemical treatments. Also, cheap to build and maintain is relatively crucial. I am looking to build the hive myself and keep my startup costs under $200.

So top bar hives, langstroth, warre? Any advice for what might best suit our needs?

Also, how many bees should our colony have for pollinating 5 acres of vegetables?

Thanks so much!

In your PA location, you may want to look at the Bjorn Apiaries web site, or even contact them. He has information on top bar, warre, and others. The site is http://www.bjornapiaries.com/, and he is in Pennsylvania.