Feb 16, 19 / Pis 19, 03 18:22 UTC

Asgardia Community Lead Programs  

     Asgardia is a nation full of the most unique, creative individuals. While looking through the forum, I found a post that was critical of the new $100 citizenship fee. I personally don't mind the fee, as the government is now needing to sustain itself without the help of private money, but it got me thinking about ways we can help the government receive funds. While commenting on the post, I was coming up with different ways the Asgardia community can help raise money and I got a good idea. Asgardia programs, not ran by the government, though they can help run or fund them if they wish, but by Asgardia's citizens. 

There are lots of possible program people could set up, but I will use my idea as an example. 

Program Name: Asgardia Honey Bee Initiative


Purpose: To loan equipment and purchase packages of bees for Asgardia residents and citizens who are interested in making some side income, helping our bees, and helping the Asgardia Government

a). Equipment would be purchased by the Asgardia Honey Bee Initiative Funds, along with the packages of bees. Equipment would be stored at safe storage location. Committee members and other members of the initiative can opt in to offer a secure location to store the Asgardia Honey Bee Initiative assets.

     a1). Equipment includes: (prices are estimates, not guaranteed) 

Starter Kit:

1. Smoker: $28.95 each

2. Smoker fuel (1/2 lbs. bag): $3.95

3. Protective Suit: $149

4. Protective Gloves: $15.95

5. Leg Straps: $3.95

6. Hive tool: $7.95

7. Frame Grip: $9.95

8. Bee brush: $4.95

9. Frame Perch: $16.95

10. 10 frame moving screen (sometimes needed): $13.95


Live Bees (will require the Asgardia citizen to pick up local honeybees)

1. Package of bees (3lbs.) $179

** If there is another local Asgard beekeeper, we can make a split for free.


For each additional hive:

(Going off two brood chambers and 3 supers)

Brood Chamber (not assembled 10 frame 9 5/8 in.(24.45 cm)) x2: 

  (mannlake bee supplies has discounts)

     x2 $14.95 each ($29.90) 

     case of 5 $69.75 ($27.90) 

     36 or more $11.80 each ($23.60) 

     100 $10.95 each ($21.90)

     250 $9.95 ($19.90)

Supers ( not assembled 10 frames 6 5/8 in. (16.83 cm)) x3: 

     x3 $13.95 each ($41.85)

     Case of 5 $64.25 ($38.55)

     36 or more $10.50 ($31.50)

     100 $9.75 ($29.25)

     250 $9.15 (27.45)

Brood Chamber Frame(assembled with foundation 9 1/8 in. (23.2 cm)) x20

     x20 individual $3.80 each ($76.00)

     Box of 10 $34.00 ($68.00)

     Box of 20 ($58.00)

     Bundle of 5 20 frame boxes $265 ($53.00)

Super Frames(assembled with foundation 6 1/4 in. (15.9 cm)) x30

     x30 individual $3.80 each ($114.00)

     Box of 10 $32.00 each ($96.00)

     Box of 20 $56.00 each ($84.00)

     Buy 5 boxes of 20 frames $255 ($76.50)

Queen Excluder: $5.65-$7.10

10 frame telescope cover with inner cover $34.50

10 frame migratory top cover $14.5-$15.95

    *** Warmer climates without cold winters only need the migratory cover, colder climates need the telescope cover with inner cover. 

10 frame bottom board & reducer $15.95

Adjustable Hive stand (optional, I just prop my hives on bricks) $39.50

10 frame pollen trap $75.95

10 frame hive cover (optional, and only applies to cold climates): $29.95

10 frame Mouse Guard (optional depending on location): $4.95

10 frame escape screen (used to clear out bees from supers): $14.5-15.25

10 frame propolis trap (only if you want to sell propolis): $5.25-$6.25

10 frame entrance Guard with excluder (to prevent swarming in Spring) $6

Gloss oil paint (1 gallon (3.78 l)): $32.95 (used to paint the boxes)


Extraction Equipment

*** Extractors can be shared by local Asgard beekeepers

2 frame plastic extractor: $159.95

5 gallon (18.92 l) pail with honey gate and filter set: $45.95

5 gallon (18.92 l) pail with honey gate $29.95 x2 ($59.90)

Uncapping Scratcher: $6.95

Electric Uncapping Knife: $89.95

Honey Bottles (Individual purchases)

Bottle labels (Individual purchases)

**Wax harvesting I am not familiar with, so I don't know the equipment needed. 

** There are lots of medications for honeybees. But regulations and medications needed would vary by location on Earth. 


Cost for Starting one Asgardia Beekeeper (Start cost and one hive with extraction equipment): $986.4 - $1,327.35

Cost for each additional hive: $342.35 - $458.35


b). Income From Hives

     Average Honey Production: 25-80 lbs. (11.3-36.3 kg)

     Pollen Collection: 10-15 lbs. (4.5-6.8 kg)

     Wax Collection: 2-5 lbs. from capping (0.91-2.3 kg)

     nuc (4-5 frame split of a colony you can sell):1-2/year 


     Honey per pound: $5-$8 --> $125-$640

     Pollen per pound: $10-$25 --> $100-$375

     Wax per pound: $10-$12 --> $20-$60

     Nuc. $85-$190 --> $85-$380

Total: $330-$1,455


c). Asgardia Honeybee Initiative would then take a % of the profit. 

15% --> $49.50-$218.25

25% --> $82.50-$363.75

30% --> $99-$436.50

35% --> $115.50-$509.25

40% --> $132-$582.00

45% --> $148.5-$654.75

50% --> $165-$727.50


d). A annual fee is also possible to pay for damages of equipment and poor production years. A $20 to $50 annual fee would be reasonable for each hive. People who are opted into storing equipment would be exempt from the fee, and can have a lower % of their profit taken.  


e). The Asgardia Honeybee Initiative would keep a percent of the funds received to grow and maintain current operations. The rest of the funds would be transferred to the Asgardia government. 


f). Educational programs would be required to teach new beekeepers how to keep bees. We would have a committee of master beekeepers which could help design the online educational program. Non-Asgardia residents/citizens can also participate in the program, but they would have to  pay. 


g). Initial funding required would be around $19,000 which would allow equipment for 10 beekeepers to start, and enough funds for 15 extra colonies for people wanting more than one. This also has $3,000 included to develop the educational program and to set up the committee which would operate the Asgardia Honeybee Initiative. (of course, these aren't finalized numbers, just an idea of the estimated cost.)

Would this be something anyone would be interested in? If we have enough people interested in starting this, we can get together and go into more details and communicate with the Asgardia government for permission, and possible funding. If so, contact me on the Asgardia site, or email me at kylerbernritter@gmail.com



May 2, 19 / Gem 10, 03 17:55 UTC

Hi Kyler, great idea! I am interested but your idea but the funding seems like the largest issue also that is a lot of numbers but I love how you break everything down. I think myself and others would definitely be interested in this project if maybe a trailer was put together for youtube or facebook that showed the joys of bee keeping as it were or how easy it is etc.


I personally have no experience but would love to taste some honey, make some money, give back to asgardia in the form of delicious honey and money, and help the Earth all at the same time!


I am unsure how serious i am about doing this it would require a lot of effort and might not be suitable where I live, depends how hard or easy it is to setup and do! So yeah, great idea!

May 9, 19 / Gem 17, 03 02:07 UTC

Thanks for your interest. This here is just one example of infinite amounts of ways people could get others together to better our planet and help fellow Asgardians and the nation. With the honeybee example, it would be challenging for a world wide standpoint. Due to many diseases and other regulations set up by governments, distribution of supplies would be difficult after someone has used the equipment. Foul brood, mites, and many other deadly diseases and creatures to bees would basically make the used equipment be stuck within a region. However, if there is a large enough demand in a region, it wouldn't be an issue, the group would simply need a place to store the equipment within the region. As for location, honeybees are able to survive in basically any location where the temperature allows for flying insects. Honeybees do require a decent amount of time an effort. They also like to just die on you over winter sometimes :/ (unfortunately, all my colonies perished over winter). However your idea with making a trailer on YouTube is a really good idea. With the new updates, groups could make communities to connect with lots of like minded people. With the honeybee example, Links of good YouTube videos of how to take care of colonies, and even perhaps how to create your own equipment could be posted. Creating your own equipment would be a lot cheaper option, and if a honeybee group were to be made, volunteers could build equipment and send it to people, reducing costs a lot, and making it more financially possible with not being able to have the used equipment shipped across the world.  


P.S. I personally don't see the honeybee community lead program becoming a reality, I'm just using it as an example to show that individual interests, if enough support is backing it, can become reality, and really help Asgardians and the Nation. (Not saying I wouldn't like to see the group become reality, I'm just not thinking there is enough interest in honeybees within the Asgardian community as of now.)

  Last edited by:  Kyler Bernritter (Asgardian)  on May 9, 19 / Gem 17, 03 02:12 UTC, Total number of edits: 1 time
Reason: Adding an addition