Beekeeping is a curious sport. As I enter my tenth year of tending to the busy little bugs, I am reminded nearly daily of how crazy and wonderful it can be. After a very rough 2023 in which the surplus honey crop was nearly non-existent, the bees were back with renewed vigor in 2024. When the honey started flowing last April, it did so with reckless abandon. I would not have survived without the help of my amazing friends and fellow beekeepers who are always available to lend a helpful hand and some good cheer. As my mentor, Roy, is fond of saying, "You can't make enough honey." And that's good news! It means that our community of beekeepers works together for everyone's mutual success. It's so much more fun to have friends than competitors.
This was also another busy year of introducing the Pine Belt to the friendly neighborhood pollinators who buzz along their own back yards. I hosted quite a few field days and hive visits for bee friends of all ages. It's always fun to watch people peer into a hive for the first time. Even for experienced beekeepers, the wonder of the bees' world never goes away.
As we enter 2025, I am hopeful for another fun and fruitful year among the bees--but most of all, for sharing the experience with friends new and old. May your new year be full of renewed energy, love, and hope! And thank you for sharing this journey with me. The bees and I appreciate you more than you know.
Here are a few highlights from the past year:
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