They Held On?

How on Earth did I get involved in beekeeping? How did I end up with Honey Heathen? I am asked these questions frequently. Well….. let’s have a chat :)

For many years, I had a curiosity for bees. How do the bees do what they do? I listened to family members talk about their experiences in the beekeeping world and it fascinated me. I then began to read and research beekeeping and what type of bees I would one day own. I researched diseases, parasites, and other dangers the bee world faced. But I never took the plunge. I was too busy, or not ready. When in truth, I was too scared. Thousands of bees stinging me to death because I made a wrong move during a hive inspection haunted my imagination. Plus, I had seen the movie My Girl, and while my curiosity of beekeeping continued to tempt me, that scene would creep into my brain.

Now, I could have talked to someone, or, asked a friend that was beekeeping to come over and see what it was all about. But I am not social like that, and I have an awful work schedule. In my mind, I would appear to be uncommitted to beekeeping since I was always at “work”, but in reality, I did work a lot. I never thought people would be understanding of that. My job is very complex, and the work schedule is unimaginable. People have a hard time understanding it. So, I never asked. I just kept on reading, watching videos, and dreaming.

Homesteading has always been a dream of mine. I eat what I plant, or raise, and my property acted as a large cycle. Or at least that is how I try to do it. The garden always did ok; my fruit trees blossomed. But I saw few, to no honeybees on my property. This concept bothered me. I have many trees, water, and food on my property. I don’t spray my yard, frankly, I like the dandelion yellow breaking up the green grass. I do not mind the white clover that blossoms either. The honeybee remained distant. When a bee was found, there was excitement about its presence. But again, a rarity to see, nonetheless.

One day, I happened to look at one of my apple trees, and I noticed something on a branch. I recognized it immediately. A swarm had stopped to rest on my apple tree. I observed the honeybees with my family. I was excited. It was amazing to see to me. Finally, were the bees moving in? Unfortunately, there was a storm coming, and I wanted no ill will for these honeybees. I called a friend, who sent another beekeeper over that was looking for a hive to raise. The beekeeper collected the bees and went off on his way.

Not all the bees were collected though. As nighttime came, more bees came back. The swarm went from being the size of a cantaloupe, to now being the size of maybe a baseball. I figured they would leave and I paid no attention to them. That night, the storm came. It stormed for 3 days. The cluster of bees never moved. They stayed on that apple tree branch. Bearing the wind, rain, and chilled wind that accompanied it. I watched them every day, feeling sorry for the little ladies as they endured the weather. What could I do though, I was no beekeeper.

On day 4, the bees were still clinging to the apple branch. The sun had started to shine. Why were they not leaving? My wife asked me if we should get a hive and reminded me of my curiosity. I was unsure of my answer at the time, and I told her if they remain there through the week, I will help the bees and get a hive. Day 5 and 6 came quickly. I felt excitement thinking of having my own hive. On day 7, I decided to take the plunge.

I knew I was in for a rough road with these bees. There were not very many, and being the end of August 2025, these bees had little chance to survive the brutal winter. Let alone collect enough food. But there were just enough, that if I was going to be a beekeeper, this could give me a small taste of what I would be in for. So I ran to a local store that sold beekeeping equipment, and I bought my first hive. When I arrived home, I unpackaged the hive, assembled it, then placed the hive under the apple tree. With my wife’s assistance, at dusk, I carefully reached my gloved hand up to the swarm.

As I reached for the swarm, I watched them carefully, waiting for the full attack as my imagination had played out in my head over all those years. But they never attacked. They held on to one another. Despite the days of being beaten by the storms, then frying in the sun, they held on to one another. The more I watched them, I could tell they were exhausted. In that moment I learned my greatest lesson. These bees were in it together. The bond of a hive was like family. As I placed the swarm of bees into the hive, I quickly learned why they never left. The queen was still with them. There, in the middle of the swarm, she was. I gathered the rest of the bees and placed them in the hive. I then left the hive under the apple tree in an attempt to gather any more stragglers.

The next day I placed the hive on the edge of my garden, and I let the bees teach me all they could. I watched them in the garden, and fly amongst the clover in the yard. They taught me how to check frames, how to give additional feed, and most of all, they gave me the confidence I needed. Despite my best efforts, as the weeks dragged along, the swarm got smaller, and smaller. Until one day, there were none left. The queen never laid, so the bees never stood a chance. And when the last bee was gone, only a frame and a half had been filled. I don’t believe they would have ever made it through the winter.

As I cleaned the frames and hive for winter storage, I was torn between sadness, and excitement. I cherish the lessons those bees gave me, and, if by design, I thank God for the blessing they were to me. I spent the rest of the winter dreaming, praying, and talking to my wife. Bees were what we were missing. The garden, the trees, the flowers. Thier small presence changed my yard for a month. We needed bees. But how many, what else would I do with them? Then one night it happened. In a flash of my mind’s eye, I could see it all. On a cold winter’s night, Honey Heathen Apiary was born. That….. that was the start of something special.