Nicodemus Wilderness Project -- Global Registry of Apprentice Ecologists

Dairy farming runs in my family and so does the tradition of being active agriculturalists. My brothers and I were raised to take the conservation of our farmland and dairy pastures seriously. It has not, however, been a tradition to keep honey bees so when my grandfather first presented me with the idea of beekeeping I was skeptical. Despite my initial hesitation I managed to scrape together the beginnings of my business. Under the guidance of my grandfather, who had once kept his own honey bees, I started my beekeeping business, Honey Lane Apiaries.
In the beginning I operated two colonies of honey bees, these first two colonies died, as was common, of starvation during the long winter. The next spring I began again by purchasing two more colonies. These died, I later discovered, from foul brood, a disease caused by bacteria. It was clear that I had a lot to learn but through the process of trial and error I began to familiarize myself with the intricacies of beekeeping. I researched medication to treat foul brood and changed my method of overwintering the colonies. My efforts finally met with success. Both of my colonies lived through the winter and I have since gained three more through the natural propagation process of swarming.
Early this spring my grandfather was involved in a farming accident and passed away but I have continued to expand my business. I now rent colonies to a local farmer to aid in the pollination of his vegetable crops. I have given presentations on the importance of honey bees and other pollinating insects to high school classes as well as elementary aged children. For example, with help from two of my classmates I created an educational game which I used to teach first grade students about honey bees and other pollinators. To summarize the material, I ended my presentation with a poster and a speech focused on the delicacy of an ecosystem and providing several interesting facts about honey bees.
In addition to my educational efforts I sell liquid and comb honey at community festivals. I bottle liquid honey in nine and twelve ounce jars and package the comb honey in ten ounce containers. I created my own labels, brochure and business email address. My efforts as a beekeeper have won me numerous awards through the National FFA Organization. I have had a gold rated proficiency at the local and state levels for two years in a row and I plan to continue my endeavor as long as I am able.
In keeping with my family's tradition, I have become a responsible agriculturalist. I have built my own business and shared what I have learned with my community. With the continued support of my friends and neighbors I hope for my business to continue to grow. There are not many beekeepers in my part Wisconsin but I hope that my example will encourage others to try to leave their land better than when they found it.