For someone who had a rough scratch line to beekeeping , Stephanie Grant has compute out a lot in six years . The single beehive she started with die that first year . In her second year , she had two . Now Grant wield as many as 17 hives in micro apiaries around suburban Wilmington , Delaware .
“ Micro bee house are small clusters of colonies ( hives ) in unlike locations . I cope micro apiary , as it more closely replicates honeybees in the wild and is better for colony wellness and survival . You will not see wild bee colonies tightly bundle together in row after row of trees , ” Grant says .
These small clusters of hive are good for the bees and are also a necessity to be a beekeeper underCertified Naturally Growncertification . ( you’re able to record more about Certified Naturally Grown in the November / December 2022 issue of Hobby Farms magazine . )
A few residential properties , a community garden , a state green and a historic website , theHagley Museum , are home to Grant ’s bee colony .
“ An increase number of organizations , as well neighbor , hit out reckon to have hives pose and managed on their properties for both educational and environmental reason , ” she says . Because of her Certified Naturally Grown certificate and her fear for the welfare of the bee and the quality of their dearest , Grant is selective in where she ’ll sign hives .
Not Just Honey
Grant sellsSassy Beeproducts online and at small shop class and events around her area . product range from seraphic , raw honey to herbal - infused honey , soap , lip balms , body and whiskers intersection , candles , and even pet - care point .
“ Everything I betray is belittled sight , handcraft . We practice dear from our hives and run out every twelvemonth , even as we continue to arise the micro apiaries , ” Grant says . “ While we do use and sell the beeswax produced from our colonies , I do have to source natural beeswax elsewhere , as my colonies do not produce enough wax yet for all the mathematical product we have . ”
Additional ingredients , like what you ’ll find in the creamed honey and infused honey , are all constituent . And she ’d care to source from Certified Naturally Grown producers , if there were more in her area .
take more : learn more about ambrosia current changes and seasonal task for keeping honeybees .
From the Beginning
“ I have always had a passion for nature and been intrigued by all facet of it , crowing and pocket-sized . I am astonished at how everything is interconnect . I used to say being a apiarist was on my bucketful list . One solar day I said just that to one of my tightlipped friends , and she looked me in the eye and said , ‘ Then why do n’t you ? ’ ” Grant allege .
That encouragement was all she take . Next thing she know , Grant was researching beekeeping and buzz off her first software system of bee . Things were go well the whole time of year , until Grant noticed in September that the bees no longer came and snuff it .
“ When I looked inside , there was a very diminished number of bees and no brood . flummox at the time , I slowly find out them until there were no more bee , ” Grant says .
Without a mentor , she had no one to turn to with enquiry about what was happening . She call not having a mentor “ the biggest mistake a new apiarist can make . ”
Grant amass what love there was and , in just two days , she sold out of her stock on social media . She check the potential drop here and decided to hear again .
Hobby to Side Hustle
Grant cry Sassy Bee Honey a by-line - work - commercial enterprise succeeder taradiddle . Her first job is as a mother , and her full - time career is as a recruitment managing director for a large healthcare arrangement .
Then , she ’s a beekeeper and gardener .
“ The business has grown exponentially over the past few years . However , it is my passion , creative outlet and side hustle , ” Grant articulate . “ That is why it is of import to me to make this a folk endeavor , as long as the kids remain invested . ”
Family and friend are known to help jar honey , lend label , and act upon the Sassy Bee booth at busy markets and events . Her engineer daddy ramp up things for her beekeeping business , like beehive stand , a warm up cabinet from an old icing chest of drawers and even a video display event to showcase attractively drawn composition of comb from which people can jar their own love . ( They have n’t been able to utilize the filling - your - own - jar show case in public yet , but Grant has plans for it . )
Her father , husband and brother help when it ’s time to move hives .
“ I like to think I am a strong woman , but I can not do it alone , ” Grant say . “ I am very much a visionary and come up with ideas I wish to search . And I am incredibly fortunate to have my family . Talk about the hive mentality . It is the best elbow room to get through life . ”
As she prepare more customers about her innate beekeeping school of thought , she ’s finding interestingness is raise . Grant mentor new apiculturist in this philosophy and is looking toward the need to take others to help Sassy Bee Honey grow .
