Buzzing in to beekeeping; Student heads into sweet, sticky adventures

Deane Conway has been preparing to submit their forms to become a beekeeper. Susquehanna Beekeepers Association helps them to achieve their goal of being a beekeeper.

Mekenzie McCann

Deane Conway has been preparing to submit their forms to become a beekeeper. Susquehanna Beekeepers Association helps them to achieve their goal of being a beekeeper.

Mekenzie McCann, Reporter
December 9, 2021

 

   It’s no secret that bees are a necessary part of the health of the environment and food production.    Junior Dean Conway is doing their part in making sure that happens.

    Conway is getting into beekeeping and is  “about to submit my permission to obtain a beehive.”

    Conway says, “I have always been very interested in bugs in general, insects, entomology, and […] I just wanted to [become a beekeeper].”

          To become a beekeeper “you do not need [the certifications] to become a beekeeper but […] you [do] get equipment for free, [and] you get equipment on how to proceed with [beekeeping] and how just how to start” Conway states. 

     The association buys “bulk purchases of fondant and honey containers” and the club also “has honey harvesting equipment that can be borrowed by members at no charge,” says the Susquehanna Beekeepers. 

     To get the information you can take classes “…through the Susquehanna Beekeepers Association to get formal safety training and basically how to harvest honey,” says Conway. 

     The Susquehanna Beekeepers Association holds “regularly scheduled club meetings with speakers that provide information on a wide range of beekeeping topics”, states the Susquehanna Beekeepers. 

     The association provides “mentors for new beekeepers, and organizes beginner beekeeping classes held at Harford Community College that are approximately six weeks long”, says the Susquehanna Beekeepers. 

     To become a beekeeper you need equipment, the equipment includes “housing for the bees, it is mostly frames and just equipment to take care of them [the bees]” according to Conway.   As a beekeeper protective gear is necessary.

     Conway says that they will keep the bees “on the property that I live[s] on, there is a […] small hill and probably away from the house…” 

     Beekeeping is “honestly not that much [work]; it is a pretty low maintenance of a hobby to get into beekeeping,” comments Conway. 

     Conway says, “I am excited, I am not nervous honestly, I know a lot of people are scared of bees, but I am not that scared of them.”