Sweet success

Sharon Gibbons sells honey, honeycomb, flavored honey, and candles from her Missouri home and also at farmer's markets, supermarkets, and health food stores. Photographs: Mindy Ward

With one taste, Sharon Gibbons knows her hobby is a sweet success. "Nothing tastes better than your own homegrown honey," she says.

Sharon started her honey business as a pastime at her Ballwin, Missouri, home. She received two beehives as a birthday present. "I didn't know anything about bees, so I decided to take a class at a local college on beekeeping."

More than 1,000 beehives later, Sharon and her son, Chris, operate Gibbons Bee Farm. They market honey products across the U.S.

"Bees have a way of entrancing you," she says. "You can stand for hours and watch them move about in the hive."

If you want to give beekeeping a try, you will need to start a hive. Apiary companies can ship bees directly to you. Shipments hold roughly 15,000 bees and a queen, and they weigh about 3 pounds. Once placed in their new hive, the bees begin building a honeycomb.

Another method is to buy a nucleus hive from an established beekeeper. This is what Sharon prefers. A nucleus hive has three to five frames of brood bees and a queen, and it's already producing honey. You can either transfer the frames into a new box or just swap frames and boxes with the seller.

Deal with reputable beekeepers, says Sharon, and make sure the equipment is clean and the bees disease-free.

Finding a honey hole

Location is the key to a great honey harvest, says Sharon. "Hive placement is probably the most important thing for beginners." She started out in her backyard where bees gathered nectar from nearby dandelions, flowers, and trees. She later expanded and placed hives in the country.

Agricultural areas with soybeans and clover provide an abundant source of nectar. "I drove around and looked at farmers' fields. I stopped and asked the owner if I could put some hives on their property." To her surprise, many landowners are open to the idea because bees help with crop pollination.

Dealing with swarms

One of the biggest and sometimes scariest problems beekeepers face is a swarm. In spring, bee populations in hives become so crowded that bees leave to make another hive.

"Swarming is going to occur," says Mark Horner, treasurer of the Missouri Valley Beekeepers Association. "But allowing bees to swarm is bad because you don't know where they are going." Swarms often take residence in a hollow tree, on a limb, or even in the middle of a country road.

"You will lose that year's honey production from that hive," Horner says. "You lose about half of the workforce."

While swarming is natural, it can be controlled. Splitting large hives is the best option. Look for an overcrowded hive and take some bees from that hive and put them into an empty box. Finding a queen may be difficult for a novice. Sharon suggests getting help from an experienced beekeeper.

Stinging situation

The first sting is the scariest, Sharon says, but you have to get rid of your fear. During her first time working with her bees, she was so overcome with fear she wore a plastic raincoat under her bee suit. "I wouldn't recommend it," she laughs. "I was nearly overcome with heat exhaustion."

Always remain calm. "They react to the pheromone you give off when you are afraid," she says. Walk slowly and avoid sudden movements.

Proper equipment will reduce the chance of stings, says Ian Brown, president of the Missouri Valley Beekeepers Association. "You are looking at $100 in supplies just to get started, but you have to have them."

Brown recommends purchasing a helmet and veil, jacket, and gloves. These items are all "confidence builders," he says. "I've been working with bees for a number of years and I still wear them."

A bee smoker to blow smoke into the beehive before handling the hive is another essential tool. The smoke calms the bees. "Invest in a good smoker," says Brown, "you will use it often."

Sharon doesn't measure success in pounds of honey. "We do it because we enjoy the bees," she says.

All beekeepers will get stung, says Sharon Gibbons, but it is not as common as you might think.

Honey harvesting tips

Sharon Gibbons is one of more than 140,000 beekeepers nationwide. U.S. beekeepers produce roughly 174 million pounds of honey a year. An average hive produces about 73 pounds of honey. Some of Sharon's hives in Missouri produce 100 pounds.

Taking honey from the hive is not easy. "Honey harvest is labor intensive," she says. "It all depends on how you plan to market your product."

For many beginning beekeepers, liquid honey is the product of choice. Heat is important in honey extraction since warm honey removes more easily than honey at room temperature.

Obtaining liquid from the comb can be as simple as removing the frame and letting the honey drip out. You can also use a mechanical extractor. Sharon finds that large beekeepers will often extract honey for smaller beekeepers if asked.

Avoid storing honey in high-moisture areas. "Honey reacts to moisture," Sharon says. After extracting, allow the honey to settle. "Then you can scrape off any impurities that rise to the top." Quickly seal and store.

Liquid honey can be further processed into spun honey, cream, honey, or candy honey. Sharon adds flavors to some of her honey, such as jalapeño peppers and strawberries. Other honey products include comb, honey sticks, lip balm, and candles.