I started beekeeping in 1980 when someone offered me a hive that had been abandoned on the property they bought. With the help of my dad and long time beekeeper Bill Przysiecki, I brought the ant infested hive home and nursed it back to health. I was in awe of the bees and loved watching them come and go. I gradually expanded my hives to about a dozen until marriage, work and other demands no longer afforded the time to properly care for them.
Back in 2016 I decided that with life slowing and not having so many demands on my time, that I would get back into beekeeping. While one would think it would be like riding a bicycle again, I found it far more challenging now as the bees face many more issues from herbicides to varroa mites. I have taken multiple classes, read multiple books and try to learn from those who excel at the hobby every chance I get. I also quickly learned like most is that just because you post lots of videos on YouTube, it does not mean you have the foggiest idea of what you are talking about! You learn who really knows their business and who doesn’t.
Today we manage a couple dozen hives. All are healthy with very low winter loss and we routinely pass NYS hive inspections with flying colors. I do the beekeeping and my wife Linda jumps in to help during extraction and has a growing business with products of the hive such as candles, hand lotions, and lip balm.
In 2020 we went through the testing and inspection process to become a “NY Grown and Certified Honey Producer.” While all claim their honey is pure, and bees are the best, we decided to back the claims up with the documentation and inspections that prove we have healthy hives, excellent sanitation in extraction, and nothing but pure, raw NY local honey.
And yes, I STILL love just sitting and watching the bees. The longer you work with them, the more you realize how much there is to learn. They are doing their best to try and teach this old beekeeper too!
Local bees, Local honey.
Sun Mountain Apiary 127 Marcus Road Delanson, NY 12053
