Beekeepers, veterans support each other in grassroots movement

A movement promoting beekeeping among veterans — and fostering a mututal helpfulness between the wider beekeeping community and wider veteran community — was on display alongside the countless jars of amber and dark honey at the 8th annual Bee Jubilee in Oxford Saturday.

Kennedy Bowman, 17, lives in Wake Forest and also keeps bees on the family’s Double B Apiary and Farm in Warren County. She has been keeping bees nearly 10 years and has forged a partnership with the nonprofit Hives for Heroes, selling “Hero Honey” from a hive with ties to deceased veteran Brian Cail and donating the profits from sales to the nonprofit.

The goal of Hives for Heroes is “save bees and save vets,” according to Matthew Booth, a U.S. Army veteran who is state leader for North Carolina’s chapter of Hives for Heroes.

The core values of Hives for Heroes are connection, purpose, healthy relationships, and service.

Hives for Heroes describes itself as “a national nonprofit service organization focusing on sustainability, conservation, and providing a healthy transition from service.”

The organization promotes beekeeping among veterans, active duty military personnel, and first responders.

Bowman explained that Cail obtained his first hive from Double B.

Information that Bowman distributed at her table Saturday describes Cail as “a true American hero” and notes he is credited by the U.S. Air Force with saving six lives while serving as a flight engineer on Huey helicopters.
“After his unexpected passing, Brian’s family entrusted us with his cherishes bees,” according to a memorial narrative distributed by Double B Apiary and Hives for Heroes. “With their approval, we kept one hive, which now travels across North Carolina, gathering honey. Each bottle of Hero Honey is sealed with beeswax from Brian’s hive, capturing his spirit and dedication.”

Bowman said she isn’t certain she will pursue beekeeping as a career but added she definitely wants to do something within agriculture.

Booth has been keeping bees about four years and retired from the Army two years ago. He said when he and his wife were preparing to return stateside from Germany, they started looking at homesteading activities they could become involved in. That search led them to beekeeping.

While they also keeps a few chickens, their focus is very much on bees and honey.

Mentoring is central to Hives for Heroes. Booth explained that you start out with a mentor and learn about keeping bees, and then once you learn enough to not only tend your own hives but also mentor someone, you pass the knowledge along to a novice beekeeper.

The process not only grows healthy hives but also healthy, mutually beneficial relationships.

Beekeepers participating in Hives for Heroes range from people tending one or two hives to some who have become commercial beekeepers.

“It’s kind of the full spectrum of beekeepers in the organization,” Booth said.

Booth said he and his wife are tending 25 colonies right now and sell to friends and family and by word of mouth — “just small.”

The organization also wants to support veterans who may have disabilities or various limitations that make beekeeping a significant challenge, he said.

The post Beekeepers, veterans support each other in grassroots movement first appeared on Restoration NewsMedia .