When I first started college, I went home almost every weekend. I couldn’t imagine life away from home, so I did everything I could to be as involved there as possible. Eventually, I got swept up with schoolwork, activities and friends on campus which kept my mind occupied for a while, but I still really missed my family and it was bittersweet knowing they missed me too. I wanted a way to stay connected with my family, to do something together while I was in school so our phone conversations weren’t just endlessly asking about each other’s days (which only reminded me that I wasn’t really a part of that world anymore). Eventually, we found an activity that was fun and engaging and required constant (but minimal) work: beekeeping.
I have always been interested in bees. They are such helpful little creatures that do wonderful work for our planet and our food system. The interest increased after a middle school research project on honeybees, after which I asked my dad if we could keep some of our own. He made me do in-depth research before he would say yes; I had to find out how much equipment would cost, where to get bees, how to set them up, how to care for them if they got sick etc. I’m not sure if he actually expected me to go through with it, but I did. So we got our first hive.
It was just my dad and I then, during the summer before I started college. I didn’t want to leave; I had gotten my dad into this mess and I didn’t want him to deal with it all by himself. Luckily, my sister, Hannah, got involved. Being away at college was tough then, but I could call my dad or my sister and ask about the bees and share articles and tips I found online and help them work through problems. When I came home, we would go out and check them together, and discuss what we saw in the following weeks. Eventually, we got two more hives and my other sister, Madi, joined in as well. When it came to processing honey, my mother and brother helped us out, and my mom was instrumental in making the beeswax lip-balms. She also organized our sales and helped us advertise.
We now have seven hives and a semi-legitimate business, complete with loyal customers, a fancy logo and a bonafide Facebook page. I go home a few times a semester to visit and every time I’m there, we do something bee-related. The whole experience has been incredibly rewarding. We are by no means experts, but it is fun to fail, learn and succeed together, as a family.
~Caitlyn
Caitlyn Eberle, a senior graduating in May, is president of the Anthropology Club and a Career Center Peer Advisor.