About US
My wife and I married in October 2016. We had been together for what felt like a lifetime - inseparable, always side by side, building a world that was just for us. You know how they say opposites attract? That was us. My wife was the kind of person who walked into a room and made everyone smile. I walked in, and people either left or started crying. Total opposites, but somehow, we completed each other so much so that we could finish each other’s sentences (probably to the point of making most people gag).
In June 2018, we moved to our farm in New Stanton. I had always been more of a country guy, and suburban life never quite suited me. Together, we worked to make the house a home - gardening, landscaping, and constantly improving things. Im a workaholic, so summers were spent outdoors, while winters were dedicated to projects in our woodshop or garage. My wife was right there with me, whether she was in overalls swinging a sledgehammer or using a jackhammer. Farm life was perfect for us - we finally had the space to live the way we loved.
Then came 2020.
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, my wife discovered a lump in her breast. We went to get it checked out, and our worst fear was confirmed - it was breast cancer. Because of pandemic restrictions, she had to attend almost all of her appointments and treatments alone while I sat in the car, unable to be by her side. But she never wavered. She faced it all with strength, determination, and a smile. Watching her fight, I realized just how mentally strong she was. I was in awe of her commitment to pushing forward. Through mastectomies, treatments, and every painful step, she just kept smiling.
On September 26, 2021, something unexpected happened. We were riding our side-by-side down to our lower barn when we turned a corner and found ourselves in what looked like a swirling dust storm. As it turned out, we were in the middle of a honeybee swarm. At the time, I was allergic to bee stings, so naturally, I panicked, convinced I was moments away from disaster. But after standing there - untouched and very much alive - I became mesmerized by what I was witnessing. I looked over at my wife, and of course, she was grinning ear to ear.
That experience changed everything. We immediately started researching swarms, honeybees, and beekeeping. One search led to another, and before we knew it, we had enrolled in a honeybee course at a local community college. Within days, we were sitting in our first class.
Now, I have to share this because any real beekeeper would get a laugh out of it. During our research, we learned about swarm traps. Our first attempt? A five-gallon bucket, filled with flowers we had pulled from nearby plants and hot-glued to the lid. I smeared honey around a hole I drilled in the bucket and even stuffed a cotton ball soaked in lemon scent inside. We proudly placed it near where we had seen the swarm, convinced we had cracked the code. A week later, I checked the bucket - empty, except for dead flowers. That only made me more determined to learn why it didn’t work.
Our college class led us to a local bee club, where our passion and hunger for knowledge grew even stronger. We became members, found mentors, joined our first group, and ordered our first two colonies. Before they even arrived, we managed to get a nuc colony - just to make sure we had bees that season.
My wife took to beekeeping like she was born for it. She walked into the apiary with just a veil, no gloves. Meanwhile, I showed up in a full bee suit, layered in thick clothes underneath.
To make a long and painful story short, we lost the fight in December 2022. My wife passed away in my arms at a local hospital. We had caught the cancer early - Stage 1 - but despite everything, it progressed all the way to Stage 4. It was the most traumatic experience of my life. I remember walking back to the car alone, carrying a bag of her belongings, completely numb. In the weeks that followed, my phone kept reminding me about medications and doctor appointments that were no longer needed.
After her passing, I learned a lot about grief, about myself, and about how loss can shake every part of your life. I also learned just how difficult it is to navigate the bureaucracy of government programs, even after contributing to them for years. Simple things - like sleeping in my own bed - became impossible. I couldn’t bring myself to cross over to her side.
I sought help through grief-share programs at local churches, worked with a psychologist, and connected with people who helped me fight through the darkest moments. I was lucky to have life mentors who guided me, lifted me up, and helped me find my way forward.
During this time, anger and sadness were constant battles. I went from being a full-time caregiver to being completely alone. After long discussions with my psychologist, I tried an online website for widows and widowers. That lasted less than 24 hours. Some very strange interactions sent me running for the exit.
But before I left, I noticed a woman’s profile photo - she was sitting in a chair handing out Halloween candy. On a whim, I reached out to her, just as a friend, asking about her shirt and what her experience on the site had been like. She responded. She shared her story - her husband had taken his own life while she was asleep upstairs about one room away. Our first phone call lasted over eight hours.
Fast forward almost two years, and we now live together with a large german shepard dog. We work hard to keep our emotions in check, to hold space for the love we had for our late spouses while also creating a new space for each other. Some days, the grief still creeps in. But now, we have each other.
As I write this, my apiary has grown to around 48 colonies. I consider myself a hobbyist and sideliner in the beekeeping world. This past year, I officially started my own business and am now learning how to grow it. Thankfully, this isn’t my only source of income, so I have the flexibility to test and explore different ideas.
Looking ahead, my girlfriend and I hope to work with charities focused on breast cancer and mental health awareness. Our goal is to use our love for bees to help raise awareness and funds for organizations that are working to find better treatments and support those going through the kinds of struggles we have faced.