How a 70-year-old beekeeper is keeping his family honey farm afloat: 'It's a legacy that I feel responsible for'
Bradshaw Honey Farms, a 70-year-old family farm, is facing challenges in the American beekeeping industry. Many independent beekeepers are giving up and selling their operations to larger corporations due to difficulties in the business. Despite the challenges, Bradshaw says he will continue to be a beekeeper as it is his passion and he cares about the bees.
- ▪Many independent beekeepers are giving up and selling their operations to larger corporations.
- ▪To be a successful beekeeper, one must care about the bees and not just focus on making money.
- ▪The bee business has been good to Bradshaw, and he enjoys the feeling of accomplishment when he has a successful honey crop.
CNBC — Top files mainly under finance. We currently carry 464 of its stories.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Bradshaw says he worries about the future of Bradshaw Honey Farms, and about the future of the American beekeeping industry as a whole. Many independent beekeepers are giving up and selling their operations to larger corporations, he says. "They're just saying, 'Forget it, it's just too difficult.'"There's one key prerequisite to being a beekeeper, according to Bradshaw: "You have to care about the bees." People who go into beekeeping with the sole aim of making money typically don't last in the business, he says: "In the end, they just give up." But Bradshaw says he can't imagine doing the same: "I'm a beekeeper inside out," he says.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at US Top News and Analysis.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from US Top News and Analysis
