PEORIA MAGAZINE May 2022

Beekeeper, Luke Harvey attending his bees

Riverview Road Apiary honey, can be purchased online at riverviewroadapiary.com

food until flowers start blooming and pollen is coming in. The bees also need enough space to growas a hive. Summer is for growing your apiary, or group of hives, if that is what youwant to do, and eventually taking the extra honey the hive produces. Finally, fall is about preparing the hives so they canmake it through our relatively long winter. During spring and summer, Harvey spends about 30 minutes per hive per week—approximately 20hours—which is what he can reasonably manage with his full-time job. As far as sustainability, Harvey says it depends on what kind of business you want. As a hobbyist, he found that he could almost break even if the honey flow was good. Making a business of beekeeping requires far more time and effort. As with any business, it’s important to define what your services will be, to determine what you are going to sell and where you can sell it. Local honey is significantly different than what you often get in a store. Raw honey requires minimal processing and can be good for allergies. Honeycomb and cut comb also contain honey. Besides honey, consumers desire pollen, wax, royal jelly, start-up colonies, etc. Candles, bar lotions and hand creams can be made from the wax. Craftsmen use raw wax for various applications.

Many people require newbees or queen bee replacements during the year. Riverview Road Apiary, Harvey’s business, is onFacebook, withhiswebsite atwww.riverviewroadapiary.com.Healso

Everyone is scared of being stung by the bees, but that is just part of being a beekeeper, which is why bee suits are worn. Generally, bees are only aggressive if you are messing with

‘IT MAKES ME BETTER APPRECIATE THE CHANGE IN SEASONS IN ILLINOIS AND HOW BEAUTIFUL THE WORLD WE LIVE IN CAN BE’

Luke Harvey

their hive. What many people do not know is that between 30 percent and 50 percent of hives are lost every year, due to multiple factors. “Losing even one hive is heartbreaking,” said Harvey. “While they are not really pets, you are responsible for them and they are something you grow attached to ... stingers and all.” Gardener or farmer, city or country dweller, learning about bees and what they do for our world can only make it a better place for everyone.

belongs to Heart of Illinois Beekeepers (www.hoibees.org), which offers support to new and experienced beekeepers alike through monthly programs and mentorship. This year, he began offering classes to beginning beekeepers, to beekeepers who want to learn how to make their own queens through grafting, to non beekeepers who want to see a hive from behind a window or put on a suit and go through a hive with him. He also provides honey-tasting experiences, with product from six locations across the U.S., Mexico and Cuba. Honey terroir, or flavor, is based on location and harvest time. For those who want bees but someone else tomanage them, Harvey offers that service, as well. Hives are not restricted to just rural areas. Peoria allows beekeeping within city limits, for example.

Pam Tomka is the retired director of the Washington District Library and a beekeeper in her own right in unincorporated Washington.

MAY 2022 P EORIA MAGAZINE 13