Beekeepers Offer Honey Tasting And Classes

Beekeepers Offer Honey Tasting And Classes Dry Creek Beekeeping, founded in 2023, aims to share the joy and knowledge of beekeeping through immersive experiences in the world of bees. “My son Chase started as a beekeeper at age 13,” says co-owner B’Ann Dittmar. “He grew interested in the insects when a bee expert visited his middle school. They offered to mentor any students who were interested in beekeeping, and Chase jumped right in. He used his birthday money to buy a package of bees, and we purchased the hive and equipment for him.” Dittmar shares that Chase was quickly able to harvest honey and sell it to friends and family. “Within a year, he’d started a beekeeping YouTube channel. He continued with beekeeping through 4H and as a high school FFA project, winning state and national awards along with college scholarships.”   His skills caught attention. “People began reaching out for mentoring, and Chase realized he loved to teach,” Dittmar says. “We began talking about opportunities to teach people how to become beekeepers and give them more exposure to honeybees through fun, educational tours. That’s how our business was born. “I’ve taken some honey sommelier and judging classes, and I teach full-sensory honey tasting classes for our business. I also teach a ‘Bee Serenity’ tour that focuses on the health benefits of being in nature and around bees,” Dittmar says. “In contrast, Chase is more interested in beekeeping, and he manages our apiary. It’s the perfect fit for us to work together.” She shares that Chase offers a “Beekeeping Experience” tour that educates guests on honeybees by allowing them to see inside the hive. He also teaches a three-hour “Beekeeping Bootcamp” for budding beekeepers. In it, Chase shares information on bees, their biology, their roles in the hive, and how they make honey. Then, he takes guests through a guided honey comparison tasting. Finally, guests put on beekeeping suits, and Chase takes them out into the apiary to see the bees at work inside the hive.  “We have 30 hives,” Dittmar says. “Every two weeks, Chase checks the health of his colonies by looking for potential pests and diseases, making sure they aren’t overpopulated, and ensuring the queen is alive.” Work picks up in the summer to ensure the hives remain healthy and don’t swarm. “By Labor Day weekend, we’re harvesting honey, which is very labor-intensive work. We anticipate harvesting 1,500 lbs. of honey this year.” The pair also participates in numerous collaborative events with other local businesses in the community, including honey and mead tastings, a foodie tour and beeswax candle-making, among others. “Anyone interested in beekeeping for agritourism should work with their local Small Business Development Center to figure out a business plan,” she says. “I’d recommend lots of research on competitors and on similar businesses to determine what aspects they want to pursue, based on their personal expertise and passion.” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dry Creek Beekeeping, 489 South Clark Ln., Elizabeth, Ill. 61028 (ph 815-297-3366; drycreektoursandtastings@gmail.com; drycreekbeekeeping.com).

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