As this year’s bee season draws to a close, it’s only natural to take a step back and reflect upon some of the highs and lows of the past few months. It has been a fast 7 months here with the Westside Bee Boyz. What started as a side comment from my business partner and founder, Thad Smith as a desire to start Chicago’s own beekeeping store and company, has now come into full-bloom. Although hiccups and growing pains along the way occurred, it’s incredible to think that from

Imagine a Venn Diagram with one circle containing the word “Farmer”, the other “Crazy”. The overlapping middle section would be “Beekeeper”. I feel that this is a fairly accurate representation of my occupation. It also makes me realize that, yes, indeed I am a farmer, and I always knew I was crazy, but the farmer realization has come a bit slower. The reason for this delayed realization is that growing up in rural southwestern Indiana, I knew “real” farmers – families that d