By April Honaker
When Lincoln Parish Sheriff Stephen Williams and Deputy Mike Rainwater decided to take on beekeeping, Williams said, “We both felt we needed an old man hobby.”
Both men had grandparents who were beekeepers, but they remembered little about how to actually care for them and had to do quite a bit of research before getting started.
Neither could recall how the topic first came up between them, but one day Rainwater showed up in Williams’ driveway with a beehive in the trunk of his car and the rest is history.
While Williams has restricted himself to a small number of hives close to home, Rainwater currently has about 25 hives across four parishes, including two apiaries in Claiborne parish. According to the pair, it’s been difficult at times to keep their hobby from growing into a business, but they don’t do it for money.
They both find bees and their behaviors fascinating. There are also numerous environmental benefits, particularly with regard to pollination. According to Rainwater, “If the bees die, we’d follow shortly thereafter.” They play a critical role in our food supply.
“There are 130 plant species that we eat that bees pollinate,” Rainwater said, “and some of them they exclusively pollinate.” Rainwater also pointed out that, according to the USDA, bees are responsible for around $20 billion in added value for crop yields due to pollination.
For these reasons, Rainwater and Williams have been generous when it comes to sharing their bees with others who want pollinators for their gardens. Rainwater described a scenario in which a particular garden went from producing almost nothing to producing five-gallon buckets full of produce after bees were introduced.
Not only are bees great for the world and our food supply. They also produce honey. Rainwater said honey was one of the main reasons he got into bees. “It has tremendous health benefits,” he said, “for everything from allergies to digestion.”
Unfortunately, typical grocery store honey is rarely just honey. Instead, it’s often watered down with actual water, high fructose corn syrup or other additives, and it’s been so processed that, according to Rainwater, many of the beneficial enzymes and other “good stuff” is lost.
Williams said their honey is processed in small batches “the poor boy way.” It’s filtered through cheesecloth and bottled. That’s it–no extra steps. “It’s truly raw honey,” Rainwater said, and the two of them are happy sharing their harvest with others.
Although honey and the benefits of pollination are enough to lure some to beekeeping, Williams and Rainwater do it largely for the less tangible benefits.
“When I get really stressed, I’ll put a suit on and go spend an hour,” Rainwater said. “It’s a stress release to get out and work with bees.”
Williams was in agreement that it helps them relax and keep calm. “It forces you to slow down,” he said, “and take your time. If you’re jerking and snatching, they’re gonna correct you. You’re gonna get stung.”
Getting stung is an unavoidable part of working with bees, but Rainwater said, “If you’re calm and not rushing, you’re not likely to get stung.”
For those interested in learning more about beekeeping, Rainwater recommended LSU Ag Center as a source of information that also sometimes offers classes. According to Williams and Rainwater, a person can get started in beekeeping for as little as $500 but can certainly spend far more.
In the end, the many benefits far outweigh the costs, and the risk of being stung.
