News & Blog

The Apiary Expands

By Pat van den Beemt

A Monkton man made a honey of an offer to Broadmead’s beekeepers. Stan Dorman, who owns 55 acres in Monkton called River Bend Farm, donated four bee hives and lots of beekeeping equipment to help Broadmead’s apiary grow. Dorman had raised bees on and off for years, but four years ago mites destroyed his entire colony, and he called it quits.

While visiting Broadmead last fall, he saw the apiary and told Kristen Myers, a residency counselor with the Marketing department, that he would be happy to donate his bee equipment. She connected him with Broadmead’s volunteer beekeepers. “We drove out to see what he had and there was so much, we didn’t have an easy way to get it here,” said resident Ray Lund. “Stan lent us his truck to get everything here.”

Ray and Tom Boytim painted the donated hives this spring. There are now a total of seven hives, almost double the number last year. The donated equipment included tools used to maintain the hives as well as beekeeper suits. Although Dorman has retired, “his honeybees will live on and produce honey in his equipment,” said resident beekeeper Cliff York. During a recent visit to see his hives in action, Dorman even volunteered to come back and help.

Broadmead’s apiary produced honey last year that was sold at the Mini Barn Sale in the fall. Jars filled with the golden syrup netted $2,000, which will be used to buy supplies needed to keep this year’s bee colony buzzing.