Honey of a Hobby
When it comes to bees, Jeff Maddox and Rob Maupin of 417 Bees do it all—they sell honey and bees, remove bees and have their own hives. They gave us the scoop on honey’s greatest secrets.
1. 417 Bees has approximately 150 hives located at some 24 apiaries (bee yards) around 417-land. “Our apiaries go as far west as Halltown, as far east as Rogersville and north to Fair Grove,” says co-owner Jeff Maddox. The bees produce nearly 100 gallons of local raw honey per year.
2. The bees forage on local flora, so the honey’s flavor changes among apiaries and from year to year. “I always say it’s a lot like wine,” Maddox says. “Even if you get the same wine from the same winery, it differs from year to year. The bees are always foraging on different blooms, and that produces different honeys.”
3. Many people believe local foraging makes local wildflower honey beneficial for allergy sufferers. “Just like any type of medication, it can work great for one person but have adverse effects on another,” Maddox says. “The idea is, you’re getting micro doses of that local pollen.”
4. 417 Bees sells its local raw honey (call 417-812-5021 to try to snag your own), but it sells out quickly. If you buy honey from another supplier, talk to beekeepers to make sure it’s local (hives should be located within 50 miles of where you live). Find more information about local beekeepers and beekeeping online at 417bees.com or at ozarksbeekeepers.org.
To see the full article please go to: 417 Magazine Article