As we understand the importance of eating local and organic foods as well as preserving our environment, the interest in supporting honeybees is also increasing. You might say bees are the new chickens. From the rooftop of the new Music City Center to your next-door-neighbor, backyard beekeeping is all the buzz. Small, micro-managed, and well-loved beehives increase the overall honeybee population. This directly benefits us as bees are necessary for our food supply, pollinating one-third of our fruits and vegetables.
I never thought I would find myself on a Wednesday afternoon suited up in protective bee gear, holding a frame of humming honeybees. Like most people, I assumed bees were dangerous and I wasn’t keen on getting that close to them. But I, like the many beekeepers of Middle Tennessee, succumbed to my curiosity and admiration of the little necessary insects. Bees are more than just honey makers—they are as much a part of the agricultural process as planting a cucumbers and tomatoes. But why are so many folks keeping bees? Social responsibility? To eat? For beauty? We buzzed into the beekeeping community to find out what the attraction is, and why.