Buddy Nachtsheim

Hurricane Honey Buddy Nachtsheim

It was May 2018 when I took the leap to becoming a beekeeper. I started with a Mason Jar hive (a beginners hive) and soon after, I expanded my ideas and purchased a Flow Hive. My dad built stands and set up the Flow Hives as a way to stay busy. My bees arrived, and with some help, they became established; so much so that we needed a second Flow Hive to keep them comfortable. All was going well until five months later. On October 10, 2018, Hurricane Michael crashed ashore in my town of Mexico Beach, Florida. Although dad and I live six miles inland, the storm was so strong that it affected people hundreds of miles from the shore. My hives were knocked off their stands, beaten, and battered... but my bees survived. I carefully reset the hives, prayed over the bees, and let them re-establish their colony. They encountered a hurricane, mites, and needed me to feed them after all the trees and blossoms were gone... and they still survived. In May of 2019, seven months after the hurricane, my bees produced honey! I've learned that in the bee business you must ask for help because there was so much that I didn't, and still don't, know. I'm learning every day. I've had many beekeepers help me along the way, and I've made just about every mistake you can make. I think the bees are alive by the pure miracle of God and prayer. They are survivors. "Ground Zero Survivors." This is why I call it Hurricane Michael Ground Zero Survivor Honey.