Local StoriesFebruary 27, 2023

Community Highlights: Meet Jason Bey of My Bees Nest LLC

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Bey.

Hi Jason, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
First, I would like to thank you for this opportunity to share a part of my myself with you and hope that my story bring you inspirations. I am a 43 yr. old resident, born and raised in the city of Flint, Michigan. My motivation behind wanting to become a beekeeper was not just because I love honey. But to observe and learn how a tiny insect could produce an amazing food from flowers and trees. I wanted to know where my honey came from because all honey is not pure honey. From this, sprang my inquisition to learn how honey could heal and offer so many beneficial properties for human use and consumption.

I got started into beekeeping after a severe back injury in an automotive factory. The back injury prevented me from being active and enjoying everything that I loved to do. I was in constant pain and doctor visits were more than uncomfortable. I was determined to get better although our city had experienced a water crisis and on top of that Covid-19 and taken hold of world.

It was during this time that I began to reflect and consider my options on the road to wellness to better myself mentally, physically, and financially.

With my disability preventing me from gaining employment, I eventually made the decision to beekeep because it fulfilled my goals of wellness, even though I knew that I will be in constant pain for the rest of my life. It was a start. So, one day as I was leaving the local farmers market, I ran into a vendor at a honey stand. I spoke with the vendor and was surprised to know beekeeping could be done Michigan. From there, I was “bit by the bug,” and my beekeeping journey began. I was invited out to the beekeeper’s home, which was also the vendor in the market. The beekeeper and I discussed everything from why I wanted to bee keep to everything that a beginner beekeeper needs to grow into a successful beekeeper. This meeting happened in September/October 2020 and in February 2021, I was ordering bees and all the equipment necessary to establish and operate a beehive and business. To this date, I have gone from having 7 beehives in 2021 to 20 beehives in 2022. This year in 2023, I plan to have 50 on the low end, but on the high end, I am looking to have 100. It will take a lot of work, but I am determined. I also create and design my logos, product labels, and other advertising products with the assistance of the staff at Factory Two, a community maker space for small business owners, artists, students, crafters, and emerging entrepreneurs to bring their creative thoughts to fruition. I also build my beehives and other woodware to be used in my apiary. I give educational presentations, do the honey tasting, do a live showing of bees, and participate in the Michigan Honey Festival, a festival for the public and those interested in bees and what we do as beekeepers. I was recently certified by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and will begin working to build a wildlife habitat that attracts beneficial insects and birds as well.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Beekeeping has been a challenging road to travel. As a beginner, everything is exciting and intriguing, and learning is fast just because you are trying to soak up all the information you can and apply it. But as you grow as a beekeeper, you begin to see how much work goes into maintaining an apiary and start to take your time and work seriously with efficiency. I wear a lot of hats in beekeeping other than my protective veil. And maintaining those can be overwhelming, frustrating, and exhausting. I have struggled with maintaining daily operations during bee season because of the lack of finances. Beekeeping is fun and a life-learning thing to do, but it is expensive! A 3lb. package of bees costs roughly anywhere from $140-$200, and queen bees cost up to $45 if they need to be replaced. I have lost queen bees and entire colonies of bees that could not be replaced. And at the time, I did not have the knowledge to know how to prevent losses and swarms from occurring. Building material is costly and I cant build beehives when needed. I have run out of harvesting supplies during a honey flow (when bees begin to bring in nectar and convert it into honey). I have also had the challenge of connecting with the community and people in my city. I found that some people hesitate about honey and only like and use sugar. Some confuse my products with cheap energy packets containing extracts and caffeine, only to be used as stimulants. Some people don’t know what to do with honey. Being the first person of color as a beekeeper and promoting the benefits of honey is unexpected and different to many people in my community. People don’t know how to accept me yet because it’s something different to them. I don’t look at this entirely as a bad thing but as a window of opportunity to reach and teach my people about the importance of honey and why I am a beekeeper.

We’ve been impressed with My Bees Nest LLC, but for folks who might need to be more familiar, what can you share about what you do and what sets you apart?
My Bees Nest LLC is a local apiary that assists with producing honey for food and other forms of natural uses, such as beeswax, lip balms, soap, candles, etc., for human use and consumption. My Bees Nest LLC will also serve as an educational hub where I educate those wanting to learn about the benefits of honey/bees, beekeeping, and our ecosystem. I am proud to be my city’s first person of color to become a beekeeper and establish a beekeeping business in Flint, Michigan. I am proud to serve my community and surrounding areas, educating adults and children on the importance of honeybees and the beneficial uses of honey. I have inspired others who have pre-judged me and as being a beekeeper, to want to become involved with beekeeping. I have helped some people overcome their fear of honeybees and helped them to distinguish the differences of a honeybee, hornet or wasp. I have also assisted with helping local gardens get pollinated. My biggest accomplishments to date has been the removal of a gigantic beehive at a children’s center with help from the local fire department and being recognized and nominated for an award by the FLINT & GENESEE GROUP(chamber of commerce).

We’d like to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
I am not a superstitious person. I do not believe in luck. I owe all that I do to Allah (GOD) and the people HE he put in my path to make all of this possible. HE has guided me in my thoughts of blindness and consciousness. And HE has blessed me with thoughts to utilize for growth and development, to share as well as help others. I understand that there are phases in life (good and bad) that I must go through to master myself, and I will take that same concept with me to my business so that I can become a master beekeeper and successful business owner. Through my words, actions, and deeds, I want to show others that anything is achievable through determination, diligence, and belief in yourself.

Pricing:

6oz. jar $8
8oz. jar $10
12oz. jar $12-$15
16oz. jar $20
24oz. jar $30
T-shirts: $20
Hoodies: $30 (Available upon request. All shirts and hoodies are handmade by me personally)

Contact Info:

Instagram: mybeesnestllc
Phone: (810) 660-4851 Text or Call
Text preferred

Image Credits
@Trueheart Photo Sarah@Voices for Children

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