Buzy Beez Honey
Buzy Beez Honey
Cathy Madonna has been a beekeeper for 8 years. She first considered taking up beekeeping from a love of the outdoors and an appreciation for nature. As Cathy learned about the decline in honeybee populations and their importance to worldwide food production, she decided to get involved.
Honeybees play a major role in the pollination of plants. Because plants are a key part of the food chain, honeybees are responsible for almost one in every three bites of food we eat. As Cathy says, “Without these striped insects, we’d be in serious trouble. That means it’s our job to protect them and to teach future generations how to do so, as well.”
Beekeeping is largely a craft dominated by men, but that didn’t stop Cathy from jumping into the field. Today, she manages a colony of over 60,000 bees in O’Fallon, Missouri. Her colony produces both honey and beeswax. When collecting the honey, Cathy takes care not to harm the bees. And, she makes sure not to take all the honey from the hive. Her philosophy is to respect the bees and their needs. For Cathy, this includes spoiling her bees with plenty of food even during the winters when there are no flowering trees or plants. This way, her colony can continue to grow, make more delicious honey, and play their vital part in pollination.