By Sydney Williams
Chase Honey is a family-owned Apiary right here in the Pacific Northwest. Also known as the greatest place on earth. Grandpa Harold Chase caught a swarm of bees in 1962 and something buzzed his interest. With the help of his dad, Harold built a bee hive and purchased an extractor. 55 years later, Harold’s boys and grandkids have taken over the operation and get stung just about every day. I had the privilege and adrenalin rush of experiencing the apiary and all of its glory. Cory, who now runs the pollination company, handed me what looked like a mad scientist outfit with some sort of helmet. To which I said something along the lines “No need for that, a few bees don’t scare me.” Cory chuckled at my naivety and enlightened me. “Each of those white boxes contain seven to ten thousand bees and we are about to go open a few.”
At that point I immediately regretted my decision of choosing Chase Honey as our Local Vendor Spotlight… Cory pulls out a crowbar and begins to pry open one of the be filled boxes. I was preparing myself for the ominous reveal of the Bees. He calls me closer to look in the box. Bees. A mother load of bees. THEE mother load of bees swarm out of the box. At this point I’m elated. My blood pressure has risen, I’m giddier than a school girl and my palms were sweating. This Apiary is legit, I think to myself As I photograph all the glory that is bee, Cory tells me he works on average 60 hours a week between their 70 apiaries across the Pacific Northwest. With those 70 apiaries comes 1000 bee stings thus far. Chase Honey has been around for over 55 years because of those of you that choose to support local. How incredible that Harold started making honey when he was 10 years old and now his sons and grandkids make it, and provide jobs for people in our community. Support local my friends! A big thanks to Chase Honey for allowing myself, a photographer representing the locally owned, community health food store, Pilgrims Market, come photograph your Apiary. Buzzin out’