Beekeeping isn't just something you
go into it's something you're raised and brought up in.
Most companies that deal with beekeeping and providing
beekeeping supplies are family owned. Dadant and Sons, a
company based out of Hamilton, IL has been in the
business of providing beekeeping equipment and attire
for the past 140 years. They sell everything from
beekeeping attire from the head to the torso, and even
full body suits with headwear. They also sell journals
that are published about beekeeping and also selling
copies from the archives as well.
They have a large selection of books for giving you a
short course on beekeeping to candle making since many
beekeepers also not only collect and sell honey, but
they make things out of beeswax as well like candles.
Most family owned beekeepers usually produce the honey
and beeswax items on their farms and sell the products
they make at local stores. Usually it's a family
business that has been a long-standing tradition.
Most beekeeping families have been at this for several
generations so it's not a new thing many families get
into with this. A lot of children grow up making this
into their livelihood since it's how their ancestors
made their living. Many companies now are in fact
commercially owned since so many family-owned businesses
are forced out because of the rising cost of running a
business and many mom and pop places that were not
technologically advanced were the ones who suffered
because those who had the resources to invest in
websites and tools needed to stay ahead in the business
were the ones who made the transition into the 21st
century with their businesses. This was a business that
began as a simple hobby and just a small way to make
extra money on the side or to just have something extra
for the dinner table since honey was super popular to be
put on hot biscuits and toast for dinner and breakfast
since it was used as a marmalade.
Honey wasn't really a huge resource at the time since
people used sugar and other things like molasses to put
in their food, but when it was discovered that honey was
cheap and inexpensive to make that's when beekeeping had
become a hugely popular and profitable business for many
families in regions that beekeeping was a widely
practiced activity. As a result of how inexpensive it
was to produce honey, which became what beekeeping has
developed into today. The only issues was in this day
and age more pesticides was being used and the problems
with having to treat much of the honey that was being
made which left a lot of people wondering how safe it
was to consume such a product.
It was a concern since you have the organic food
movement that totally goes against the use of pesticides
and any means to chemically alter or treat food or
livestock used for food products. Today you have family
owned companies at the commercial level that produce
honey products and beeswax used in cosmetics and candle
making.