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When Bill Mengel is asked a question about himself, inevitably the answer leads back to bees, and sometimes very quickly. Bill is a beekeeper and the Director of Operations for Caroline County Public Schools.
Bill explained that he fell into beekeeping a few years ago after a lifelong fascination with insects and their intricate world. Beekeeping is his passion, verging on a sideline business, and hopefully one day his retirement mission.
The produce harvested from this agricultural hobby is a very valuable commodity, with local honey and beeswax in demand. Bill said bees are considered livestock, and he shared in great detail the sounds they make, the behavior they display, the sense of relaxation and the joy he experiences while working with the bees. The bees that Bill manages live in apiaries scattered all around Caroline County, on local farms in need of pollinators.
As Director of Operations for CCPS, Bill has about 20 balls in the air all at once. Everything that keeps the county school system running from transportation and janitorial, to procurement and food service, along with just about everything else, crosses his desk in a constant flow of decisions on a daily basis. To help balance his responsibilities and the mental load they entail, his bees give him an opportunity to just observe and enjoy with little to no decision making.
Bill is a true apiarist, with knowledge beyond a hobbyist and a passion that he wishes to share. He has two adult children, and while they are interested enough to ask Bill how the bees are doing, they won’t be taking over the business. He thinks an apprentice would be an ideal solution, someone he can teach everything he has learned and who will perpetuate the business. He sees an opportunity to continue to provide local farmers with healthy, happy pollinators that produce honey and wax for local shopkeepers.
Bill Mengel’s business, Mid Shore Bee Store can be found on Facebook, where he connects with customers who want what his bees have to offer. Harvest time is mid-summer, so you may have to wait awhile to get your hands on a bottle of locally grown liquid gold. And if you are fascinated with insects and especially with bees, maybe look Bill up for a chat about helping with the apiaries, and make friends with a bright, authentic guy who just loves his bees.
