In an unusual twist for a budding beekeeper, Sarah France got her first swarm of bees from her in-laws.
Bees first got her attention when a project to grow sunflowers with her youngest son resulted in a bee-covered sunflower. Observing it made France think that it might be cool to keep bees.
One of her grandfather’s best friends, Larry Thrift, is a beekeeper, so she sought him out. “He introduced me to his mentor, Mike Church, who became my mentor. He’s an encyclopedia of bee knowledge because his parents and grandparents kept bees,” she says. “So, I ordered a bee suit—that seemed like a good place to start—but no other supplies.”
Sera Petras Photography
Bees first got Sarah France’s attention when a project to grow sunflowers with her youngest son resulted in a bee-covered sunflower.
Within a week of having a suit, France’s in-laws called to say there was a swarm of bees on a tree with a hollowed-out hole on their property. Even then, she knew enough to know that bees swarm because they’ve run out of space.
Suited up and hoping for the best, she headed over to meet Thrift and his equipment. “I was trying to support the branch covered in bees using a pitchfork, but when we cut the branch, I couldn’t hold it because of the weight of the bees,” she says. “Bees fell everywhere, but luckily the queen fell into the hive.”
Queen bees put out a pheromone that allows other bees to smell her and follow. “Once the queen fell into the hive, all the other bees just turned and went with her into the hive,” France says. “Larry closed up the hive and said, they’re your bees now. I thought, well, I guess that makes me a beekeeper.”
Now that it was official, she went home and ordered her own beekeeping equipment for her swarm. A few weeks later, after church services, someone told her there was a swarm on a tree out behind the building. “I rushed home, got my equipment, and directed my husband and father-in-law what to do as we cut down the branch,” she says of her second swarm capture. “Catching a swarm is addictive.”
Sera Petras Photography
Although insisting she wasn’t originally the handy type, these days France builds and paints her own boxes and frames. She started with three hives: the in-law swarm, the church swarm and a hive she bought from her mentor. Told about a bee-infested boat floor, she only managed to get some of the bees but later found the rest on a nearby fencepost. “I’ve had angry bees before, but I have calm bees right now,” France says.
Before even reaching the four-year mark, she’d discovered that if you take proper care of bees, you can go from three to six hives in one day. “That really happened to me. Because you have to split them to prevent them from swarming,” she says. “It’s such an endorphin rush. Childbirth and catching a swarm are some of the most incredible life experiences I’ve had.”
Beekeeping, she says, has taught her to focus on Mother Nature’s changes, the seasons and what’s blooming. In this part of Virginia, black locust trees are the first major nectar source come spring. “Wild blackberries are wonderful nectar sources when they bloom in early spring, along with clover and tulip poplar,” France says. “Bees get most of their nectar from native plants growing wild.”
Sera Petras Photography
Honey harvesting happens once a year near the beginning of July. Last year, she harvested 11 1/2 gallons from her six hives, far more than her family could use.
At first, she used Facebook postings to announce that her honey was for sale, and she was deluged with so many offers to buy that many people were disappointed. “This year, all the people who bought last year will be sent messages saying I have honey, and it’s first-come, first-served,” she says. “Eventually, I’d like to harvest enough honey to be able to sell it in stores.”
Ultimately, her goal is to care for her bees well while being a good steward, one who’s not just focused on honey products. But like any farmer, France knows how frustrating it can be to lose farm animals, and bees are no exception. “If some of your bees die, try to look at the positive and focus on the bees you still have, while also learning from your mistakes,” she says. “It helps to stay focused on the continuation of the species.”
France says her bee wisdom comes from having a good mentor, taking beekeeping classes and being willing to manage the hives, which requires checking once a week from spring to fall to determine what they need. “The honey is a nice bonus, but really, beekeeping has shown me that I can do difficult things I never imagined I could do,” she says. “I used to be a teacher, and beekeeping is a constant learning situation.”
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A Friendly Reminder: Bees are essential pollinators and should be treated with care and respect. Successful beekeeping requires training, mentorship, and proper hive management—not simply collecting bees from the wild. If you’re interested in becoming a beekeeper, connect with local experts or beekeeping organizations to learn safe, responsible practices that protect both you and the bees.
