Eric Norman tends to his apiaries in the hills of Haughton Court in Lucea, Hanover.
-Claudia GardenerClaudia Gardner, Gleaner Writer
HANOVER:
THE DESIRE to be his own boss led Eric 'Colin' Norman into bee farming 16 years ago, and today he is a budding businessman with enormous potential to increase his gains.
Brimming with pride, Mr. Norman explained that "after leaving Ebony Park Agricultural School, I worked in the hospitality industry but then I decided that I wanted to be accountable only to myself."
200 APIARIES
Mr. Norman, in an interview with Farmers Weekly at one of his many bee farms in Haughton Court, near Lucea, revealed that he currently has 200 apiaries within six locations in the parish, which yield over 2,000 gallons of honey yearly. This, he said, is sold to retailers and leading biscuit companies in the island.
"It is very rewarding and I am making a decent living," he said.
He said the bee farms are located in Dry Hill, Haughton Court, Point Estate, Dundee Pen, Epping and Rose Hill because of the abundant growth of flowering and nectar-producing trees such as logwood, dogwood, guinep, mango, coconut, wild coffee, 'puss-claw' and 'quick-stick'.
Mr. Norman, who also services the apiaries of seven other bee farmers in the parish, has plans to expand his business to at least 600 apiaries, and is urging other bee farmers to do the same. "I would encourage them to go on to 200 boxes and over."
"Honey is always short because we do not have enough bee farmers to even supply Jamaica. That is why we have not been able to start exporting honey," he noted. "People look at bee farming as a hobby (but) if we get into it big time, it (would) show others that lots of money can be made."
Mr. Norman, who is the treasurer of the Hanover Bee Farmers Association, is encouraging youth clubs and young persons within the parish to join the association and get training and assistance from those already engaged in the practice. "There are very few bee farmers so there is a lot of space and opportunities for them (and) it is a very profitable business, as there is a ready market for honey," he said.
