Campground owner works to grow beekeeping operation
Robbinsville – Alan Walmsley has big plans for his property as he continues to add more beehives and produce more honey.
Seven hives currently stand at Walmsley’s Simple Life Mountain Retreat – which is located off Lower Mountain Creek Road – and after much trial and error, he was able to produce 300 pounds of honey this year, his largest yield in four years of keeping bees.
Walmsley’s beekeeping operation recently marked a sweet milestone, when his sourwood honey took first place and Best in Show at the Swain County Agricultural Fair held on Aug. 21.
His dark honey took second place.
“The only reason I got second for my dark honey was it was in the wrong jar,” Walmsley noted.
Walmsley discussed the road to quality honey, saying that he had to learn several lessons along the way, losing hives of bees on several occasions.
“The first year, I wasn’t able to keep bees over the winter,” Walmsley said. “I was the new guy. I didn’t have a mentor. I wasn’t involved in the bee association. The (state) bee inspector came and told me what to do. I listened to a lot of it, but I didn’t do it all.”
The following year, Walmsley was able to befriend three mentors through the Smoky Mountain Bee Association. He also took some courses in beekeeping.
Despite losing half his hives, he was still able to produce 210 pounds of honey.
“I did OK, but I didn’t winter them again,” Walmsley said. “To be a beekeeper, you’ve got to keep them alive. You just spend thousands of dollars.”
Over the next few years, Walmsley plans to grow his beekeeping operation to between 40-50 hives. Walmsley is also adding apple trees for a future orchard, as well as some Christmas trees and berry plants.
“I produced from six (hives) out of the seven, which is not bad,” Walmsley said. “They did really well. I’m also into Russian bees as well.
“Most of them are Italians, which are a little friendlier. The Russian bees are more aggressive, but they winter better. These winters here are so difficult.”
As Walmsley works toward his plans for the property, he touted one of his most important assets, a long-term working relationship with Graham County Extension Director Randy Collins.
In addition to regular water and soil testing, Walmsley said the extension had helped him connect with other beekeepers, establish the LLC for the farm part of his business and apply for several grants.
He was recently able to purchase a centrifuge honey extractor through the Empowering Mountain Food Systems grant program.
Collins also helped Walmsley become involved with several beekeeping resources and prepare his honey to enter the fair competition. He has also helped with water testing on Walmsley’s property.
“I’ve done quite a bit of soil sampling for him in order for him to get his land in shape to plant fruit trees,” Collins said. “He’s got a few down there, but he’s getting ready to clear a whole lot of acreage to put in a pretty good sized apple orchard.”
Collins said Walmsley’s plan would likely be good for both his business and for his bees.
“If he does well with it, the sky could be the limit,” Collins said. “He could turn it into apple butter or other value added enterprises that could make him money as well.
“It’s a moneymaking idea. I think he’s on the right track.”