Are you interested in natural sweeteners, supporting local farms and gardens, wearing a big hat, and saving the planet? If so, you should look into beekeeping. And the first place you should look is Deseret Hive Supply in Ogden. This beekeeping supply store has everything you need to get started and be successful as a hobbyist beekeeper.
I spoke with owners Vic and Annessa Bachman about the store’s beginnings and mission. Vic had been keeping bees for a few years when a friend, Nathan Hall, asked for help in setting up a hive of his own. They were quickly frustrated by the lack of beekeeping supplies in the area. Annessa explained, “They just had a wild hare and said, we should open our own store.”
After mentioning their idea out loud at a Weber Beekeeping Association meeting, the friends started receiving call after call about it. The need was so clear, said Annessa, that “from that first conversation to opening the doors was only three weeks.” At first, they were only open two nights a week. By the second year, however, it was clear that they needed to go full time to serve not only Utah customers, but the many coming in or ordering from out of state.
I asked the Bachmans why so many people were getting involved in beekeeping. The most obvious benefit is a fresh supply of honey, but bees have a big impact on the surrounding land as well. Vic explains, “It helps to get bees into the area so you get more pollination for your gardens and fruit trees. We need the bees. If there aren’t a lot of them in the area, your plants will struggle.”
Saving the dwindling bee population will improve our future. Since beekeepers are a vital part of that effort, Deseret Hive Supply is determined to help hobbyists with whatever they may need. Vic says, “We have everything for the beekeeper, and if we don’t have it, we can get it for you.” They also offer education and resources. “We have a wide range of classes all the way from beginner to advanced. We have live hive classes in the summer. We sell raw local honey. We have a harvest kitchen where people can come harvest their honey right here and use all of our equipment so they don’t have to buy their own. We also have equipment they can rent and take home.”
Most important, they have experience. Vic says, “Everyone that works here is a beekeeper and is going to answer your questions.”
Intimidated by the thought of taking care of thousands of stinging insects? I asked the Bachmans what they would tell someone who was nervous to get started. Their solution? Come to a free class. Vic explains, “Our beginning class is free. It’s just basics to help you decide if you want to do it or not and get you over that fear. A lot of times you’ve just got to jump into it. It’s amazing how you kind of fall in love with the little insects. It’s just amazing.”
Whether you are looking for more information or a box of bees, come to Deseret Hive Supply and see how they are making Ogden a little sweeter, one beekeeper at a time.
1516 Washington Blvd., Ogden
801-866-3245
