N AT U R E Caldera Bees has 15 colonies and never uses feral bees, instead purchasing Italian bees with a Kona queen for the best results.
Honey
CALDERA
COUPLE MOVES FROM RETIREMENT TO FULL-TIME BEEKEEPERS
M
anuel and Cynthia Caldera were talking about a post-retirement occupation that would be interesting and provide income. The Calderas thought beekeeping just might be the occupation they were seeking so, in 2011, Manuel purchased “Beekeeping for Dummies.” In their research, they discovered local beekeeping groups, and joined the L.A. Honey Company beekeepers, which meets monthly. “We took their basic classes,” Cynthia says. “They actually have a whole year of ongoing classes.” Within a year, they took the plunge and purchased their first hive. “It was a lot of work at first, because the only place we could keep that hive was about 30 miles from our home,” she says.
Still, she explains it was exciting to be responsible for their colony and to learn, first hand, how bees do what they do. “It’s one thing to read about bee activity, and quite another to stand next to the hive and watch them as they come and go,” Cynthia says with a smile. By 2014, the Calderas expanded to four hives and different locations, and began selling their honey at a farmers market. Today, they sell at four farmers markets, including East LA, El Monte, Highland Park on Tuesdays, and Lincoln Heights on Wednesdays. “We had a mentor from the L.A. Honey Company, and he told us that we were ready,” she says about the farmers market endeavor. “We just had to get our certification from the Department of Agricul-
Submitted photo
BY CHRISTOPHER NYERGES
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