Jeff O’Connor sees a place for bees and beans in his Kankakee, Illinois, fields.
O’Connor grows corn, soybeans and wheat, and he has a hobby on the side that could benefit his farm and other farms in the area — he is a beekeeper.
About 10 years ago, O’Connor kept hearing from environmental groups that farmers were harming pollinators and that specifically beekeepers and farmers could not co-exist.
He is very aware of what he is doing when he is spraying his traditional crops so that it does not have a negative effect on his bees. O’Connor has CRP pollinator areas on his farm, and he said the NRCS has no problem with him putting bee hives in areas considered conservation ground.
He has six hives and said it is a lot of work to maintain and clean the hives as well as keep pests away.
O’Connor said he produces honey and also keeps and cleans the wax but hasn’t found a use for the saved wax yet.
Not all honey is the same. O’Connor said what honey tastes like can depend on the season.
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