Fred Fulkerson has been volunteering with us at the HBRC since January 2022. He first became interested in beekeeping through his cousin who used to keep bees; “he had a contract to pollinate watermelon crops.” Since then, Fred has made five of his own hives to keep in his backyard, “I enjoy woodworking so I thought I would just make them myself.”
A professor of Mechanical Engineering at Conestoga College since 1999, beekeeping has turned into a hobby to keep him busy on the side. “When the pandemic hit, I said ‘I’m just going to do it’.” When asked why he was interested in volunteering with the HBRC, Fred talked about his keen interest in learning through hands-on work and with people who have experience.
Before volunteering, Fred joined a local beekeeping club where HBRC Field Research Technician, Paul Kelly, was giving a talk. After back-and-forth correspondence, Fred offered to modernize our beekeeping equipment plans to make them more accessible to beekeepers anywhere in the world.
Fred has plans to double his five hives next summer and is slowly working on making the boxes himself. When asked what advice he has for up-and-coming beekeepers, he said “Never let lack of knowledge slow you down and find a mentor who has many years of experience. Then, convince yourself that bee stings serve many unknown health benefits!”
Thank you, Fred, for all your hard work this season, you have become a great addition to the HBRC team!
