“We have over 500 beekeepers that’ll come this weekend which is a record for us. Its so exciting because that means more and more people are getting into bees and that just makes me smile.”
Genji Leclair and her husband have owned Great Lakes Bee Co. for eight years, taking over Hassselman’s Honey when the owner retired after 50 years in business.
Each spring, bees that have overwintered in warmer states like Georgia and California are shipped back to Michigan.
The first weekend in May is the company’s annual Bee Pick-Up Day when hundreds of keepers from several surrounding states pick up bees to begin spring and summer pollination.
“It’s about 8,000 bees in a box that weighs about three pounds. There’s a queen in there. That box of bees gets put into a hive and off they go.”
Leclair says the bees that stay in Fremont produce unique-tasting honey as they forage on basswood, alfalfa, and star thistle, and pollinate fruit crops throughout spring and summer.
Great Lakes Bee Co. produces over 150,000 pounds of honey each year under the Hasselman label.
“We’re in over 70 Meijer stores now. We’re in Whole Foods in Grand Rapids but surprisingly most of our honey goes to brewers.”
Despite their growing business, Leclair credits small producers with saving the bees, who’s numbers have been dwindling in recent years.
“Honestly, I do think the backyard beekeeper is the reason bees are starting to turn the corner. The numbers are up so that’s great!”
The public is welcome to visit Great Lakes Bee Company in Fremont and view the operation in action.
