From Future CEO Stars Magazine March 2009
by Cooper Tonnessen

When I was about ten years old, I visited my Great Uncle Glenn in southwestern Kansas where he showed me his honey bees. Over the times I visited him each summer, I grew more interested in the operation of honey bees. In June of 2003, Uncle Glenn brought me two hives of bees from his home in Kansas. My father contacted a friend of the family, Terry Volk, owner of Volk's Honey, to work with me. Terry and his son Allen took me with them on several different trips to check hives and to pull the honey from them. In return for my help, Terry checked my hives for diseases and extracted my first crop of honey for me.

I decided to attend a Marketplace for Kids Education Day in Bottineau soon after this. This allowed me to experience the many options open to entrepreneurship and to show others what was possible by learning about a certain activity and how even a young person can start and be successful in a small business. And, in 2008, I was able to be a part of Marketplace for Kids again as a guest speaker. It is important for young people to know what is started even at a young age can be continued for many years, often growing into a larger business. My honey bee operation is such an example. My business is much larger now than when I was in the 5th grade. For instance, my hives now travel to California with Terry's hives each autumn where they pollinate different fruits. Currently, I continue to monitor my own hives, but Terry and Allen are always available for advice. I worked for Volk's for three extraction seasons to learn the extraction process and now I am able to operate all the equipment from start to finish in the extract process.

My first objective was to follow the honey bee season in its entire cycle. The cycle starts in June of each year when the hives are split and I put new queen bees in each of my hives. The hives are placed on pallets at different locations so that the bees can pollinate different plants and obtain nectar from alfalfa, clover, and sunflowers. The hives are checked periodically during the summer and the honey is extract in August and September. When extracting season is complete, the hives are shipped back to California for wintering.

My second objective was to increase my knowledge in the apiary business, including bee diseases and pests. If left untreated, I could lose my entire yard and profit to a disease or pest that could have been prevented.

A third goal was to establish a market for my honey products. I want my clientele to be satisfied with the honey products I market and return for future purchases. I also want to maintain the retail market for my honey as well as sell to our school hot lunch program. My honey has been used in the hot lunch program for the last two years. I have also sold honey during our annual FFA fruit and pizza sales.

My honey is sold in twelve ounce bear-shaped containers, one-pound creamed honey containers, three-pound jugs, and five-pound jug containers. I have sold honey at church, school, and athletic events. Many of my customers are repeat customers. One customer purchases several five-pound jugs at a time to sweeten his tea. I made this connection through a mutual friend. I have family support and they sell honey for me through their hobby business in southwest Kansas. I also sponsor a chapter ad during FFA Week, print my own business cards, and recently had jackets made with my business logo.

This year was the fifth year I was able to complete the honeybee cycle on my own from start to finish. When I first began my honey bee operation, I had two single hives. I now own sixteen double hives. This past summer and autumn I was employed by a custom harvesting company out of Emporia, Kansas. I have worked in Texas, Kansas, Colorado and Montana. Soon I will be attending the North Dakota State School of Science to acquire my degree in Diesel Technology. I want to continue my honey bee operation of 16 double hives that will provide me with supplemental income and to continue living in North Dakota.