A passion for apiculture and a creative drive has seen a family honey business evolve from an entrepreneurial dream to a sweet success in Mid Canterbury.
Regan and Sarah Martin began Little Honey Co. in 2021, starting as a bespoke honey business but quickly diversifying in unexpected ways as the pair looked to remain viable in a challenging market. The pair met in 2015 when Reagan moved from Southland to Ashburton to continue his work as a commercial beekeeper, taking a role at Midlands Apiaries, while Sarah had been involved in breeding and managing leafcutter bees with her father near Timaru. ‘It didn’t take long for us to take an interest in the fact that we were both involved in beekeeping of different types,’ Sarah says. ‘I moved to Ashburton to live with Reagan shortly after, and we have been scheming and dreaming up new ideas ever since.’
In 2021, now married and with two children in tow, the couple began with 500 hives for crop pollination and honey spread across Canterbury. They focused on producing three types of honey – a creamed clover variety from the Canterbury Plains, a naturally running honeydew from the beech forests of Mount Somers, and a creamed variety of Kamahi/Rata blend from The Catlins where Reagan grew up. The honey is then processed and extracted in Ashburton, at Midlands Apiaries.
2021 also saw the couple take ownership of a leafcutter bee business from Sarah’s father, the largest commercial population of leafcutter bees in New Zealand. ‘It’s a really unique and special responsibility to have,’ Sarah continues. While not honey producers, leafcutter bees are expert pollinators, capable of pollinating 20 times more efficiently than honeybees. And, because they are a solitary bee with no hives to protect, they are gentle by nature and rarely sting – when they do, it is almost painless and more akin to a mosquito bite. This, along with their pollination prowess, makes them a safe and productive choice for commercial crops and home gardeners.
‘It’s a really exciting opportunity to be involved in what really is a new industry in New Zealand, and to be the ones leading the way for that is both daunting and exhilarating.’ Keen to grow the leafcutter business and make the bees accessible to the public, Reagan and Sarah launched Gentle Bee Co., where anyone who is interested in having their own backyard hive can purchase starter kits online.
‘They don’t produce honey, which makes them extremely easy to manage. They are the perfect option for literally anyone to have in their backyard, especially those who grow their own fruit and vegetables, as they are fantastic summer pollinators for late season crops. We would love to think that one day most people in every part of the country could have leafcutter bees flying around their backyard, pollinating and increasing biodiversity.’
The desire to educate people on the importance of bees led to another arm of the business – beekeeping courses, offered both online and in person, with access to a Facebook group for ongoing support. ‘It’s really focused on beginners or those who want to take up beekeeping as a hobby. We have tried to keep it as hands-on and practical as possible.’
Beekeeping courses are also offered in schools, with a full-year course taking students through the entire process of managing a hive, harvesting, packing and marketing, and selling the honey. A one-off course is also offered, called Bee Educated, providing a more concise look into bees and their importance to the ecosystem.
‘We take a live glass display of bees and heaps of other resources and educate the students on the importance of bees.’ The couple plans to expand the Bees in Schools programme to include leafcutter bees, honeybees and bumblebees and hopes to include more schools and take the courses nationwide. The Martins’ own children play an active part in the business with Zoe (five), Charlie (four) and 1-year-old Millie often found working alongside their parents. ‘It is particularly awesome that we can bring them along to work with the leafcutter bees because they are safe to be around,’ Sarah says. ‘The kids will happily stand inside a leafcutter bee shelter with thousands of bees flying around their heads and no protective gear on.’
For the Martin children, the addition of an ice cream cart to the business was the icing on the cake. The food trailer was initially purchased to make selling honey at markets easier until Sarah half-jokingly suggested using it to sell honey-topped ice cream. ‘The joke very quickly became a reality, and it’s one of the best decisions we have ever made.’
The idea grew wings and has now become a popular destination for locals in its usual spot at the Ashburton Domain layby and a way for the Martins to sell honey and connect with their community. ‘We have gotten to know a lot of our customers, and we really enjoy the social aspect of the trailer. We have some great conversations with people, and Reagan loves the fact that he gets to practise his dad jokes with kids when they are getting an ice cream.’
With most small-scale apiaries in the country struggling with low honey prices and the ongoing disease issues such as the varroa mite, diversification has been the key to success for the Martin Family. ‘We are always dreaming up ideas and try not to limit ourselves on what is possible. I think what helps us to be successful is our ability to think up and implement unique ideas.’
By playing their part in educating the public on the importance of bees, the Martins hope to help the future of the beekeeping industry. ‘We really want to solve some of the issues the industry faces here in New Zealand and strongly believe the way to do that is by engaging the next generation to get involved in the beekeeping industry.’
Purchase a Leafcutter Bee Home Garden Starter Kit before 30 November 2023 and go in the draw to WIN 1 of 3 largevege pods!
Recent stories
