I am a sixth generation beekeeper and a fourth generation domestic beekeeper.

My great grandfather, Edward Haefeli, passed through Elis Island around the turn of the former century. On his way from Switzerland, he had come to America to seek work and medical help for Tuberculosis. He made his way to Illinois, where he had family, but found the high humidity of the area aggravated his T.B. He continued West towards California. While crossing the Rockies he found the high dry mountain air helped this condition considerably. He eventually settled in the San Luis Valley (7,600ft altitude) As was custom in those days, great gramps farmed a living for his family and anything extra was sold or traded with in the community. They settled on a nice piece of river bottom next to the Rio Grande. Along with all of the vegetables the farm also had a large apple orchard. Having had experience in Switzerland with honey bees, great grampa naturally started a few colonies of bees at the farm to help with pollination, particularly the apples. He was quite impressed and surprised at the end of the first honey season. The bees had made an extraordinary amount of honey. Much more than the family could use. So it was traded and sold with great appreciation from neighbors and friends.. The next few years Edward increased his bee hive numbers to accommodate more demand for the light sweet natural liquid gold.

And four generations later, I bought 150 colonies of bees and started out on my own.