Tracy Pielemeier, Beekeeping

Tracy Pielemeier NEVER intended to be a beekeeper.  (She hid in the truck while her dad installed a couple packages of bees.  And he was a complete “newbee.”)  A couple of years later, his bees flew off.  Left with all the equipment, she decided someone needed to put it to use.  After attending a local beekeeping club, she went to a couple of bee schools, and just began.  After her bees “miraculously” survived the first winter, she reached out to a bee business she saw on FB, and got some local mentoring.  Those guys turned into friends as well as mentors and she began a honey business with another friend. That business grew to about 30 hives, and through it all the fascination with honeybees did not wane.  

And, because local community really does matter, they started a bee club closer to home.  In 2014, North Central Beekeepers Club in Hamilton County was hatched.  Tracy also became the Hamilton County 4H beekeeping project leader for many years.  She created the Hive Butler beekeeping product in 2015 and produces and sells it around the world.  

Prior to motherhood, she worked in advertising and as a legal secretary.  Eventually she became a schoolbus driver  (to master nerves of steel), as well as homeschooling all 3 of her girls.  She is on the leadership core team with NCBC; travels to bee conferences around the US with the Hive Butler, and mentors beekeepers in Hamilton County.  Her perspective on beekeeping is unique and she loves speaking to and encouraging beekeepers of all ages and levels.  She has been successfully keeping bees since 2012.  

Breakout Sessions:

Beekeeping in Indiana - The Good the Bad & the Ugly

Expanding the Beeyard & Queen Rearing