LIVING HISTORY
31
that protect them from stings.
“We all work together to do what needs to be done,” says
Melissa. “As a family, we do not have job descriptions or
titles within the business. We simply do what needs to be
done and move on to the next task, based on priority. As
beekeepers, it is up to us to insure the bees’ existence in
our ever-changing environment. We spend most of our time
building and repairing suitable homes for the honey bees to
live in.”
INTENSIVE WORK
The hives for orange blossom honey are mostly in citrus
groves in which the beekeepers have an arrangement with
the grove owner. The family also locates hives near floral
sources for specialized honey such as saw palmetto, wildflower,
mangrove and gallberry, a type of flatwoods shrub.
While nature decides when honey is harvested, spring is generally
considered harvesting season. On an average day in
the life of a beekeeper, Melissa says, “you load up equipment,
travel for an hour to a bee yard, pull supers (hives) of honey,
do rebrooding and help hives, or pull honey from each hive.”
The beekeepers have had their share of stings but Melissa
notes that it’s the novice who tries to steal honey from a busy
hive who will feel the most pain.
The Gruwell family takes pride in offering pure, raw honey
to its customers. There is no artificial feeding, heating or fil-
DiBartolomeo, McBee, Hartley & Barnes, P.A.
Certified Public Accountants Serving the Treasure Coast Since 1981
DiBartolomeo, McBee, Hartley & Barnes has served the Treasure Coast of Florida since 1981. We
have offices in Ft. Pierce and Port St. Lucie, Florida. Our motto is “Personal Service.” We are very
proactive with our clients and assist them in their accounting, tax, and business needs. One or more
of our four principals handles every client, no matter how large or small. This is the business
philosophy on which our firm was founded.
Fort Pierce
2222 Colonial Road, Suite 200
772.461.8833
◆ Accounting & Auditing
◆ Tax Return Preparation
◆ Business Advisors
◆ Consulting & Computer Services
Port St. Lucie
591 SE Port St. Lucie Blvd.
772.878.1952
P l e a s e v i s i t o u r W e b s i t e : w w w. dm hb c p a . n e t
PHOTOS PROVIDED
The bees that make the honey for Gruwell Apiary forage and pollinate in local groves.
>>
/www.dmhbcpa.net