Our business is about beekeeping!
Who Am I?
My name is Gary Brown and I am married to my high School Sweetheart. I graduated High School from Olivet, Michigan in 1970. I was drafted into the Army on April 19, 1971, and I served in Viet Nam, Korea and West Germany in my 21 years of Active-Duty Military Service.
I recently completed and received my Pollinator Champion Certification Certificate at Michigan State University Extension. This Certification allows me to teach others on How to Save our Native Bees in Michigan. If you would like me to come speak to you or your organization or group...please give me a call or send me an email.
I am a Life Member of the following organizations: VFW Post 2406 - NRA - B.A.S.S. - Camp Trotter and The VFW National Home for Children.
I am Retired from the U.S. Army and a 50% Disabled Veteran. I retired from the work force on February 1, 2017.
I graduated College from Spring Arbor University with a MA degree in Organizational Management and a BA degree in Management and Organizational Development.
I started learning about becoming a Beekeeper in October of 2017 and enrolled into a Program called "Heroes to Hives". This program is free to ALL Active, Reserves, National Guard and Retired/ Disabled Veterans. I put this program on this site.
I am getting ready to take my Master Beekeeping final field exam at the end of May 2023 as I am Fast Tracking the Masters Beekeeping Qualification through the Great Planes Master Beekeeping program from the University of Nebraska. Once my Masters Level is completed I will be able to teach, train and qualify those students who are working on completing their Master Beekeeping Certification through the Great Planes University.
MY Goals are to teach as I go through beekeeping in my business as a Farmer. Bees are considered as livestock. As a Farmer I must Feed them, house them, and treat them for diseases and parasites.
I completed my Farm Application in March of 2018 and was granted my farm number In October 2018. I have become a woodworker now making my own hives and frames. I have found out it is much cheaper to build your own rather than paying higher prices for the same thing.
In December 2020, I became an Instructor with MSU-Extension to teach Heroes to Hives as a Pilot program at Maple City VFW Post 2406 in Charlotte, MI. This has been a dream of mine to be able to teach beekeeping to Veterans and their families ever since I became a Beekeeper.
On May 31, 2023, I became the 2nd Heroes To Hives Student to Graduate and become a Master Beekeeper. I am now a Graduate of Grate Planes Master Beekeeping Program offered through the University of Nebraska.
I just submitted my Master Field Examination papers and my $100.00 check to the university and when they receive this exam the university will send me my certification and a teaching bundle for giving this exam to other Masters Students taking this course through GPMD.
My next step in finalizing my Master Beekeeping level is a Project that the university will setup with me that will be included into this course....so, stay tuned and see what I will be doing next!
