Paul’s Honey Farm, at 27875 Rio Drive in Clinton, is a thriving, big business in the area, producing raw honey, beeswax products, raising Queens and selling starter hives (NUCS.) It wholesales a lot of honey to packers and retailers in local stores and those in surrounding cities. The business also ships bee hives on a semi-truck to California to help almond pollination. But, the recent growth and success comes after a strong will to survive some rough years.
The honey farm started out in 1983 when Chris Landsberg purchased the equipment and supplies from his friend Hubert Smith and started the business with his wife and three-year-old son, Paul. He named the business Paul’s Honey Farm and it grew in quality and reputation for several years until parasites in the late 1980s and 1990s wreaked havoc with honey farmers. The business was reduced to a hobby, and Landsberg worked at it, as well as a full-time job, until he died in a car accident in 2015.
“At the time of my Dad’s death, I was working for Kansas City Power and Light, but started taking care of bees again and loved it so much that I began solidly building the business up again, while still working full time on the side,” said Paul Landsberg. “In 2019, I was working at the Montrose Station on a tear-down crew and was told that the company wanted to transfer me to Kansas. At the same time I was also offered the option of an early-out package, which I took in December 2019, and became a full-time beekeeper. When I was beekeeping I asked myself why am I doing anything else.”
Paul recalls pretty much growing up in a truck that his dad drove around to the bee hives. Paul’s Honey Farm’s website refers to Chris Landsberg starting the business with his wife and three-year-old son, and when asked if he actually helped work, Paul said that he was probably more of a nuisance than a help. He said that he ran around and played while his dad worked and acted as Paul’s daycare. Paul said that when he was in school he would go with his dad on weekends to move bees, and he had 50 of his own hives when he graduated from high school.
“After high school, I decided that I wanted to go to college and play football. But, I got injured and didn’t finish college,” said Paul. “I worked several jobs, including putting in natural gas and using heavy equipment. I always preferred outdoor jobs more than those at a desk or computer. I loved Power and Light and made many friends there. Altogether, I was away from beekeeping for 16 years, not returning to it until Dad died.”
When asked about the recent years of the business, Paul said that 2019 was rough because of flooding. He didn’t have the normal flows of honey. In 2020 he lost a lot of hives and had to rebuild up to where he had been before. Then, COVID came around and he was dealing with lockdowns. He said that it was a trying time and he was trying to find help with the business. However, he said that one of the exciting things that happened was his Dad’s dream of sending bees to California to pollinate almonds came true, and now Paul is living his dream.
Paul takes care of the bees and the honey on the farm. His mom makes beeswax candles and his wife makes lotions and lip balms. Paul explained that spring time is super busy because that is when the hives are growing and they have to be kept from swarming. Work takes place sun up to sun down, and sometimes into the night. There are times when it slows down though. He said the fall flow is smartweed, and everyone is running around putting supers (boxes) on the hives and collecting honey. On average he works 12-hour days.
His goal for the future of the business is to increase the number of hives every year until he needs to hire one or two employees. But, he said with COVID it is tough to find employees, and when you do find someone you have to train them.
“We are busy at Christmas when we sell a lot of lotions and other beeswax products,” said Paul. “We do Heritage Days too, but as the business grows there is less time for festivals, and I want to spend my time making honey. We sell unfiltered, unpasteurized honey. Most grocery stores sell filtered and pasteurized honey, but our honey has all the beneficial enzymes and pollen residues that make honey so much healthier than sugar. There is a big influx of people who are looking for raw honey. I used to take allergy pills until I began working bees. I don’t eat a lot of honey every day, but maybe just because I am in contact with it I am helped.”
There is a Golden Valley Beekeepers Association, so there are a few keepers in the area, but not as big as Paul’s Honey Farm. Most are back-yard keepers who have about 10 to 20 hives.
