BEEKEEPING
How it all started
One of my favourite activities on our homestead is beekeeping. I manage 15-25 hives (about a million bees) per year and typically do my beekeeping on Fridays after work – it is my zen time.
This page is tribute to my mentor - Peter Dickey.
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Back in 2012, I met Peter at a Farmer’s Market in Orillia when I was living with my Dad and just dating my current wife. 6 Years later, I found Peter and said, “I don’t want to “dream” anymore, I want to live it.” At the time, I lived in Oakville and wanted to have a farm – well, an Urban farm. Peter said, “well I am sold out of bees for the year – but I will make you a deal, if you take my class… Then I will sell you honeybees.” I was taken under his wing for 3 years. Later in 2021 he retired. He was a fourth-generation beekeeper with 80 years of experience, managing over 1,000 hives with 25 employees and selling honey in common grocery stores like NoFrills and Food Basics, as well in local shops.​​
Peter sold the supply line business to Derkwood Beekeeping Supplies and closed the doors after retirement. Derkwood just decided to shut down that part of the business in 2025.
Derwook continues their passion for selling bees, but Peter’s legacy is almost fading away.
His children did not carry on the beekeeping business, and the 80 years of beekeeping knowledge were to be lost.
When I heard Peter was going to retire, I heard that Generation Marketplace in Simcoe, ON, was looking for Homestead teachers in 2021.
So, I collected all my notes, documented my personal lessons learned, used my engineering training, applied my paperwork skills, obtained additional guidance from professional breeders, met association members, joined Facebook groups, drafted a powerpoints slide and made a beekeeping program.
After 4 years of teaching beekeeping I am happy to say we have a program that would make Peter proud and is creating successful beekeepers. My goal is to carry on his teachings as he did for and pay it forward.
For anyone who has an interest in becoming a beekeeper, I want to ensure you succeed! I am now running additional classes in Waterdown, starting 2026. If you are interested, please click the buttom below
