Cail “the Bee Man” Calder and his fleet of bees recently relocated to Westerly from the fields of Iowa. Cail says that he “caught the bug” so to speak, at age seven, when his parents let him purchase a beehive from a garage sale in Western Nebraska. He found his own swarm and dove headfirst into beekeeping, a hobby nurtured by his grandfather. By high school, Cail owned his own bee business and managed 169 hives in Iowa. It was so profitable, that he was able to sell the business and use the funds to pay for college.
Cail has witnessed first-hand the changes to the environment through his decades of observation and experience. Today, because of this, his mission is “to protect and help all pollinators, leave less of a footprint on this planet while producing products as close to nature intended and promoting better understanding of people through bees.”
We at the Westerly Land Trust first met Cail when he showed up at the doorstep of Barlow Nature Preserve asking if he could be of any assistance. We took him up on his offer, and together we have cultivated a thriving partnership. Cail has been a true asset as we learn the ins and outs of beekeeping on our own WLT property. WesterBee, Cail’s business, was a staple at the Farmers Market in 2022, selling honey, honeycomb, candles, and natural skin care products. And most recently, Cail led an introductory lesson on bee keeping, open to community members eager to learn this skill. We are proud to know Cail and happy that he has chosen Westerly as his next home.
For more information, please visit beemindfulhoney.com.
To learn more about the scientists & stewards on our land click HERE.