Jim Ford is a Natural Beekeeper, Beekeeping teacher, Bee club leader and founder of The Pines Apiary and Woodenware, LLC.He has been tending bees at his home in Riley, Twp. MI since 2014. Jim is a retired USAF Veteran and during his last few years of service and 2010 started attending Macomb Community College to follow his dream of being a chef.During this time, he met his friend and beekeeping mentor Chef Francois Faloppa.In 2014, Jim joined Pine River Beekeeping Club (PRBC)in Goodells, MI and at the same time joining the MCC Bee Squad (now MCC Bee Club) which Francois had received Innovation Grant from the college to start a Club at the college. Jim jumped in with both feet and assisted Francois at the college until his untimely passing in Sept of 2016, then Jim took over running the MCC Bee Squad. In Feb of 2017 Jim started teaching a Beginner’s Beekeeping class through the Continuing Education Program at Macomb which runs through an entire bee season (Feb-Oct). In 2016 jim Volunteered to be the PRBC Secretary and was elected in 2017 as Club President. Jim’s hands-on approach to beekeeping has led to an increase in membership at both PRBC and MCC Bee club.Jim continues to assist local schools with talks and programs for kids and other beekeepers, newbees and veterans alike, with problem solving and hive visits, and is currently in development of new tools and equipment to make beekeeping easier. Jim has also been making custom beehives for himself and friends, and he holds a 2-yr. record of 1st place custom hives at the Michigan Honey Festival.
Chef Scott O'Farrell Treasurer
Claire Kapral Secretary
Claire Kapral is a teacher at Chippewa Valley High School where she teaches health and physical education. She whimsically decided to take the Bee-Ginner Beekeeping class in the Spring of 2017 after she noticed the course in Macomb's continuing education coursebook. Without having any prior knowledge of beekeeping, she decided to purchase two hives and follow along with Jim Ford's teaching throughout the year and successfully harvested her own wildflower honey in the Fall. This year she hopes to catch her own swarms in the swarm boxes she purchased from Jim Ford and add to her small apiary. Her favorite part of beekeeping is watching such a tiny creature make such a huge impact on humanity.