It is imperative in today’s fast-paced and stressful work environments to be able to come home and unwind in some fashion or another. Hobbies are a must, because they provide idle hands with something productive to do, while still allowing a form of mental and emotional detachment from the stresses of a typical work week.

For Dan Hueber, CEO and founder of The V Collective, the outdoors provides an excellent outlet after spending his day managing a large company that builds and outfits custom homes with high quality cabinetry and woodworking.

He particularly loves looking after his bees.

A year and a half ago, Hueber bought two apiaries, kits to start a colony and a full bee suit. He wasted no time on nurturing and fostering the hives. “At first, I wore the full bee suit and was nervous about getting stung,” says Hueber. “But by now, I think we’ve warmed up to each other.”

Hueber says while he has always had a distinct interest in agriculture and the outdoors, it was knowledge of the bee crisis coupled with a desire for his own home raised honey that sparked his eagerness to start the hives. “I immediately found it very relaxing,” he says.

Keeping the hives healthy and thriving has been no easy task, but Hueber is still fascinated by the complexities of the beehives and their tiny occupants. He explains that he’s dealt with mice harming the hives and an infestation of hive beetles. This year there is a lack of honey and pollen stored in the hives, which will have to be supplemented if they are to survive this winter.

Honey bees store pollen within a hive so they’ll have a consistent source of protein through the winter. When outdoor temperatures drop, the bees cluster together, seal up the hive and vibrate their wings to keep the hive at a steady 90 degrees. “When you go out there in the winter, you can press your ear to the top of the hive and hear them humming,” says Hueber.

To ensure the hive stays healthy, Hueber has to open and inspect the hive every so often to check on the queen’s laying pattern and assess the storage of honey and pollen. If something happens to the queen, the whole hive is at risk until a new one is born. It’s also crucial that, no matter what the weather outside is, the inside of the hive doesn’t collect condensation or moisture.

Despite the delicate nature of the bees, Hueber says he still finds the entire process very relaxing. In the future he intends to install three new hives on a secondary property in Batavia. After his first honey harvest, Hueber is determined to continue raising healthy hives to help both the honey bee population and to add a little flavor to his favorite foods.