Mild-mannered Spenser Snow is a summertime superhero. Clad in a plastic helmet-hat his face veiled in netting he battles ferocious heat and venomous creatures. He traverses some of the most remote parts of Southern California traveling up to the very gates of the border. He endures living nightmares; silent moonlit scenes where insects crawl all over him sometimes into his clothes. Snow performs these heroic feats and more all in the pursuit of something sweet.
In 2009 after spending a year abroad in London Snow returned to his home in San Diego County and searched diligently for a summer job. However as the economy was total rubbish he did not have much luck initially. His fortune changed when a family friend offered him some unique employment. Little did he know how his life would change.
“To be honest when I started beekeeping I kind of wanted to quit after the first day Snow recalled of his first experiences working for Chaparral Honey, a small honey company based in San Diego County. Snow’s position entailed field work which was, essentially, working with the bees hands-on.
I got stung a lot and it was hot he continued. But at the same time the reason I had applied for that job was because I wanted to do something different. The summer before I had worked in retail and was kind of bored. I wanted to get outside and do something with my hands.”
Snow’s summer life as an apiarist (the technical term for beekeeper) presents a striking contrast to the fluorescent-light-drenched summer internships assumed by many college students. His workspace was spread across various outdoor venues around Southern California. Chaparral Honey based in Valley Center has more than 10000 bee colonies spread from Riverside to the Mexican border— with hives virtually on the fence. Some are placed on various properties with permission so that they can pollinate sage wildflowers and the like. The rest are placed on farms and paid for by farmers so that the bees can pollinate their crops.
The tools of the beekeeping trade are nothing corporate either. In lieu of a laptop copy machine or cash register Snow’s beekeeper equipment consists solely of a miniature crowbar and a “smoker used to sedate cranky bees. Rather than business casual” attire Snow dons a plastic safari-like hat with a curtain of mesh netting surrounding it with a long-sleeve T-shirt. He claims that when he first began working with the bees he piled on clothing to try and block the stings. Eventually though he accepted them as an inevitable part of the job.
“I’ve definitely developed immunity to it [bee venom] he said. I think each summer when I go back there is about a week or two where I’m swelling up again because I haven’t been around them for a while… but eventually I don’t swell up at all and it doesn’t really bother me.”
In fact Snow sees the bee stings as perhaps beneficial.
“There are certain things that comfort us as beekeepers Snow mused. For one I think bee venom is used as treatment for arthritis patients. I’ve noticed that if I get stung a bunch of times in say my hands and it might be a myth but either way I’m sore for one day but the day after that I’m almost fresher. It’s strange but there’s something healthy about it.”
Despite the hot and sometimes painful daytime duties that beekeeping entails Snow claims that the most daunting experiences occur at night.
“When we move bees from location to location we do it at night because bees don’t fly in the dark and there’s less of a chance that they’ll escape while in the truck” Snow said. “But it’s also the creepiest thing ever because when you pick them up to move they get upset. They don’t buzz but they crawl all over you in the dark you can kind of see their little silhouettes on their veil… it creeps you out. If there is any way into your suit they’ll find it and sting you like crazy… sometimes they’ll even sting through it which is pretty intense.” He added “I usually duct tape my wrists and ankles to try not to have it happen.”
With all of the physical challenges beekeeping presents Snow said he finds it absolutely worthwhile. He returned to beekeeping for a second summer and would be happy to continue in the future.
“There’s something kind of romantic after spending the whole year in class inside a building or doing homework at a desk about being able to go outside and work with friends in a bunch of honey and dust.”
The fruit of the labor the honey itself is something Snow has grown to love. He describes the contents of the golden jars as “sage honey. It’s really light and tastes kind of like bubblegum.”
His favorite honey however is that of the avocado. Bees create this kind of honey when they pollinate the blossoms of the avocado plant.
“It’s darker it’s stronger and it’s very specific to California. I took a road trip up north and stopped at several farmers’ markets.” He continued “As you get up to Washington they don’t have avocado honey… If you have some it’s like gold. We actually didn’t get any this summer it’s so rare.”
As with many college seniors Snow’s post-college plans have yet to be solidified. One way or another though beekeeping will remain a part of his life whether actively or as fodder for creation.
“When I think about the future ideally I think it’d be really cool to have a job as a teacher for the school year and be able to go work with bees in the summer.” He continued “I enjoy creative writing in my free time and my summer with the bees has been a definite source of inspiration.”
While Snow does not peddle honey around campus for sale Chaparral Honey sells directly to Sue Bee a well-known honey distributor. For a taste of Snow’s sweet summertime adventures look no further than the shelf of the local grocery store.