Who are you?
Hi, I am Connor Harley, 29 years old, living in Falkirk. I was always scared of bees, wasps or anything that had the potential to sting me so it would be fair to say that beekeeping was never on my agenda – to say the least! Having been stung by a bumble bee at a young age – never did I think that I would be so happy surrounded by, quite literally, thousands of bees.
How did you start beekeeping?
It all started on 16th December 2020 as I was sitting watching Sarah Beeny’s New Life in the Country. Episode 6 showed Sarah starting out as a beekeeper and at the end, I turned to my mum and said “I’m going to be a beekeeper”. I orderer the Haynes Bee Manual straight away. Reading is not a past time of mine and never has been. That being said – I read this book from front to back. I signed up to my local beekeeping associations new beekeeper course and the rest is history!
What do you enjoy most?
A lot of people like to read, have a bath, listen to music or something similar to relax and switch off. I have never managed to find anything in life that allows me to switch off from the world… until now. Beekeeping is the best feeling in the world. Switching off from the whole world and it just becomes the bees and I. Being surrounded by thousands of bees, busy working hard and watching the hard work I put in and they put in, unfold in front of me, is truly spectacular.
Do you get stung often?
The simple answer is, no. Now and again I get stung, it is inevitable but certainly doesn’t put me off. I dont even find it sore now!
Harley's Honey 