When I started working at the Five Points Community Farm Market last spring I thought it was pretty cool how the market has a “request book” right by the front register where people are encouraged to leave their name, phone number, and a request for any product we don’t carry but wished we did.

Heyyyy honeybee.

I saw how hard the staff worked to fill each and every request. Once the product comes in, the staff calls to let them know! The story behind us carrying Blenheim Ginger Ale is epic. We are a little too small to purchase the delivery minimum to have the ginger ale delivered to us directly. So we asked around until we found out that the brother-in-law of a local farmer travels once a month between South Carolina and Surry, VA. He now picks up cases in the back of his truck at a local convenience store down in South Carolina, drops them off in Surry, and Farmer Slade brings them to us with our monthly quarter chicken orders! But it all started as a simple request in our request book.

Early on I noticed there is room for four requests per page, and out of those four at least two were for local honey. When I asked why we didn’t just fill this simple request, I was blown away to learn it is actually against the law to keep honeybees within the City of Norfolk! Coming from a farm, it never occurred to me that someone could regulate honeybees, let alone make them illegal! To me, they are like the birds or mosquitoes; just a normal and natural part of our ecosystem.

At the time I became pretty fascinated with the idea that honeybees were illegal and started to ask a lot more questions. I began to look up regulations in other Hampton Roads cities and even throughout the country. I came to the conclusion: This is just ridiculous! There is an obvious demand for local honey, and by George, I was going to fill it.

Many people told me there was nothing that could be done and that little old me couldn’t fight the big City of Norfolk. Shortly after, I was lucky enough to be in a meeting with City Councilwoman Theresa Whibley, where I briefly mentioned the ordinance and the desire to amend or repeal it. She quickly agreed that it is ridiculous to ban such an important part of our ecosystem. Soon after, she simply brought it up at an informal city council meeting, where it seems most of the other council members agreed! Well gosh darn it, if that wasn’t easy!

Ohhh yeeeahhh! Liquid gold!

So now the real work begins, as we create a new beekeeping ordinance. It has been fascinating and exciting to be engaged in this process and watch an idea grow! In order to fill our patrons’ demands for local honey and do what is best for the citizens of Norfolk, the bees and local beekeepers, I have met with many local beekeepers to discuss what they would like to see in a beekeeping ordinance. I have gone to the Tidewater Beekeepers Association, the Tidewater Beekeepers Guild, the Norfolk Master Gardeners, and met with the State Beekeeper Association president to gain their support and ask lots of questions. And now our proposed ordinance is on the deputy city attorney’s desk as he works out the legal jargon. The City has been incredibly helpful and humble in asking the beekeepers for their input and for better understanding with each and every part of the proposal.

So now we wait for the attorneys’ revisions, and then it will go to the Norfolk City Planning Commission’s office. From there a public hearing will be held, and this is where we will all have the chance to show our support for the new ordinance with our presence. After the planning commission makes their recommendations, it will go directly to the Norfolk City Council for final vote! Phew! It is just that easy!

And while I am not sure how long each of those steps will take, we are hoping the change will happen soon and in time for local beekeepers to get their colonies in place before the spring! I’ll be sure to keep you posted so you can join us at any public hearing. It’s like City Councilwoman Theresa Whibley recently said, “I have run into many citizens interested in raising bees, and I think this is a great move for Norfolk. As a physician I recognize the benefits honey can provide, and of course we should all be concerned about the effect on our environment with the reduction of bee colonies. Besides that, how cool is it that one can order a queen bee to come via the postal system!”

I couldn’t agree more, and to think all it took for change was a simple request book.