Through Clemson University’s Apiculture and Pollinator Program, Benjamin Powell M ’07 provides Extension support to South Carolina’s beekeepers and public education to conserve pollinators
Benjamin Powell didn’t realize the importance that bees would have in his life when he began his career as a graduate student at Clemson University. A coastal South Carolina native, Powell was unexpectedly tasked with organizing a bee club.
The rest is history.
Powell started his career with the Clemson Extension program when he was in graduate school and was hired to work in forestry on natural resource projects. At the time, he was collaborating with landowners on wildlife and pond management. He got introduced to a beekeeper in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, who asked him to kickstart a bee club. His passion then began to grow into what it is today.
Flash forward nearly 20 years later, where Powell now works with Clemson Extension to provide beekeeping training and services to growers, natural resource enterprises and the public. He said his role in Clemson Extension is to act “basically as a specialist” for the Clemson Apiculture and Pollinator Program, for which he serves as coordinator. In this role, he helps educate others on the importance of beekeeping the right way and all the steps to get there, no matter your background.
“I might have one beekeeper sitting on one side of me who is fully into bees, and that’s their entire livelihood. That’s their job, and they’re professional about it,” Powell said. “And then on the very other side of me is a hobbyist beekeeper. … We’re all talking the same thing because we have passion for the same trade.”
Powell explained that Clemson has been working to build its relationship with beekeepers statewide. As a land-grant institution, it’s crucial that the University helps state growers and beekeepers.
With a clear passion for bees and how they operate, Powell said they are “arguably one of nature’s most dynamic creatures.” The bees work in tandem to form a colony that works collectively, almost like a single organism, which is crucial to crop ecosystems and plant livelihoods. Bees are a top contributor to making that system go round.
Powell stated that “their ability to find food and communicate where it is to their neighbor, their sisters and their ability to adapt to new environments has made them the No. 1 managed pollinator worldwide.” This specialty that bees have makes them significant as well as valuable. Being informed about how to treat the bees and their colonies is essential to preserving their existence.
Beekeeping for Beginners
To become a beekeeper, Powell, alongside Clemson Extension, offers many ways to help people get their foot in the door — or hive. Clemson offers a hybrid training program called The Basics of Beekeeping, combining lectures with in-person field days. This program delivers hands-on training for beekeepers at all experience levels. With this course being open to students and the public, people can come from far and wide to get valuable training from Powell and his team.
Becoming a successful beekeeper is contingent on knowing the needs of local bees. The Clemson Extension program suggests that aspiring beekeepers acquire beekeeping books. Powell explained that beekeeping is local, and it’s beneficial to connect with beekeepers in the same area so “you can learn their experiences and what happens when, and what the bees respond to in that area.” Clemson Extension ensures that beekeepers know about continuing education opportunities as well as connectivity within various areas of the state. For example, there are two major conferences that Extension suggests attending to learn more about beekeeping equipment, practices and experiences.
Powell’s journey unexpectedly began with an introduction to a beekeeper and evolved into a lifelong commitment to education and research. Through his work, he has bridged the gap between amateur beekeepers and experts, ensuring they understand how to become successful beekeepers. His passion for bees and their colonies has shone through his constant outreach across the state on behalf of Clemson Extension, giving many people the knowledge to protect one of nature’s most extraordinary creatures.
