Buzzing with honey drive

Zachary Lynch is orchestrating a different kind of buzz.

As the owner of Chemist Organic Honey Farms, Zachary isn’t just producing honey – he’s on a mission to transform Barbados’ relationship with one of nature’s most precious commodities.

“Throughout the Caribbean, Barbados is the only island where we don’t have our own local honey on shelves in our supermarkets. We can find other country’s honey, but not our own,” he said, his passion evident as he discussed his vision for change.

“I want to change that. I want Bajan honey to be on our shelves.”

Zachary’s journey into beekeeping began in 2010, when he met Rudolph “The Bee Man” Gibson, a prominent figure in Barbados’ beekeeping community who passed away in July, this year. What started as a casual conversation at a bar blossomed into a mentorship that would shape his future. “One day he (Gibson) asked if I wanted to come and work with him and learn how to deal with bees,” he recalled. “That was how it started, and I have never looked back.”

By 2017, Zachary had transformed his apprenticeship into entrepreneurship, enrolling in a business management programme at the Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme before launching Chemist Organic Honey Farms. Today, he manages all aspects of his thriving business, from hive maintenance to honey production.

“There’s no typical day. Every day is different,” he shared. “Sometimes we have very hot days and very cool days.” The work can be challenging, particularly during harvest seasons in June and December. “On the days that we have to cut honey, it can be a bit difficult because the bees can be very aggressive. Sometimes, we get a lot of stings.”

This year has presented unique challenges for Barbados’ bee population.

Heavy rainfall has diluted the nectar in flowers, forcing bees to seek alternative food sources – sometimes in unexpected places. Several schools across the island have experienced what has been dubbed “bee invasions”, though he offered a more sympathetic perspective.

“The bees find the schools as a fast and easy resource to get what they need. They’re not trying to attack anybody; they’re just trying to survive,” he explained. As one of the beekeepers called upon by the Ministry of Education to address these situations, Zachary approaches such removals with both expertise and educational opportunity.

Rather than viewing these incidents as mere nuisances, he has transformed them into teaching moments.

“Most of the children are not afraid of the bees. They’re curious about them,” he noted. This curiosity has led to classroom presentations and even guided tours of his operation, complete with specially ordered bee suits for both adults and children.

As a member of the Barbados Agriculture Association, Zachary participates in their innovative bee education initiative.

 “We have an observation hive at the association. So instead of taking all the children onto a farm, we can bring the farm to the children,” he explained, describing how students can safely observe and learn about bee behaviour from within their classrooms.

The future of Barbados’s honey industry looks promising, but Zachary believes there’s room for growth.

“We have 300-plus beekeepers on the island and still we need more,” he stated, emphasising that increased participation was key to achieving his vision of locally produced honey on supermarket shelves.

“The more beekeepers we get, the more honey we can get” he said.

From his early days learning from “The Bee Man” to his current role as an industry leader, Zachary has remained committed to his sweet vision for Barbados. Through his work at Chemist Organic Honey Farms and his efforts to educate the next generation, he’s not just producing honey – he’s cultivating a future where Barbadian honey can take its rightful place alongside regional and international products. (DS)

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