Bees, man. If you’re not careful around the little buggers, it could easily be lights out for you. Good thing Walter Schumacher turned a passion project into a career, as the Bee Czar saves bees from people and people from bees. And the presence of his reality show feels right at home on the Discovery Channel, as his job allows him to save and relocate the little honeymakers, as well as educate the public about their roles within the food chain.
If there’s one redeemable thing about watching Bee Czar (and there’s quite a few, BTW), it’s to learn about the role of the bee wrangler. One man’s mission to save the world by ensuring the survival of the honeybee is a tough, but rewardable job. There don’t seem to be too many written rules for the position but having some general knowledge of the creatures will go a long way toward your mental and physical well-being.
As the CEO of the American Honey Bee Protection Agency, Schumacher doesn’t make much money with each hive’s removal, but the group gets to keep the bees and honey it recovers, which in turn can be sold to promote awareness and grow his business. And as a single dad raising two boys, he’s turned it into a family affair.
Bearded, tattooed and hair full of dreadlocks, Walter may not have the buttoned-down look of a nonprofit organization’s leader, but he sure has the knack for big ideas. In Season 1, he begins transforming his family farm into the company’s worldwide headquarters. And with city contracts in nearby Austin, San Antonio and Houston, he’s saving the bees, one sting at a time, but the bigger picture is more interesting.
Like the 7,000-foot commercial kitchen he plans to build as a destination eatery on the property, the partnerships he’s making with local restaurants/businesses to use his products, and the possibilities for building a brewery and/or a Meadery on the property all sound incredible. If only he could remember to tell his family about these plans…
“Without bees… we’re dead.”
The stinging incidents are never-ending and figuring out how to safely extract the hives is a constantly evolving puzzle, each one intriguing as well as entertaining. And as the business grows, the show becomes more interesting.
Somehow, I’ve never been stung by a bee before (knock on wood). Now, wasps and hornets are a totally different situation, but I’ve always managed to keep my distance from the insects, especially if they’re swarming. While I don’t envy the job of bee removal, I sure can appreciate keeping colonies up and running in new locations.
As the show’s first season culminated with six episodes, it definitely had the feeling of a limited series, although I definitely wanted to see more from this motley crew. And paired with Moonshiners, the network has two entertaining and somewhat educational programs that are both a joy to watch on a weekly basis.
Now, if only Tickle could write a theme song for his show… that would definitely be something to behold!