Beekeeper
Alexiev Gavriluk is a beekeeper and owner of Mad Russian Apothecary in Derry.
Explain your job and what it entails.
I keep bees. I help the bees make honey, then I sell the honey. I also teach people about our best practices and how we co-exist … and how they can coexist with the bees.
How long have you had this job?
My wife and I got the bees during the pandemic, so I’ve been keeping them for four years. I learn from the bees every day and every season, so I’m constantly growing as a beekeeper.
What led you to this career field and your current job?
I’m disabled, and I’ve always worked blue-collar jobs. … I needed to find something I could do comfortably on my own. We’d always loved the idea of keeping a few hives … as a hobby. As I grew more involved in the meditation aspect of it, matching the energy of the bees, I also grew more in tune with the hives, and beekeeping became more than just a hobby … Also, I’m just really good at it. I also love talking with our honey customers at fairs and markets about the benefits of pure local honey and how good bees are for the environment.
What kind of education or training did you need?
I attended an online bee school taught by a master beekeeper. Everything else was self-taught, hands-on learning.
What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?
I wear long jeans, work boots, a beekeeping jacket, leather elbow gloves and a special veil attached to a hat. … When I’m working with the honey, I wear whatever I don’t mind getting sticky. When we’re working at a market or fair, my wife and I wear matching yellow plaid shirts.
What is the most challenging thing about your work, and how do you deal with it?
I work with hundreds of thousands of stinging insects buzzing around me — most people would find that a little challenging. But since I learned to operate on the bees’ frequency … the hardest part now is dealing with my disability. I had to adapt beekeeping to fit what I could do with my hands. I attached special handles to the boxes, additional bars to lift the frames and other little techniques to make the job more accessible.
What do you wish you’d known at the beginning of your career?
The bees know more than I do, and I’m better off assisting them than trying to control them.
What do you wish other people knew about your job?
I’d want people to know the systemic harm … lawn pesticide or poison causes to our environment. The bees, the wildlife — everything suffers. … Also, I’d want people to know the value and importance of raw local honey, and why it’s often more expensive than … in supermarkets.
What was the first job you ever had?
Sweeping the parking lot and cleaning the dumpster area of a local convenience store when I was in fourth grade.
Five favorites
Favorite book: Necroscope by Brian Lumley
Favorite movie: Big Trouble in Little China
Favorite music: Punk rock and metal
Favorite food: I have two: shoo-fly pie, and obviously honey
Favorite thing about NH: We’re in the woods but still close to everything – city, mountains, ocean.
Featured photo: Alexiev Gavriluk. Courtesy photo.