Caroline Canterbury’s great-grandfather, Arthur Lemasters, was known to loved ones as Big Papa. He died four years ago at the age of 99, when Canterbury was fourteen. “He was a spitfire and a central figure in our family,” she said.

“Big Papa grew up in West Virginia and later moved to Virginia,” said Canterbury, 18, a Montague resident. “He wanted to resume the longtime family practice of beekeeping — specifically with bees from his birthplace — so he drove back to West Virginia, collected bees from a tree on his family’s property, put them in a box, and taped it shut. He put the box in the backseat of the car with his young children and drove back to Virginia, telling the kids not to remove the tape. That’s the sort of man he was.”

Today, Canterbury is grateful she got to discuss beekeeping with Big Papa, and that her family was able to meet his request for honey gathered by loved ones. “We shared some of our first harvest with him,” said Canterbury, a fifth-generation beekeeper.

Lemasters would be proud to know that his great-granddaughter is the 2023 Massachusetts Honey Queen, a title she earned this past October from MASSBEE, the Massachusetts Beekeeping Association. Canterbury won the spot after being promoted by the Franklin County Beekeepers Association.

A press release from the local organization notes that this marks the first time a Honey Queen hails from the western part of the state. This seems fitting, given that Greenfield was home to Lorenzo Langstroth, regarded as the father of modern beekeeping.

Canterbury is passionate about the topic: “Bees affect many parts of our lives, from the food we eat, the medicine we use, and the wild places we enjoy. I believe that everyone should be interested in these hardworking insects, because they can teach us about the health of our ecosystem.” She also recognizes bees as vital to agricultural practices.

“They’re essential to crop pollination and contribute significantly to the security of our food supply. Native pollinator populations have dwindled, but honeybees help fill the gap. And beekeepers aren’t the only ones dependent on honeybees – the whole farming industry is indebted to bees.”

Recommending honey as a food source, Canterbury notes the importance of buying locally, since “honey is the third most faked food in the world.” She regards it as a “miraculous substance that keeps almost indefinitely. It’s antibacterial and antifungal, and absolutely delicious.”

Sciences have always fascinated Canterbury, who plans to earn a degree in conservation biology. “I grew up around biologists, and I love being outdoors, exploring, gardening and noticing how things fit together. The same is true for my whole family.” She notes that “honeybees are connected to the environment in ways we can only begin to comprehend.”

All beekeepers are scientists, she mused, because “through careful management practices, we observe our colonies and notice environmental effects on the insects.” During drought or wet periods, bees bring in less honey and pollen, revealing that flowers and trees aren’t making nectar due to too little or too much moisture. “Beekeepers can tell when pesticides have been used on the bees’ food sources. We’re a network of backyard scientists who help convey important messages.”

The Honey Queen looks forward to her new role, which she sees as a mix of advocacy and education. “I want to share this amazing topic with people of all ages,” she said, “and let folks know about resources, information and ways they can get involved.” Canterbury is available for events at schools, libraries, community centers, fairs, and anywhere people gather to learn and share.

Canterbury’s father, Art, learned about beekeeping from his grandfather, the aforementioned Arthur Lemasters, after whom he’s named. When Art Canterbury reached adulthood, academic and professional pursuits took center stage, and it was a while before he rediscovered the craft.

Caroline’s mother, Paige Canterbury, reignited her husband’s interest a few years ago with the gift of a two-week beekeeping course with Ang Roell, who runs Yard Birds in Montague. “He embraced it fully,” she said. Paige Canterbury added that her daughters, Caroline and Charlotte, come from beekeepers on both sides of their family.

Paige grew up on a horse farm in North Carolina and harvested honey with her father. “I marveled at the sight of honeycomb in a jar,” she recalls. “When Art and I first got together, we didn’t have space to keep bees at home, but when we moved to Montague, we were excited that we could do it again.”

For years, the Canterburys moved frequently, and Art was often away for stretches of time. A wildland firefighter for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service, he was all over the map, participating in more than 500 firefighting events.

Art shifted to an administrative position, giving him more time at home. “We started raising rabbits and chickens,” said Paige, “and when Art got back into beekeeping, he received priceless mentoring from Lin and Pete Diemand (of Diemand Farm in Wendell). He ordered one bee colony, but Lin said, ‘You can’t order just one!’ So he ordered two. Now we have thirty.”

The Diemands gave Art an old honey spinner, and “it was all he could do not to cry,” said Paige. “Art treasures old tools. He loves thinking of all the hands that’ve been on that spinner and all the honey that’s been through it.”

Paige Canterbury credits other local beekeepers for offering support: “The Conlons (of Warm Colors Apiary in South Deerfield), and Willie at Fungi Ally … John and Laura Looman in Shelburne Falls, and so many others.” She added, “It’s not about competition. Beekeepers share information for everyone’s success. They lead with kindness and generosity. It’s like going back in time.”

Honey Queen Caroline remembers when her family’s first bees arrived several years ago. “They were Italian bees, a gorgeous golden color.” The apis mellifera ligustica is one seven or eight bee species; there are dozens of subspecies.

“My dad bought bee suits,” said Canterbury. “One for himself, and suits for my sister and me. My sister is three years younger than I am, and Dad really wanted us to experience bees.” At first, she felt unnerved by the appearance of bees near the garden she tends at home. “But Dad said it was fine, and gave me a tour of the hive. First, we found the queen, and then he taught me about drones.”

Soon, Canterbury welcomed bees into her garden, which she describes as “flowers and vegetables in raised beds. I try to grow everything sustainably using organic practices, including natural fertilizers like fish emulsion and rabbit manure.”

Canterbury and her sister are homeschooled, and she loves having the ability to immerse herself in beekeeping, farming and many other pursuits. “Homeschooling gives me flexibility. I’m able to work at really cool jobs and to understand local farm communities better.” During summers, she works full-time: three days a week at the Greenfield Farmers’ Cooperative Exchange, and two days weekly at the Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory in South Deerfield.

The teen has a list of interests and talents a mile long. She’s done loads of community service, including as research assistant for a regional initiative to advance understanding of environmental changes on salamander ecology. She’s a longtime library volunteer, helping with special events, and has hosted math trivia sessions for kids of all ages.

She and her sister have been heavily involved with 4-H activities, and Caroline volunteered at local farms. She’s helped with animal rescue organizations, tended community gardens, and assisted in programs designed to help unhoused and hungry people. As if that’s not enough, she admits to being “obsessed with house plants. I’ve got a ton.”

Caroline Canterbury’s achievements haven’t gone unnoticed: she received the Franklin County Bee Space Garden Award as a co-recipient in 2022, and has won numerous honors for the study of Latin and math. She learned to play piano, viola and clarinet, and traveled to Puerto Rico to volunteer with a church group. She’s also certified in hunting safety and self-defense training.

On raising children who are deeply connected to nature, Paige Canterbury said, “Our daughters got to dive into things they were passionate about. When they were small, we did a lot of digging in dirt. The girls explored creeks and watched birds. We weren’t big on TV, and had no video games. Caroline didn’t get a cell phone until she was sixteen. Basically, we wanted our kids to fall in love with the world.”

Paige Canterbury added, “Art and I each grew up in families who knew where our food came from.” As a youngster, Paige helped out on the farm her grandmother had worked on as a child. “It’s an amazing story,” she said. “My grandmother managed to purchase the very farm where she’d lived and worked as a sharecropper early in her life.”

Clearly, the Massachusetts Honey Queen comes from determined stock on both sides.

To inquire about educational visits from Honey Queen Caroline Canterbury, send an email to: masshoneyqueen23@gmail.com.

Eveline MacDougall is the author of “Fiery Hope” and an artist, musician, gardener and homeschooling mom. To contact: eveline@amandlachorus.org.

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