NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas — The Charlie Bee Company has gotten by for the past six years with only one employee: Charlie Agar.
However, the beekeeper is never alone. In fact, he spends nearly 365 days a year with thousands of his closest friends.
"You don't have to be crazy to be a beekeeper, but it certainly helps,” Agar said.
It is a busy schedule with a variety of tasks, from beehive removal, to beekeeping lessons and compiling the fruits of their labor.
"Right in here, that's all just good honey,” Agar said. "Sweet."
The 50-year-old's passion and conservation efforts have also landed him a PBS series, "Charlie Bee Company," and plenty of respect from the local entomology community.
"They're vital to our agriculture, all of our pollinators. And we need habitats for our pollinators," Agar said.
In fact nearly one-third of all fresh fruits and vegetables we eat daily are pollinated by a bee or another type of insect. Without these key species, our ecosystem would be tremendously impacted.
It’s a mission Agar started more than a decade ago, but he doesn't see himself as some kind of folk hero. He’s simply a New Braunfels resident with a pretty cool job, one which just happens to pay the bills to boot.
"I wouldn't trade this for anything. I love it, adore it,” Agar said. "The day this loses any interest is the day I quit, but I don't see that happening anytime soon."