Junior Megan Talikoff has a lot of hobbies, ranging from horseback riding three times a week to playing the clarinet for the school band. Her biggest passion, however, is her beekeeping.
Talikoff has been beekeeping since her freshman year, when she found herself with extra time and read an article about taking care of hives. She looked into the local Beekeepers Association, found an apprenticeship program, and got started.
For Talikoff, working with the bees isn’t just about a college resume, or even a little bit of extra honey. Beekeeping has become a big part of her life and helps her decompress.
“I find working with the bees relaxing and reassuring,” said Talikoff. “It’s really interesting to be able to interact with nature in a way that you wouldn’t usually get to, and see how coordinated and productive these totally wild creatures are.”
The local Beekeeping Association and Orange County Bee Club have provided Talikoff with experiences she wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else. Taking care of bees and becoming more active in the community connected Talikoff with people she probably wouldn’t get to know otherwise.
“Beekeeping is a great way to meet a new community that not a lot of people at East Chapel Hill High School interact with,” said Talikoff. “It’s mostly, I’d say, 60-year-old plus white men from the country. It’s a really cool experience to be able to bond with people who you’re really quite different from over something that you share.”
Talikoff brought her love for nature and people together in her creation of an East Bee Club, with over 50 members who hope to bring hives to East this Spring. She schedules big days for the club to meet and paint hives, build stands, and plan fundraisers, bringing lots of different students together to create a bee-safe environment at East. Talikoff spends a lot of time taking care of the hive in her backyard, and recommends beekeeping to anyone who wants to stay in touch with nature, or just has a lot of free time and no idea what to do with it.
“I think it’s a good hobby for anyone who wants to get a little more into nature,” said Talikoff.
