Farmstrong: How beekeeper Murray Elwood deals with uncertainty

Beekeeping is a rollercoaster industry at present. Photo / John Stone

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Monthly on The Country, Jamie Mackay catches up with a Farmstrong farmer, someone who is doing the right thing when it comes to looking after the top paddock. Today, Mackay speaks with Murray Elwood, a Nelson-based beekeeper of thirty years, on how he manages the pressure of an uncertain business.

With tough times in the bee industry, it is hard to make a living and sometimes it is hard to keep your chin up.

Several years ago Mānuka honey was going to be the save-all for the bee industry and every man and his dog were getting into it.

Over the years the number of hives rose from 300,000 hives to 900,000 hives but the market did not meet sales expectations.

A typical Kiwi thing where everyone gets on a bandwagon when things are good and then the market has a downturn, and everyone wants to get out of it.

That is what is happening at the moment, and it will be a few years until the situation is rectified.

Mackay asked Elwood about his story on how several years ago he got into a hole, what caused him to get into it, and how he got out of it.

Elwood and his wife took out a mortgage and bought a small farmlet to give more room for their beekeeping equipment.

The following year due to bad weather and a poor flowering season, they had a disastrous honey season which meant only a 50 per cent crop.

With the bank knocking on the door, Elwood wondered how he was going to survive through that time and found himself stressed, anxious and depressed.

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Thankfully with a supportive wife, who managed to hold things together for them, they worked through it, with Elwood finding out his wife was the strong one in the relationship.

During that time Elwood learnt who he was as a person was far more important than what he achieved.

He learnt to accept that, even if his business failed, it wasn’t the end of the world.

Holding on to his dignity and staying strong morally was more important than what he had in the bank.

Hunting, fishing or bushwalking helps reduce stress and can be done on an absolute shoestring. Photo / File

“What do you do now to keep well?” Mackay asked.

“There’s an old saying, the best things in life are free,” Elwood said.

“When you are under financial pressure, the last thing you want to do is spend.

“Luckily, I am a hunting, fishing, and outdoorsman and you can do all those things on an absolute shoestring.

“I just love getting out there in nature with mates and taking a couple of days off.

“If lucky or strong enough, you can come out of the bush with a deer or two. It does me the world of good and it doesn’t cost anything, that is big for me.”

Elwood said he thought it was great that Farmstrong advocated for rural mental health.

In the past, it was a taboo subject, he said.

“We were all good Kiwi men who never had a weak moment.

“But that was never true. Everyone needs a hand, and everyone needs support at some stage.”

Last year 14,000 farmers and growers increased their wellbeing thanks to something they learnt from Farmstrong.

To find out what works for you and lock it in, visit www.farmstrong.co.nz for free tools and resources.