Serena writes, "I started working at Honey Rock Farm in my junior year. Like many high school students, I was looking for a summer job to pay for everyday things and boost my chances on college applications. On my first day I had no idea what to expect. The only information I had about bees were that they make honey and I was afraid of them. On the job, I started by working on bottling the honey and labeling it in order to get ready for a market. In depth I learned how a business operates and the necessary steps, such as quality control, needed to have an efficient and well ran business. As the months went by, more and more I was immersed into the whole world of honey. I was given the opportunity to tag along with Mr Bill and deliver honey to customers. On those visits I learned that just by focusing on providing better customer service and taking the time to make sure the products were well presented, improved customer relations and left people wanting more honey.
By the end of my Senior year, I had mastered the art of packaging honey and preparing it for markets. Mr Bill and Ms Sharon taught me everything they knew about Honey. While learning the business, I also learned life lessons such as being on time, how being true to yourself and your values goes a long way ( In a business and in everyday life). Their kindness and passion for their business made me eager to learn and even helped me face my biggest fear. This past summer, I finally faced my fear and suited up to work in the bees. At first I was terrified but soon realized how safe I was. As time went by, my fear decreased and I was able to see the beauty and of the honey making system. Looking closely at the bees was an experience like no other, I was in shock by how much honey these small creatures could produce, and how they work together to do it. By working in the bees, I learned that there are so many things that we can learn from the bees such as work ethic and teamwork.
I am so thankful to Mr Bill and Ms Sharon for taking the time to teach me the ways of their business. Over these two summers, I have been immersed into a whole new world that I didn’t know existed prior to my junior year. I am grateful that I was given the opportunity to work with these two incredible people and I can’t wait to go back."