Things are buzzing in tiny Temple
By Juliana Smith-Etienne
It’s no secret that everything is bigger in Texas — including the cities. Home to Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and Houston, the state of Texas has some of the biggest and most populated cities in the U.S.. If you look closely, however, you’ll find that Texas has some small things too; tiny towns with tinier bees.
Tucked in the center of Texas’ metropolises with a population of just 90,000 (U.S. Census Bureau) is the humble town of Temple. Though Temple isn’t a bustling concrete jungle like its neighboring cities, its smaller population allows for nature spots, agriculture and sustainability practices like beekeeping. These features are available to both visitors and locals alike.
“It’s just shy of 100,000 people, which is the perfect size in my opinion,” said beekeeper Blake Butler. “There is still the small town feel but with plenty of options for food and fun.”
Temple beekeepers like Lynn Skaggs have found community through the Temple Beekeepers Association, a group that meets once a month to discuss all things bees. The group offers local beekeepers a space to connect with others and learn more about their craft. He isn’t currently a part of the group, but he made many friends through it that he still keeps in contact with.
“There’s 4 beekeepers down this road. There’s 1 north of here, Roy, and me, and then Ed, and then Jim,” he said. “And so we kind of get together periodically and share things and we help each other, you know, up and down the road. We’ve got some support.”
Any visiting bee enthusiast can find things to keep themselves buzzy in Temple, from exploring trails and wildflower patches to visiting large beekeeping farms. One such farm, located just a few minutes outside of Temple, is Walker Honey Farm.
Butler is the Chief Operating Officer of Walker Honey Farm and Dancing Bee Winery, and began beekeeping at age 15 on his friend Clinton Walker’s family farm. Though it began as a summer job, Butler, now 39, quickly became hooked.
“It was really, really hard work. So it was a great way to get in shape for football in the fall,” he said. “I just really, really enjoyed it. Once beekeeping kind of catches you, it’s really hard to stop. It gets in your blood. I worked here for a long time and then I went to college, got my master’s, went out, did my own thing. But it still called me back, and here I am.”
Walker Honey Farm has been around since the 1930s and has weathered several storms, from the Great Depression to colony collapses and relocations. Butler said he believes the business’s ability to adapt and pivot has kept it around. He also highlighted the farm’s dedication to the health of their bees.
Sending bees across the country to pollinate different crops provides a big revenue stream for beekeepers, but is unhealthy for the insects as it narrows their diet and increases the likelihood of exposure to pesticides. Walker Honey Farm has fully transitioned out of pollination and redirected its focus on its wholesale and retail presence, building a store and winery just outside of Temple where visitors can buy a variety of honeys, from orange blossom to avocado, and even tour the facilities.
Though the tour doesn’t go to the hives themselves, the tour guide thoroughly explains the ins and outs of beekeeping while giving attendees a glimpse of the various rooms and machines used to make honey and mead, a type of wine made with honey. The mead fermentation room hits visitors with a powerful aroma that fans of spirits will adore. Kids, not so much — though they do seem to enjoy asking the tour guide questions, a few of which are listed on the back of an information card the farm hands out before tours to encourage visitors to ask things.
The honey sold in the store is sourced from their own hives and from farms across the country and state. Temple’s proximity to different kinds of forage and several major cities sets it apart from other towns in Texas and has made it a prime location for Butler, both personally and professionally.
“Most things that I would want to access are within a day trip from Temple. And I guess that the same thing can be said on the beekeeping front as well. If we needed to go make some Gulf Coast tallow honey near Houston, that’s not that far away. If we wanted to go make some high plains cotton here in Texas, not that far away. There’s just so many different things within a day’s drive,” he said. “Texas is so diverse ecologically, culturally, and we’re smack dab in the middle of it.”
Bee and nature enthusiasts visiting Temple will find that one of Temple’s greatest strengths is its wide variety of nature spots, such as Belton Lake and Miller Springs Nature Center. Skaggs said he thinks visitors should make it a point to visit Mother Neff State Park, located about half an hour outside of Temple.
“Governor Neff was one of the early governors of Texas and he was the first one to make a park, and he wanted to dedicate it to his mother, so that’s why it’s called Mother Neff State Park,” said Skaggs. “It’s the first state park in Texas, and it’s just right down the road here.”
He also mentioned the wildflowers that grow abundantly in Temple. Visitors can bee-hold these gorgeous flowers at parks, trails or even from the comfort of their vehicles as they bloom on the side of the road in rolling waves of navy and scarlet. He said the honey made from the gaillardia flowers in the area is particularly delicious.
“I think Temple-Belton is one of the areas where wildflower seed people come to get seed. They use our area because we have a lot of wildflowers in our area,” he said. “So as a result of that, it’s good for beekeeping and it’s also good for wildflower propagation.”
Major cities in Texas can offer excitement in fast-paced environments, but Temple is the place to bee if you need a break from the buzziness of daily life (or from terrible bee puns). Though modest at first glance, visitors and locals of the town can get their dose of adventure through parks, flowers and beekeeping. With the practice steadily rising in popularity, consider donning your favorite close-toed shoes and exploring the world of beekeeping in Temple for yourself.
“There’s kind of a new generation of goodness seekers to align their practices and their purchases with something that’s going to be good for the planet,” Butler said. “It’s a fun activity that people can get into that is good for the planet — and it’s good for the soul too.”
Temple is located about 68 miles north of Austin and 130 miles south of Dallas. Mother Neff State Park is about 24 miles north of Temple.
Walker Honey Farm is open weekdays from 10 a.m. — 6 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. — 6 p.m. and Sundays from 12 p.m. — 6 p.m.
