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Nobody knows bees like Buddy Williams. The Landrum resident is a third-generation beekeeper who manages about sixty hives around his home on South Blackstock Road, as well as in other locations in both Greenville and Spartanburg counties. Buddy sells gallons of honey every year and is best known for the honor system stand he has set up beside his comfortable brick home, where he and his wife Juanita have lived for many years. He claims he’s never been cheated by customers who come to pick up a pint or a quart jar of the sweet stuff and leave their money in the prescribed location.

Buddy has racked up several honors during his illustrious career as a beekeeper. He is a founding member of the Landrum Farmer’s Market and most recently was named the 2025 recipient of the National DAR Conservation Award for his work in educating others about the important role honeybees play in our environment. He’s most proud of the people from all walks of life he has taken under his wing over the years to mentor and train in beekeeping skills. He pulls no punches, though. He warns them up front that beekeeping is hard work, and you always risk the occasional painful sting of an angry worker protecting her territory. Scores of people have appreciated Buddy’s patient and honest approach to teaching the fine art of keeping bees.

One of Buddy’s beekeeping proteges is Ms. Joan Slemenda, a retired schoolteacher from Chesnee. Joan had an interest in beekeeping before she ever met Buddy. In fact, she was one of the founding members of the Spartanburg Beekeeper’s Association. It was in that group that she met Williams after the second or third year of the Association’s existence. After meeting him, Joan knew she wanted to learn all she could from him. And then she decided she wanted to record in print everything she was learning. So, she and Buddy went to work on a project last year that eventually became a very helpful book called Beekeeping Matters. It’s perfect for the novice and pro alike. 

This book addresses the routine tasks of beekeeping month by month and dispenses great tips and timely information for those with just the most elementary knowledge of the subject. Joan explains that the book came not only from her desire to grow the beekeeping community but also to let people know honeybees are in deep trouble. It’s estimated that in 2023 and 2024 alone, 55% of existing honeybee colonies were lost. This is an alarming trend that has been on the rise for some time.  

Both Joan and Buddy want to see this trend reversed, and one way they believe it can be done is by properly educating new beekeepers so they can become wise stewards of this remarkable creature. 

Joan’s dedication to the preservation of the honeybee has won her this year’s DAR State Conservation Award. For more information about purchasing Beekeeping Matters or to learn more about entering the wonderful world of beekeeping, you can contact Joan Slemenda by email at beekeepingmatters@gmail.com.