Adam Hickman is passionate about beekeeping and the honey his hives produce at Foxhound Bee Company.
A home-cooked country breakfast is a legendary trademark of southern culture, and the clock has no bearing whatsoever on when it can and cannot be served. In the eyes of a southerner, anytime is the perfect time for a traditional southern breakfast spread. And for people like Adam Hickman, the only way to serve it is with a jar of honey on the table. But not just any honey; his honey, straight from local hives he personally tends. Adam and his wife, Stephanie, own Foxhound Bee Company, a Hoover-based beekeeping and honey production company (named after the breed of their dog, Finn), where they strive to connect outsiders to the sometimes mysterious world of beekeeping through teaching, mentoring and personal tours.
Photo by Hector Sanchez
Though limited in manpower, Foxhound Bee Company is a well-rounded operation. In addition to tending his hives, Adam builds top-quality beekeeping equipment and provides a hive removal service upon request. All of his equipment is carefully crafted with thick, smooth cypress boards, which gives his hives both strong durability and increased insulation. The boxes Adam creates are constructed with pride and are utilized by beekeepers all over the state of Alabama and beyond. Adam has now shipped his equipment to 42 states, elevating his business from regional to national status.
Adam credits his beekeeping passion to his late great-grandfather, a well-seasoned beekeeper in North Carolina. After inheriting his well-loved and well-worn equipment, a flicker of interest soon ignited into a thriving, growing business. As tribute, Adam keeps an unopened bottle of his great-granddad’s honey close at hand.
When Adam isn’t checking the health of a hive frame-by-frame or engrossed in the production of a new box, he can be found teaching a beekeeping introduction class or helping a new beekeeper through his mentoring service. Educating the public about the many benefits of beekeeping is an important part of his business; he loves nothing more than to share his passion with people of all ages.
Through his popular ‘Host-A-Hive’ program, Adam tends to approximately 20 active hives scattered throughout the Birmingham area, including the Shoal Creek community, located on the eastern edge of Hoover. This program is specifically designed to help a community, business or homeowner reap all of the benefits of beekeeping without having to personally invest in the process. Through ‘Host-A-Hive,’ all hives are completely managed by Foxhound Bee Co.
According to Adam, one of his favorite aspects of his business is what he calls the “sweat equity.” Beekeeping is a sweaty job, but seeing the fruits of his labor makes it all worthwhile, he says. Adam values and appreciates the hive-to-table process and believes it is something “everyone can relate to in one way or another.”
In addition to beekeeping, the Hickman family is also passionate about giving. Community-wise, they give their time to help educate others on just how important honeybees are to the world around us. Because they believe so strongly in the power of education, the Hickmans donate a half-hour of community education for every one hour of consultation services provided by Foxhound Bee Co. The Hickmans also donate 10 percent of their annual profits to ‘Compassion International,’ a Christ-centered non-profit organization dedicated to the physical and spiritual nourishment of children in poverty.
To learn more about the products and services Foxhound Bee Company has to offer, visit foxhoundbeecompany.com. At this time, products are not available for purchase via a bricks-and-mortar retail space but can be ordered online through his website.
Foxhound Bee Company can be followed on multiple social media platforms. Adam says his most recent updates are posted via Instagram, @foxhoundbeeco. He can also be found on Twitter @FoxhoundBeeCo, as well as on Facebook at facebook.com/foxhoundbeeco.
