004. Only Through Shadows
An inspiring story of starting over and finding true direction.
Nestled in the heart of Norfolk, Stacy Cronly-Dillon has transformed her passion for bees into a flourishing business that celebrates the wonders of nature.
With a backdrop of wildflower fields and ancient woodlands, Stacy’s story is one of rediscovering her roots and nurturing her love for the environment, all while providing unforgettable experiences for those eager to learn about the delicate world of bees.
I’ve always been a collector of hobbies but before all this started my full time job was brand marketing for food and drink companies.
In 2021 we moved from our semi-rural home in Essex to our very rural home in Norfolk. I was able to connect more with nature as I had done in my childhood when, growing up in the 80’s, outdoor play was the only thing to keep away the boredom.
Also my grandad had been a warden of a 47 acre woodland and both grandparents big lovers of nature being naturalists (not to be confused with naturists!) so my childhood had been an immersion in the wildlife and plant life that surround us.
As I grew up, I spent less and less time outside and more inside with my head in a book. I had a fantastic career but something was missing and the move to the village was the catalyst for an interest in bees. It started by planting a garden with food for the bumblebees and lots of insect habitats in amongst the pollinator friendly flowers.
At the time Monty Don was on Gardeners World and had just started keeping bees; then a swarm flew across our garden and landed in our neighbours orchard, shortly after that I signed up for an introductory beekeeping course, then joined our local beekeeping association (an easy decision when I found out they had cake at every meeting!) and my fascination with honey bees began.
After keeping bees for a couple of years I had realised that the hobby was becoming an obsession (I had 25 colonies by the end of my second year!) I turned 40 years old and needed a change from the grind of corporate life, so my husband suggested I take a few months break before looking for something new.
We worked out we could probably survive on his wage for 3 months but that didn’t become necessary as I ended up going self employed with the marketing and working on starting a honey bee based business at the same time to see if I could make anything happen with that passion…. 6 years later I’m still working with the bees!
The business is small, you’d probably call it a micro business. It’s just me. It still takes up most of my time and energy but it’s true what they say about finding something you love.
Occasionally I have some help. My dad lives with us so he helps with carpark duty on days we have visitors and sometimes helps with elements around the apiary – I call him my apprentice and it’s nice to know that at 76 years old he’s still learning.
We live half a mile from our nearest neighbours and our house has a 100 acre woodland to one side and fields which are predominantly wild flowers and grasses on the other sides. It’s very peaceful and has wildlife in abundance with several different species of deer, owls, hare, foxes, buzzards and red kites amongst the plethora of creatures that provide constant entertainment. You can often find me standing by one of the windows watching “wildlife tv”.
My training apiary is in part of the garden. Our plot is less than an acre but was helpfully divided into smaller gardens so the apiary area is in an space I call Jurassic Park or the productive garden; here you’ll find the beehives, chickens and vegetable beds along with the training room.
I love it when I walk visitors through the gap in the hedge and into this garden as the remarks from them are so positive and also you start to feel them relax and breathe as they take in the surroundings.
Work for me is varied so sometimes I’ll be with the bees at their hives, sometimes I’ll be teaching or running a workshop in the training room, I might be in the workshop refurbishing hives or in the house working on everything else that comes with running your own business (this is usually accompanied by the sound of dogs playing as we currently have three).
My ambition is to be the destination for people to come to for unforgettable experiences that celebrate nature. I use the honey bee as a window into the natural world beyond the hive.
People travel from all over the country to visit us which is very humbling. They might attend a bee experience where people interested in pollinators can learn more about the 270 species of bee we have in the UK or perhaps they come on a workshop where we create with beeswax or locally sourced flowers and foliage.
I go to groups and businesses and give talks that aim to inspire and motivate people to make their little bit of difference for the bees as well as helping people open their eyes to the wonders of the natural world around them. I also train new beekeepers too but do so with an open mind, finding the right style and approach for each of my beginners, or helping and supporting those that have started but have gotten a little stuck along the way
The bee experience is the main product I’m known for. I welcome around 200 people to the apiary each year to visit the bees when they’re most active (which is May to August).
Visitors get dressed up in a beekeeping suit and then we visit the hives, first I open the hive and take guests through stories of the bees life from birth to death and adventures in between.
Then I will usually give everyone the chance to hold a frame of bees themselves so they can get really close and see the intricate world themselves. This is probably my favourite part of the experiences because everyone’s reaction is so special; there is a special calm that the bees bring (which is scientifically backed up but I won’t go into that now).
I’ve recently launched some creative workshops, these utilise beeswax or flowers to craft creations to take home. As wax wraps have become a popular eco-friendly alternative to clingfilm we make these in some of the workshops. One of the workshops is called Beeswax and Blooms and we handroll candles from beeswax but also make posies from seasonal flowers and foliage, this one is fun because not only do I talk about pollination and how bees see flowers but we also learn the Victorian meanings of flowers so can create messages with our posies!
Because my business is so tiny it’s just incredible to be recognised. A big high was winning Highly Commended in the Experiences category at the East of England Tourism Awards.
Other memorable moments aren’t the big ones but actually the small ones. This year a colony decided to swarm as a mum and her daughter were approaching the hives for a bee experience so they got to stand in the middle of the swarm; watching and listening to the magical moment and for me I got to see the amazement they experienced which was very special.
The memorable moments are also the sounds of nervous anticipation and excitement as visitors approach the hives, the gasps as they hold a drone (male bee) in their hand, the exhilaration when they see the elusive queen.
Of course there are lows; worries about money when orders aren’t coming in. Frustrations over the weather meaning outdoor events can’t take place. Not enough hours in the day to get everything done, feeling shattered and defeated.
But then I teach someone how to make a candle or help them look after their bees more easily and the highs certainly outweigh the lows.
My business was built for a need to find some balance in life. I wanted something to push my creativity and drive into, that would give me satisfaction whilst allowing me time to have time to enjoy life.
Interestingly the enjoyment of life and finding the balance isn’t big holidays like it used to be when I had a high paying job; instead it’s being able to cook a meal from scratch using vegetables I’ve grown in my garden. It’s being able to take my dad to his hospital appointments or to go dog training in the middle of the day. It’s work being a part of my life not work being everything in my life.
My ambition for my business is to continue to grow in the area of celebrating the magic of nature through unforgettable experiences; continuing to open people’s eyes to the world around them, to enable them to treat it with respect and to find the magic.
Thank you Stacy for sharing your magical world at Sunnyfield and your inspiring business story. It sounds like a transformative experience and is certainly one I’ll be adding to my own bucket list. – Lyndsey
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