Bees are interesting creatures, You should think of a bee colony as one organism or community. It has its own attitude and character. One colony is different in how it behaves and reacts. They are so fascinating that I will never stop beekeeping until I am no longer able to do it. It’s not a hobby for a few years, it is that important.
Magna People 02/2020
Martin Schäfer’s interest in bees began after casual conversations about beekeeping with his Magna colleague Günter Rühle, a chief engineer.
Schäfer received his first bee colony from Rühle in 2013, and his interest in bees blossomed.
“At the beginning, you have bees; but very soon, they have you,” said Schäfer, who works for Magna Powertrain in Untergruppenbach, Germany as a senior account manager of sales for transmission systems.
In his spare time, he tends to about 30 beehives at three locations near his home in Oberstenfeld, and runs a small business that sells honey, beeswax candles and mead made from honey at local marts and online.
His love of bees is apparent in his blog, where he writes: “Our focus is on the careful and respectful handling of bees.”
Schäfer also is a member of the leadership team of a local beekeeper association, and volunteers at a nearby school, where he has helped to set up six beehives in order to spread the importance and knowledge of beekeeping to the next generation.
“Bees are interesting creatures,” Schäfer said. “You should think of a bee colony as one organism or community. It has its own attitude and character. One colony is different in how it behaves and reacts. They are so fascinating that I will never stop beekeeping until I am no longer able to do it. It’s not a hobby for a few years, it is that important. The benefit the bees bring to our environment is pollination.”
Or, as one entry in his blog puts it: “No Bees, No Honey, No Work, No Money.”
Schäfer describes himself as an environmentalist who is bringing “his little contribution to save the environment.”
He added: “What we do at Magna with dual-clutch transmission technology also has an environmental aspect. These transmission systems are a good way to reduce CO2 emissions.”
Beekeeping has other benefits, too.
“Beekeeping is a great balance to the daily business work in sales,” Schäfer said. “Beekeeping is my way to relax.”