Photo: Planet Bee

James Nowek (left), Ed Nowek, and Olivia Hoffart (right).

Spring is in the air which means bees will soon start buzzing – but this year will look a little different for a local honey farm.

Patriarch of Vernon’s Planet Bee, Ed Nowek, retired at the end of last year, passing the hive – onto his two children.

Olivia Hoffart and James Nowek took control of the honey farm in Vernon’s Bellavista area in 2025.

“He'll still probably always be involved in some way,” said Olivia. “It's been going really well. We've just been kind of trying to put our own stamp on things a little bit, and learn as much as we can from our dad.”

This first year, the siblings will be focusing on sprucing things up, focusing on Canadian products, and working with local partners to bring in new products like sauces or spicy honey.

Losing experience

While Ed will still be around, his daily expertise will be missed.

“That's kind of the main distinct loss, is the expert in the beekeeping industry that [Ed] was to us,” said Olivia. “So we're going to be looking for ways that we can support the beekeeping industry locally as a whole.”

The support might be a honey harvest or showcase to prop up local beekeepers and their products, or to bring those items into the planet bee shop.

As for beekeeping at Planet Bee, James has experience and is able to don Ed’s classic get up. They also have another beekeeper who will be working with them.

It’s good news for bees, Olivia said early indications show very few losses, which is a big bounce back from last year where no hives at Planet Bee survived.

Longstanding Vernon business

Ed started what would one day become Planet Bee in Armstrong in 1997, before moving the operation to Vernon in 2003.

As teenagers, Olivia and James joined the company in the mid-2000s. After heading to university the pair both returned in the 2010s.

In 2018, Planet Bee became Vernon’s first biosphere committed entity – meaning it focuses on sustainable tourism.

Ed announced his retirement in fall 2024, with plans for Olivia and James to fully take over in 2025.

Photo: Chelsey Mutter

Ed Nowek in his bee suit in spring 2023, surveying an overwintered hive.