Queen Bee visits Fair

Sarah Rushfeldt, the 2012 Wisconsin Honey Queen, made a visit at the Pierce County Beekeepers booth Sunday. The 23-year-old Dresser native has been a beekeeper since the age of eight, and now manages approximately 100 bee colonies. Prior to being selected Honey Queen, she served as the Northwest District Honey Queen. Since her crowning, Rushfeldt has travelled the state, speaking at schools, civic groups, festivals and fairs. As a result, she says she has gotten to know a lot of beekeepers throughout the state and “loves the interest” there is for beekeeping in Wisconsin. She also spends a lot of time as an educator for the industry (i.e. the difference between local and processed honey, and the impact of honey on so many foods). Rushfeldt will be competing for the American Honey Queen title this January in Hersey, Pennsylvania. -- Photo by Jason Schulte