For 19-year-old Zack Sporte, beekeeping comes with a sting – sometimes more than 50 in a single day. But he says the rewards far outweigh the pain.
As the founder of Zack’s Bees, he began his journey in agriculture by making maple syrup. That curiosity quickly led him to honey production and a growing business in Walker.
“When I started, I was actually doing maple syrup,” Sporte says. “I tapped about 300 maple trees and thought I’d turn that into a business. But once I got my first hive, I realized I really liked working with bees.”
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The ritual of care is an important reason why Zack's Bees are happy ones.
What started as a backyard hobby has grown into a small business with a mission: producing high-quality honey while promoting pollinator health and environmental sustainability. Sporte sells honey and other bee-based products and advocates for the role bees play in food systems and biodiversity.
“I was about 10 when I started with maple syrup and 12 when I got into beekeeping,” he says. “We were homeschooled, so I had free time to explore the woods. I loved being outside and learning by doing.”
Learning the business
Beekeeping in Michigan’s climate hasn’t been easy. Honeybees face constant threats from pests, disease, and extreme weather.
“Trying to understand how to keep bees alive through winter was the hardest part,” Sporte says. “They’re really susceptible to problems, and Michigan winters are especially rough.”
To market his products, Sporte leaned on help from his dad and Facebook.
“My dad would take jars to work and sell them to coworkers. That helped spread the word,” he says. “I also posted on Facebook asking if anyone had property where I could place hives. In exchange, I give them a share of the honey.”
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Zack Sporte checks on the health of his bees, which thrive in this chem-free field.
Working with bees every day means getting stung is normal.
“I get stung at least once a day, sometimes more than 50 or 60 times,” he says. “I used to swell up badly, but now I’ve built up an immunity. It doesn’t really bother me anymore.”
His advice for young people considering beekeeping: don’t give up too soon.
“Beekeeping is hard, especially the first year. If your hive dies, try again. But also, don’t just get a hive and ignore it,” he says. “If you don’t take care of it, diseases can spread and hurt other hives.”
Still, the rewards are worth the effort.
“Extracting honey in August is the best part, seeing all your hard work in one place and then watching it go out to stores or get shipped across the country. It’s really fulfilling,” Sporte says.
Honey sold locally
Zack’s Bees products are sold at several West Michigan locations, including Martha’s Vineyard, Greenville Farm in Coopersville, Chicken Bacon Ranch, Peters Gourmet in Grandville, CC’s Market in Grand Haven, and the West Michigan Farm Link in Grand Rapids.
“I always wanted to grow something big. That’s what motivates me, seeing the scale of what we can build,” he says.
Sporte credits his family for supporting the business.
“My parents helped create different products like candles and lotions. My sister makes beeswax candles. My younger brothers help extract honey in the fall,” he says. “I also work full-time for a commercial beekeeper and run my business part-time. He lets me use his facility to extract honey.”
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A worker bee tends to the young queen bee.
Sporte says the taste of honey depends on what flowers are blooming at the time.
“That’s why we call it wildflower honey. It’s a mix of everything the bees find from spring to fall,” he says.
As his business grows, so does his commitment to sustainability.
“If you’re passionate about something, don’t give up, even when it gets hard,” he says. “And please limit the use of pesticides or herbicides. They harm the bees. We’ve lost hives from chemical sprays. Also, plant bee-friendly flowers; it helps more than you think.”
Part of bigger picture
Zack’s efforts align with broader sustainability goals promoted by the
Wege Prize High School Collaborative Studio at
Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University. The program encourages students to find local solutions to global environmental challenges using the triple bottom line of People, Planet, and Prosperity, guided by the
United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
“What the needs and opportunities are in West Michigan may not be the same everywhere, and our climate zone is unique to us,” says
Gayle DeBruyn, a professor at KCAD and chair of the school’s Collaborative Design and Master of Arts in design programs.
DeBruyn also is the college’s sustainability officer and is part of the team behind the international Wege Prize design competition.
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Applying smoke to the hive helps calm the bees before Zack inspects their work.
She points out that the West Michigan region’s proximity to the Great Lakes, which contain 20% of the world’s fresh surface water, makes environmental responsibility even more urgent.
“Zack understands that our ecosystem is carefully balanced,” DeBruyn says. “Nature has evolved best practices, and bees are essential. They pollinate our orchards and crops, support biodiversity, and help feed our communities.”
With pollinators under threat from
colony collapse disorder, she says efforts by beekeepers like Sporte are vital for understanding the drivers of bee population decline and for preserving biodiversity and economic resilience.
With pollinators facing serious threats, including a 42% loss of managed honeybee colonies in 2022, according to a
2022 U.S. Department of Agriculture report, efforts like Sporte’s are increasingly important.
“Biodiversity, including the diversity of pollinators such as honeybees, is crucial for ecosystem stability and sustainable development,” DeBruyn says.
Addressing these challenges requires collaboration between educators, businesses, and youth leaders. DeBruyn notes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing sustainability challenges through organizations such as the
Michigan Sustainable Business Forum.
“All business is better when people connect to share best practices and work together,” she says. “Collaboration is what helps like-minded organizations scale their impact.”
DeBruyn believes that young entrepreneurs like Sporte can inspire change.
“Young people bring energy, passion, and bold ideas,” she says. “Our role is to support them. They have the vision and the potential to create a better future for all of us.”
Photos by Tommy Allen
Solange Sifa is a sophomore attending Lee High School. She likes learning new things. She’s extremely passionate about literature and archaeology. She hopes to one day inspire people to pursue their dreams.
To learn more about Rapid Growth's Voices of Youth project and read other installments in the series, click here. This series is made possible via underwriting sponsorships from the Steelcase Foundation, Frey Foundation, PNC Foundation, and Kent ISD.