Login | September 17, 2026
An up-close look at what’s behind the buzz at Akron-Canton Airport
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: September 17, 2026
As the country was emerging from the pandemic, Stark County resident Adam Dietry decided to make his dream of becoming a beekeeper a reality.
While doing his research, he realized that he did not have enough space on his property.
“I have a half-acre of land where I live,” said Dietry. “I need one full acre of land at least to be able to accommodate honeybee hives on my property in Plain Township, Ohio.
“This may vary from state to state and city to city.”
But he didn’t give up. Instead, he identified a better location with enough space for the honeybees to thrive and grow -- the Akron-Canton Airport (CAK).
Dietry also happens to be the assistant manager of environmental services at the airport.
“The plan was to acquire some beehives and keep them on the airport property, and if the population got healthy enough, sell the honey,” said Dietry.
When Dietry shared the proposal with CAK President and Chief Executive Officer Ren Camacho, the airport’s leader was not only on board with the idea but was enthusiastic about it.
Today the bees are not only thriving but are producing honey that is now available for sale exclusively at the airport.
Branded the 1946 Honeybee Co., the product is giving travelers and locals yet another reason to make the airport a destination.
“In addition to passengers, we have a guest pass program that allows members of the public who aren’t flying to enjoy our amenities that are located on the post-security side of the facility, such as the Observation Deck restaurant,” said Christian McCauley, engagement and brand experience manager at Akron-Canton Airport.
Though the airport is now home to 104 hives — four of which are owned by CAK — the project began with just 20.
The hives were provided by Hartville Honey Bee Farm owner Mike White, who continues to care for the bees and works with airport staff to keep them healthy.
Located in Uniontown, the family-owned business raises and sells honeybees and queens, produces local honey, supplies beekeeping equipment and rents out hives for crop pollination.
“We have 500 beehives that make about 2,000 queens every year,” said White. “We also harvest about 10,000 pounds of local raw honey.”
The honey, which is available in flavors such as wildflower and unique options like chocolate- or garlic-infused, is sold on the website and at area stores.
“We supply most of our pollination equipment to pumpkin and blueberry farmers in northeast Ohio,” said White.
“Part of the reason we decided to collaborate with the airport on this project was to provide more locations for our own bees to forage and live.”
But the most important motivation, he said, was to help ensure the survival of the honeybees by spreading the Varroa sensitive hygiene (VSH) trait that enables worker bees to detect and remove bee pupae that are infected with the parasitic mite Varroa destructor.
The mite attacks and feeds on honeybees and is considered one of the most dangerous pest problems for the honeybee population worldwide.
“Bees with the VSH trait were initially bred by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Louisiana,” said White.
“We buy breeder queens that have this genetic trait and use them to make queens for our hives,” White said. “When our queens mate with non-VSH drones the resulting colonies carry the trait.
“So, when Adam came to me with the idea about locating some of my hives at the airport, I was excited about the opportunity to spread this protective trait in northeast Ohio.”
And the environmental goal was at the top of the agenda for the airport’s president and CEO as well.
“The 1946 Honeybee Co. effort aligns with our mission to be stewards of the region and to support the well-being of the community we proudly serve,” said Camacho. “The 1946 Honeybee Co. name honors the year the airport was dedicated, further reflecting our deep connection to the region.”
To preserve its heritage, the airport is limiting the honey’s availability.
“Because the brand is connected to our founding, we want to keep it authentic,” said McCauley. “That’s why it is only being sold on the premises.”
There’s another local feature to the initiative.
The labels for the jars and displays were designed by local artist Ashley Liptak, who graduated from Kent State University with a bachelor’s degree in visual communication design.
“Ashley had done a mural for us entitled ‘#TakeFlightCAK,’ and we were so impressed by her work that we decided to get her involved in some of our other projects,” said McCauley.
“My goal for the honeybee project is not only to learn beekeeping as a hobby but to spread the word that honeybees and pollinators in general need our help,” said Dietry.
“We need to be better stewards of our environment, and the airport is a perfect platform because we have plenty of green space available for use. Since we are surrounded by a lot of different farms, they reap the benefits as well,” Dietry said.
For those hoping to buy the honey, it’s available for purchase at the Shops on Deck and at Akron Coffee Roasters.