We are sad to share that Barry Conrad passed away September 30th. Barry’s smile in the early morning market hours drew you in and brightened the day. His smile was as delightful as the golden honey he sold at market. Barry and his wife Carmen (of Conrad Hive and Honey) were part of the group of original vendors at the Clintonville Farmers’ Market, which began in 2003. They have been a staple of the market ever since and rarely missed a Saturday on High Street, rain or shine, hot and humid or bitter cold. Barry’s connection to the Clintonville area reaches back to when he called Clintonville home. Until 2003, Barry ran his highly regarded photography business on N. High St (at the location of the now Virtue Vegan Salon). In 1978, Barry decided to move his family home to what was then the country: Canal Winchester. He bought a small 11-acre horse farm where he eventually set up his photography business alongside a few horses that came with the farm. Soon thereafter, Barry started planting fruit trees and quickly realized he needed pollinators for those apple blossoms. With the first few hives he placed on his property, his love and passion for honey bees was born. What started as a hobby for Barry is now an operation of over 60–70 hives in a variety of bee yards around Canal Winchester. In addition to the honeybees, the Conrad’s offer a full-service bee supply company that many of Barry’s family members help to run. Over the past 30 + years, Barry and Carmen have been committed to supporting central Ohio beekeepers and customers alike. They have provided beekeeping supplies, advice for new beekeepers, spring bee packages, education opportunities, honey and every size, shape and style of beeswax candles. The Conrad’s supported many local organizations over the years, including the Ohio State Fair, Lithopolis HoneyFest, and the Central Ohio Beekeepers Association (COBA). As a long time board member for COBA, Barry taught hundreds of brand-new beekeepers and drove 4-5 million honey bees from Georgia to Ohio to their new homes each spring. Barry’s love for teaching new beekeepers kept him coaching and guiding new and seasoned beekeepers alike for the past 25 years. Many of us relied on Barry’s wisdom, optimism and knowledge to get us through tough beekeeping times.
Barry passed the baton for teaching new beekeepers to his granddaughter Tess Conrad before he died. Knowing her passion for the honey bees and her love of her grandfather would come through in her teaching. You may find Tess helping to run the Conrad Hive and Honey stand at the market, balancing her budding career in social work with supporting the family business. Many of you knew and loved Barry. We are sorry for all our loss. He will be deeply missed around the market and we are grateful to have known him.
