WyomingPBS to feature Queen Bee Gardens

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By David Peck

Fridays are normally quiet at the Queen Bee Gardens honey candy factory in Lovell as a non-production day, but last Friday, Sept. 4, was different as the operation on Main Street in Lovell was the focus of a film crew from Wyoming Public Television.

Craig Blumenshine, a senior public affairs producer for WyomingPBS, was in town to feature Queen Bee Gardens for the Wyoming Chronicle program he produces. With him was videographer Kyle Duba. The duo spent a little more than three hours taking a behind-the-scenes tour of the factory and filming an interview with Queen Bee confectioner Jason Zeller.

The WyomingPBS website describes Wyoming Chronicle as “an innovative weekly program of interviews with newsmakers, artists, innovative thinkers and unique Wyoming personalities.” Blumenshine, an eight-year veteran of WyomingPBS who started with Wyoming’s PBS station KCWC in Riverton, is the producer and host of the program, which airs Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. and Sundays at noon.

The half-hour program is also available online at www.pbs.org/show/wyoming-chronicle.

The Wyoming Chronicle show featuring Queen Bee will air Sept. 18, 19 and 20. Viewers will be able to see Zeller’s behind-the-scenes tour of the candy factory and learn about the history and hopes of the Queen Bee Gardens company.

“Viewers will be able to see how the candy is created from start to finish,” Blumenshine said. “It’s fascinating.

“Viewers will learn the history of Queen Bee Gardens in Lovell, an unbelievably great tasting candy in Lovell.”

Blumenshine, a Riverton native now living in Cheyenne, produces 26 Wyoming Chronicle programs a year from Labor Day to Memorial Day, traveling across Wyoming to tell the story of interesting people. He also produces the “Capitol Outlook” program from Cheyenne and moderates political debates, including the upcoming Wyoming U.S. Senate and U.S. House debates from Torrington on Oct. 8.

Videographer Duba, a Lander resident, likely shot two hours of video during the morning in Lovell and will present the large video file to Blumenshine, who will script the show and perform final editing with Duba.

“For me, I was amazed at the work that’s done there (at Queen Bee Gardens), and the candy tastes amazing,” Blumenshine said. “I’m not certain they know how great their product is.

“Wyoming Chronicle allows me to meet incredible people all over Wyoming like Jason.”

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