Beekeeping has become very popular in Garrard County. The interest in beekeeping has grown rapidly over the past three years. Local beekeepers have expended their number of hives and new beekeepers have started up their own hives to care for. Supplies have been hard to get locally and the only suppliers are over an hour and a half away. Making it very difficult to purchase. The Garrard County ANR agent and a couple of other beekeepers worked with the local hardware store to begin handling bee supplies.  The hardware store owner was hesitant at first, because he didn't want inventory sitting on his shelves and not selling. Word of mouth news about the hardware store having supplies spread quickly and inventory moved off the shelf at a rapid rate.  The hardware store now supplies his beekeeping distributor with paint and other supplies that they use in their warehouse building beehives. The hardware store owner has shared with the ANR agent that the beekeeping supplies have generated close to $20,000 in sales in 2021.  The store owner plans to continue and even expand his beekeeping inventory.