18 AUGUST 2019
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THE INTERVIEW JT: How did you know
it was time to leave
publishing?
CM: Change is an
integral part of life. When
I start feeling too
comfortable, I get bored.
There were difficult
moments, and all of a
sudden I was alone a lot.
It gave me time to think
about who I really was
and what was important
to me. Getting off that
train for a little while was
very healthy.
JT: What do you carry
with you from that
career?
CM: The ability to sell
something, present
something, market it,
package it. Now I get to
create something that I
believe in and be as
nimble as I need to.
JT: What do you love
about bees?
CM: There’s a demo-
cratic way of running a
hive. Honeybees and
pollinators are so
focused on their work,
and the product they
make is amazing.
They’re also just worker
bees. They play such an
important role, but
nobody stops to make a
big deal about it.
JT: And what can we all
learn from bees?
CM: If we all saw the
world as our hive, I think
we’d be in a much, much
better state than we are.
JT: I’m fascinated by the
queen bee, the
empowered female
leader of the hive. Does
that resonate for you?
CM: We all look for that
beacon of light to follow.
The queen bee, chosen
by the hive, is treated so
well. She’s given
strength through the
royal jelly to get really
strong and be a super
bee. The hive can’t
survive without her
because she’s laying
eggs every moment of
her life. It’s actually not
that great to be a queen
bee—you never get to
leave the hive. It’s lonely
at the top.
JT: What would you tell a
woman who’s interested
in getting into beekeep-
ing or distilling?
CM: There are over
2,000 craft distilleries in
the United States; fewer
than 20 are owned by
women. I found out as
I went. It would’ve meant
so much to be able to
talk to another gal.
JT: Now that you’ve
successfully turned your
passion into your
business, is it still fun?
CM: Yes. There’s nothing
I enjoy more than the
power, perfection, and
beauty of nature. A
beehive is the epitome
of all that. It smells
beautiful, [honey] tastes
amazing, and it’s good
for you. You see how
efficient these animals
are. Bringing that to
people at a tasting adds
a little bit of magic into
people’s lives.
This interview has been
edited for clarity.
CLAIRE MARIN LEFT a formidable career in magazine
publishing, took a breath, and then turned her
beekeeping hobby into a business called Catskill
Provisions. Named for the region of New York state
where Marin tends bees, it has grown to offer not
only honey but also ketchup, apple cider vinegar,
chocolate truffles, and even award-winning whiskey—
all improved by honey. “I wanted to do right by the
pollinators,” she told me, and this respect comes
through in every aspect of Marin’s work. —INTER-
VIEW BY JULIA TURSHEN, FOUNDER OF EQUITY AT THE
TABLE (EATT) AND AUTHOR OF NOW & AGAIN
Hive Mind Claire Marin
on switching careers and
learning from the bees
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