I did some work for Rusty Howze, a local beekeeper in Turlock, Penrod said. He needed some help with his business and he paid me with beehives. It was fun and exciting. I just got fascinated with the whole process of beekeeping. Rusty was a wonderful mentor. He taught me so much about caring for bees, pollinating and collecting honey. With 25 years of experience as a professional beekeeper, Kelly Penrod, right, has 400 certified hives producing about 100 to 140 pounds of honey per hive annually.