I was born with a challenge. I have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It isn’t all bad having ADHD. I’m always peppy and happy. The downside is I always get “Frequently disrupts the learning environment” on my report card. Frankly, my parents would probably mind more if I weren’t a good student, but I get my share of A’s.
At age 10 we moved from Los Angeles, California to a rural forest in the Pacific Northwest. Bigfoot Country. Our farm is amazing. Magical. I can climb trees, swim in the pond, shoot bows and arrows or just hang out with our animals. We’ve got 3 dogs and 4 cats plus 29 other animals. Almost all are endangered heritage breeds, including our kooky pig, Barnaby Wilde, whom my mother sometimes lets in the house so he can watch TV.
One day when I was 11, my mom and I got on a plane to go home. I didn’t want to sit next to a stranger, but I did. Turns out the guy was a beekeeper. I learned about Colony Collapse Disorder. He told me humans couldn’t live more than 7 years if bees disappeared. So at the end of the flight my mom said I could get a hive because I wanted to start my own company to donate to the preservation of honeybees. My mom laughed and called my dad and now it’s a real business, Henry’s Humdingers, a brand of Orange Socks Unlimited LLC.
Instead of selling sweet, plain honey like everybody else, I have created something a little different. Henry’s Humdingers are spicy honeys used as condiments, sauces, marinades or ingredients in tons of recipes. Grumpy Grandpa is cayenne and garlic, Naughty Nana is spicy pepper and ginger and Phoebe’s Fireball is chipotle and cinnamon.
