‘Bees Help Me Practice Being Calm And Present’ – Danial Williams Explains His Unique Hobby
“Mini T” Danial Williams wears many hats as a fighter, business owner, health enthusiast – and even an amateur beekeeper.
The Thai-Australian fan favorite – who is returning to MMA action against Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang at ONE Fight Night 19: Haggerty vs. Lobo on Prime Video – has combined his love of honey with his passion for nature to start his own bee colonies in his native Perth.
Although tending to his hives has taken a back seat while he prepares for battle in U.S. primetime on February 16, Williams is simply fascinated by beekeeping.
He discussed the hobby with onefc.com ahead of his battle at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand:
“It started from loving my honey and then just understanding the bees. The colony is quite interesting. I’m learning a lot about them and how their systems work.
“I’ve got currently got one hive at home, and I’ve got two hives at my partner’s parents’ property. Actually, my partner was the first person to have a hive and then I was like, ‘I want to get one as well,’ because I’ve always wanted a beehive.”
With so many plates in the air – combining full-time combat sports training with his health business – Williams doesn’t have as much time as he’d like for beekeeping, but he also finds it restorative outside of his hectic lifestyle.
When it eventually comes time to hang up his gloves, the 30-year-old sees himself delving much further into it, but for now, he’s happy with the reward he gets:
“Right now, it’s therapeutic, just being out in nature and learning something different. I think the main thing is bees help me practice being calm and present, away from the hustle and bustle of martial arts.
“Being able to have my own hive that’s accessible to make our own honey, it’s going to help our garden and create that ecosystem. They help with the flowering and the fruit trees pollinating.
“I’m enjoying it because there’s still lots to learn. By learning about bees, it helps you learn about other parts of nature and ecosystems. It’s a good thing to learn, and it’s a cool hobby. It is very interesting and something to look forward to after fighting, diving deeper into that world.”
Danial Williams Shares The Ups And Downs Of Beekeeping
As with anything, there are positives and negatives to owning and maintaining beehives.
Although it’s not enough to stop him, Danial Williams admits that getting stung isn’t something he’ll ever look forward to – though he knows from experience that building a connection with his bees will ultimately eliminate this issue.
He explained:
“I’ve been stung so many times! The ones on the farm, I don’t see all the time. The ones in my house, I could go see them and I’ll just stand there. I could even open it up, no covering whatsoever, and they’re cool.
“The bees at home definitely recognize me because I’m out in the garden every day. We water our plants, and I’m trying to produce fruits and be a bit more self-sufficient. They know you’re not a threat because they see every day that you’re not going to the hive and making an issue.
“But going to the farm, they don’t see humans. So, it’s just, ‘This is a threat, why is this person around? The last time a person came, they took all our honey. So, let’s not let that happen!’”
Williams enjoys many aspects of his colonies, but his love for honey was the main reason he started – and it’s still the most enduring.
A self-certified addict, “Mini T” can’t go a day without the sweet nectar. But given all the benefits of locally sourced honey that he produces himself, the health-conscious athlete sees it as a net positive.
Williams added:
“I love honey. I have honey every morning. I have it before training. It’s like I’ve got a sugar addiction, but it’s a healthier thing to have. I’m big on my health, and honey is a good one.
“This morning, I had it on yogurt. That’s common. Or I have a teaspoon in my coffee. I put it on anything. Honey on toast is good, honey-glazed chicken, fried. Or just mash a tablespoon before training if I need some energy.
“I also put half a teaspoon in my water bottle as well to keep the carbs up through training, rather than getting all the hydration powders and stuff like that. A bit of honey works just the same. It’s good for you.”
