TEMPLE, Texas — What started as one man's mission to save unwanted bees has become an option for Bell County homeowners looking to slash their property taxes.

Meet Ben Baecker, owner of Respite Bee Farm, through Bell County's 1-D-1 agricultural appraisal program, property owners with five to twenty acres can qualify for massive tax savings — and they don't have to bee bothered with any of the work.

Three years ago, Baecker faced a sticky situation. He'd rescued over sixty bee colonies from homes, carports, and structures around the county, but his small acreage couldn't support them all.

"If I had all sixty-plus of my bees on my little acreage, that's too many mouths to feed in one small area," Baecker explained.

That's when he discovered Bell County's agricultural appraisal program

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