(Shawn Magrath Photo)

OXFORD – When Chuck Kutik was gifted his first two bee hives in the late 1970s, employees of the Chenango County honey producer said he “caught the bug.”

Kutik and and his wife, Karen, owners of Kutik's Honey and Kutik's Everything Bees in Oxford, have been producing honey ever since. And with the unveiling of a new extraction facility last week, they've shown no signs of slowing down in an otherwise sticky business.

The family-owned business hosted a “thank you” celebration on Friday, with games, tours, and food for the community that's supported it for 40 years. The centerpiece: a new extraction facility that will help Kutik's consolidate several extraction facilities into one, reducing stress while also increasing production.