Beekeeping is for the Bees...
Scroll down for the rescue story!
If you ask Nona, it's all John's fault. If you ask John, he might say Nona started it. Together, we now care for 75+ hives of happy honey bees. We're in it for the bees, but outrageously delicious honey is a byproduct we're happy to share! We keep the harvest from each location separate so you can taste what the bees were foraging in the place where they made the honey. Click on the honey link to learn more about Haecker Farm, Spillers Ranch (Red Road), Aunt Hannah's Kingsbury Ranch, Ranch 1117 or the Harwood Apiary. Our honey is raw and unfiltered which means that we take it our of the honeycomb and put it in a glass jar. We use one large mesh screen to remove wax bit and bee parts - you get all the rest of the goodness including microparticles of pollen.
THE SASSY STORY
Every Jar Comes with a Little Education
John is a native Austinite and I (Nona), am a fanatical foodie. We've been married for more than twenty years. Together, we are frugal up cyclers, chronic rescuers of animals, people, houses and just about anything else. John is a retired Senior Police Sergeant and a consummate maker. He has made 99% of our bee hive woodware out of reclaimed material from high school drama departments, shipping containers or the neighborhood swap. I was the founding executive director of Whole Kids Foundation, a non profit that provides pollinator education and support for bee hives hosted at schools. I never do anything without hands on experience...so when John started studying beekeeping, it was no surprise that shortly thereafter we picked up our first hive.
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We keep “feral” bees. These bees have lived in Central Texas and evolved to thrive in our climate. Their wild genetics make them a bit SASSIER than pure European varieties.
Feral bees come from swarms. Because habitat for honey bees is challenged, swarms often land in residential trees, water meter boxes or move into sheds, garage walls or other unwelcoming places.
When that happens, we go get them and move them to one of our apiaries where they can live happily ever after.
CONTACT US
Call, text or email anytime. We deliver honey around Central Austin and near our apiaries.
Nona is happy to speak at events or host honey bee happy hours in person and virtually.
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We're proud that our honey is sold at the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center Gift Shop
and The Culinary Room on the square in Lockhart.
512.289.9258
