Growing up on the family farm here in Rio Grande, I was familiar with bee hives and the benefits honey bees bring to the produce. In 2007, I decided to get into beekeeping as a hobby. Soon, this hobby grew into a business. I now have between 40-50 hives managed for honey production, plus several managed for queen rearing. In 2016, I was certified as a Master Beekeeper by the Eastern Apiculture Society.

Working with honeybees has been one of the most fascinating ventures I’ve ever been a part of. This little creature never fails to amaze me, engage me, and pique my interest in the way it’s life is lived and the many facets that are part of the honey bee colony. Everything from how they survive the winter to how a new queen is raised!

I still live in Rio Grande with my wife, Bonnie, and around 2,000,000 interesting, friendly, honey producing pets. We look forward to getting to know you through the website and through personal contact whenever you are around. Stop by if you get the chance!

You’ve heard of outer space, head space, even extra space. But have you ever heard of “Bee Space”? No, it’s not where alien honey bees live. Bee space refers to the amount of space honey bees naturally leave when they are building their combs so they can get around inside their hives. Bee space is around 3/8 inch. Any more than 3/8 inch and they will build comb in the space, any less and they will fill the space with propolis (a topic for another time).

Understanding the concept of bee space enables beekeepers to keep bee in moveable frame hives. The moveable frame hive we use today was developed by Rev. Lorenzo Langstroth in the 1800s. Before it’s invention, beekeepers primarily kept bees in skeps, those straw dome shaped beehives you see in old pictures. In order to harvest the honey from a skep you essentially had to destroy the hive.

With the introduction of the moveable frame hive, beekeepers can simply take the frames of honey out of the hive, harvest the honey, and return the frame with the comb still intact back to the hive for the bees to continue to use. The moveable frame hive is so important for the honey bees that it is the only type of hive you can use today in the United States.