Honeybees (Apis mellifera and related species) have been making honey for approximately 20 to 30 million years. Humans have been collecting honey from wild hives for 9000 years, and “beekeeping” for more than 4000 years!
What we do is traditional organic beekeeping. It is a buzz-worthy art that keeps our honey 100% natural: untreated wooden hives, no nasty chemicals, and letting bees do what they do best.
While most bees stay within a mile of the hive, they can travel up to 5 miles when foraging. We have nurtured our 10 acres to be ripe with native wildflowers, grasses, clover, fruit trees, vegetable plants, and berry bushes to support our bees.
We want our bees sipping nectar from pesticide-free native plants, and bringing that pollen home to create the most delectable honey so we can share it with you.
It’s all about happy, healthy bees pumping out pure, top-notch honey and tough colonies that shrug off pests, ensuring our pollinator pals thrive and keep our food chain blooming!
from our family apiary in ohio
Bees Know Best - Raw Ohio Honey
Our 10 acre Bee Farm (Apiary) in Southeastern Ohio is the home of our RAW, unheated, untreated, "Bees Know Best" 100% natural honey. We never chemically treat our bees, treat our honey, or manipulate the bees' natural process.
we really need the honeybees, guys.
How can you support the bees?
There are over 200,000 species of pollinators on Earth, and only 9 of those species are honeybees.
Those 9 species of honeybees are directly responsible for the pollination of about 80% of global crops, despite representing .005% of the pollinator population.
Honeybees are CRUCIAL for the survival of mankind and the regularity of our food supply. Unfortunately, the bees' greatest threats are our fault.
The single biggest threat to honeybee colonies are pesticides and chemicals. Bees will become mutated or poisoned after exposure to Glyphosate and other harsh chemicals commonly used in commercial farming and in the maintenance (weed spraying) of roads.
So, what can you do to help the bees?
The best thing you can do is to plant an organic garden. Some of the honeybee's favorite plants are easy-to-grow, gorgeous perennials. A perennial plant is a plant that lives for more than two years, regrowing each spring from its root system or crown after dying back or becoming dormant in winter.
To support honeybees, especially for beginner gardeners, the focus is on easy-to-grow, native perennials that are low-maintenance, resilient, and provide ample nectar and pollen. Native plants are prioritized because they are adapted to local climates, support local ecosystems, and are often hardier with less need for water or fertilizers.
Below are the top 5 bee-friendly, beginner-friendly, native perennials per USDA Hardiness Zone (3–9, covering most of the U.S.), selected for ease of growth (tolerate a range of soils, minimal care), sequential blooming for season-long food, and high appeal to honeybees.
Zone 3 (Cold, e.g., Northern Plains, Upper Midwest)
- Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) – Early spring; red/yellow tubular flowers attract bees. Grows in partial shade, well-drained soil; self-seeds easily.
- Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) – Summer; purple daisy-like flowers are nectar-rich. Thrives in full sun, tolerates poor soil.
- New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) – Late summer to fall; purple blooms provide late-season nectar. Grows in most soils, full sun.
- Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) – Late summer to fall; yellow flower clusters are bee magnets. Drought-tolerant, spreads easily.
- Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) – Summer; lavender flowers draw bees. Tolerates dry soil, full sun to partial shade.
Zone 4 (Cold-Temperate, e.g., Upper Midwest, Northeast)
- Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) – Early spring; red/yellow blooms are easy to grow in shade or sun, self-seeding.
- Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) – Summer; hardy, nectar-rich flowers thrive in full sun, tolerate neglect.
- Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) – Summer to fall; yellow blooms with dark centers grow in most soils, full sun.
- New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) – Late summer to fall; purple flowers support late-season bees. Low-maintenance.
- Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) – Summer; purple-pink flowers are drought-tolerant, grow in various soils.
Zone 5 (Temperate, e.g., Midwest, Northeast)
- Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) – Early spring; self-seeding, thrives in partial shade or sun, low care.
- Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) – Summer; drought-tolerant, grows in poor soil, attracts bees.
- Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) – Summer to fall; easy to grow, spreads naturally in full sun.
- Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) – Summer; hardy, bee-friendly, tolerates dry conditions.
- Blazing Star (Liatris spicata) – Summer; purple flower spikes are nectar-rich, thrive in full sun, well-drained soil.
Zone 6 (Mild-Temperate, e.g., Mid-Atlantic, Pacific Northwest)
- Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) – Summer; low-maintenance, grows in most soils, full sun.
- Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) – Summer to fall; hardy, self-seeding, thrives in sun.
- Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) – Summer; easy to grow, attracts bees, tolerates drought.
- Blazing Star (Liatris spicata) – Summer; tall, purple spikes draw bees, needs minimal care.
- Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum) – Late summer; pink-purple flower clusters are bee favorites, grows in moist or average soil.
Zone 7–8 (Warm-Temperate, e.g., Southeast, Southwest)
- Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) – Summer; adaptable, drought-tolerant, grows in full sun.
- Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) – Summer to fall; easy, self-seeding, thrives in most soils.
- Blazing Star (Liatris spicata) – Summer; low-maintenance, attracts bees, prefers well-drained soil.
- Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) – Summer; orange blooms draw bees and monarchs, drought-tolerant.
- Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) – Summer; hardy, bee-friendly, grows in various conditions.
Zone 9 (Warm, e.g., Coastal California, Deep South)
- California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) – Spring to summer; orange-yellow flowers, drought-tolerant, self-seeding.
- Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) – Summer; bright orange blooms attract bees, easy in full sun.
- Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) – Summer; resilient, nectar-rich, grows in most soils.
- Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) – Summer; white or yellow flower clusters, low-water, easy to grow.
- Blanket Flower (Gaillardia pulchella) – Summer to fall; red/yellow blooms, drought-tolerant, self-seeding.
