About Sasserfrass Hill Bee Farm

Sasserfrass Hill Bee Farms began quite by accident. My love of bees fostered more than appreciation for honey, it created a way of life. One rooted in connection, care and quite magic of living close to nature.

While working as a full-time video producer, I had a whisper from the universe saying; "the bees will lead the way", I must say they are leading me on one fabulous adventure after another. So, not long after, I met a local beekeeper at a farmers market. We decided to produce a story about the life of a beekeeper, and during that project I discovered something that changed my life. I quickly realized just how vital honeybees are—not only to our environment but to our food supply and the health of our ecosystems.

The continued loss of honeybee habitat, pesticide use and parasites are putting these remarkable pollinators at risk. If we don’t all do our part to help, the consequences will reach far beyond the bees themselves.

Needless to say, the bees had me hooked.

I enrolled in the certification program through the Aiken Beekeepers Association (aikenbeekeepers.org) in South Carolina and immersed myself in learning everything I could about honeybees.

One of my favorite discoveries? Every worker bee is female. The “girls” do it all—collecting nectar and pollen, caring for the brood, building comb, cleaning the hive, protecting the colony, and making honey. The only males in the hive are drones, whose primary purpose is to mate with a virgin queen. They don’t gather pollen, guard the hive, or help with the daily work. Around here, it’s definitely the ladies who keep everything running!

After completing my certification, I established my very first hive in April 2008. What began with a single colony has grown into more than thirty thriving hives.

One thing you’ll notice about Sasserfrass Hill Bee Farms is that our hives are anything but ordinary. Instead of traditional white boxes, you’ll find shades of pink, aqua, lavender, green, yellow, blue, pumpkin, and peach. Sometimes I joke that the girls think they live on Rainbow Row in Charleston.

People often ask why I don’t paint my hives white. The truth is, beehives can be painted almost any color except black or red. Bees don’t perceive red the way we do, and black absorbs too much heat during our Georgia summers. Bees actually see a wider range of colors than humans, so I figured they deserved the most colorful neighborhood in town.

And because our summers can be especially hot, my girls even have colorful umbrellas to provide a little afternoon shade. I’ve taken plenty of good-natured teasing over those umbrellas, but that’s perfectly fine with me.

The girls like them and so do I.

At Sasserfrass Hill Bee Farms, beekeeping is about far more than honey. It’s about protecting pollinators, caring for the environment, educating others, and doing our part to ensure that future generations will continue to enjoy the incredible work of these amazing little creatures. 

I am also a member of Clarks Hill Beekeepers, Anyone interested in bees may attend. Home | clarkshillbeekeepers