Letter From Our President, Curtis Mraz

Dear Honey Lovers, Friends, and Family,

We know you’re the real deal because you all usually ask the same question first: How are the bees? And honestly, that’s where our heads and hearts are, too.

We’ve been producing some of the highest-quality honey on the market for over 94 years. While the taste and quality of the honey are things we take considerable pride in, we’re really in it for the bees.

Honeybees are responsible for pollinating 1 in every 3 bites of food you eat. In her lifetime, a worker bee produces only 1/8th of a teaspoon of honey. Scientists estimate it takes over 2 million visits to flowers to produce just 1 pound of honey. The “wow factor” we experience while working with these creatures can often feel overwhelming and comforting all at once.

The reality we face is daunting. The bees have been sick for some time now. Managing increased pressures from pesticides, parasites, and climate change, keeping these magnificent bee-ings going has become quite the uphill battle. While every Fall and Winter we still see losses that tower over our pre-2000s mortality rates, we have also had some wins worth celebrating.

In Spring 2024, Vermont State passed the Pollinator Protection Act, which will phase out one of the most toxic and widely used pesticides plaguing our bees. By 2029, neonicotinoid pesticides will be phased out of Vermont’s pristine landscape. This multi-pronged effort would not have been possible without a broad coalition of Vermont beekeepers, farmers, nonprofits, and businesses, and we are deeply grateful. Second only to New York, Vermont’s ban on neonics redefines us as a state committed to cutting-edge science and agricultural practices.

Our second big win of 2024 was attending the Big E Fair in West Springfield, MA, for most of September. We handed out tens of thousands of honey samples and received countless honey smiles in return. We gained new followers and rekindled long-lost relationships. This combined effort fueled one of the busiest holiday seasons in the history of our business.

For those of you who had a spoonful (or more) of our honey in 2024: Thank you. Thank you for making it possible for us to keep fighting for the bees—to advocate on their behalf and on behalf of a healthy environment. We couldn’t have done this without your support, your love of honey, and your spreading the word in the mountain woods, sunny valleys, bustling cities, and far-away states where our voices can’t always reach.

Warm wishes, happy holidays, and please, have a wonderful New Year. May 2025 exceed our wildest, sweetest, and stickiest expectations!

With the deepest gratitude, 

Curtis W. Mraz

4th Generation Beekeeper and President