Now celebrating a decade in business, Donald Dees of Dees Bees Apiary has grown his backyard beekeeping hobby into a buzzing business. In the past ten years, Donald has developed a loyal customer base stretching from the Sandhills to as far away as Australia.
“It’s been a long road,” Donald said, all smiles. “I’ve learned a lot in ten years—on my own, from other people, from social media. I love it. I’d love to do more. Maybe when I retire I’ll be a full-time beekeeper.”
What began with just three hives in 2015 has blossomed into a regionally recognizable name for 100% raw, local honey. “No additives, no flavors, no sweeteners,” promised Donald. “Just raw honey the way the bees make it.”
Though based in southern Moore County, Donald now manages hives as far north as Robbins and sells his honey in 20 local outlets across the Sandhills.
At peak season, his bees number in the millions.
Donald recalled how he got his start in beekeeping when he was initially looking for a hobby as he transitioned toward retirement.
“It started as a retirement hobby,” Donald said, “something to generate a little income. My brother is a beekeeper and was telling me how enjoyable it is, and I figured there was enough room in the county for the both of us!”
Within a few years, Donald had a fleet of honeybees and had begun selling both in person and online. The more he produced, the more customers wanted.
“Now I’ve got regulars across the country,” he explained. “When I have purple honey, I ship to different countries; recently Colombia, Australia, Denmark, Italy, Greece, Israel.”
Purple honey is a rare, naturally occurring variety of honey unique to the Sandhills region of North Carolina. “Last year was a boom year,” Donald recalled. “No one really knows why purple honey forms, but weather seems to play a part.”
A rainbow of hives hard at work producing honey despite the North Carolina heat.
One thing that hasn’t changed is Donald’s enjoyment of connecting to the community. “Meeting the people, meeting the customers—all the connections that have come full circle,” he said, grinning. “I could tell you story after story.”
He added, “Making the connections with customers is important, but as equally important is hearing their stories, the memories and the flashback to an almost forgotten time in their life that the flavor, the essence, and the character of the honey is able to bring back for them.”
He recounted one encounter during a hunting trip more than an hour from home, where he offered a fellow hunter directions.
“Later, I got a message that said, ‘I bet you’re the Dees Bees guy.’ He sent a picture of his cabinet, and he had four bottles of my honey. He said we inspired him to get bees of his own.”
Even the bees seem to follow him. According to Donald, the bees are attracted to the smell of the beeswax in his yard and tend to take up residence there before getting relocated to a hive.
“My house smells like home to them,” he laughed.
The work isn’t without challenges. During the recent downpour from Tropical Storm Chantal, floodwaters submerged the bottom ten inches of five hives.
Luckily, bees are incredibly intelligent and had already sealed the seams with propolis, a natural resin. “Then they just plugged up the entrance with their bodies,” Donald explained. “There was zero sign of water intrusion.”
He later split those hives and selected new queens for them. By personally selecting queens for productivity, Donald said he can see up to a 25% yield increase.
Through it all, Donald keeps his hives well away from people and ensures they’re never a nuisance. “All those bees are interested in making honey—they’re not interested in going to your barbecues,” he promised. “I’m a good custodian and a good neighbor.”
As the years have gone by, his commitment to the quality of his honey and the care of his hives hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“People are chomping at the bit for it,” Donald said in regard to the fanbase his honey has amassed. “I’m very appreciative. I had a lady who moved to Iowa and told me, ‘Dees Bees will be the only honey I have in my cupboard.’”
Reflecting on his beekeeping journey, Donald said the last decade has been more than worthwhile. “It’s a lot of work,” he said, “but it’s a labor of love.”
To learn more about Dees Bees Apiary or to see a list of local vendors, visit www.deesbeesapiary.com or connect with Dees Bees on Facebook.
If you would like to read more feel-good stories, please email your news or ideas to [email protected].
~ Article and photos by Sandhills Sentinel Assistant Editor Abegail Murphy. Abegail has been writing for Sandhills Sentinel since 2021.
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