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Sunshine Bees Apiary
OUR STORY
Four generations of beekeeping. One farm in the Catskills.
I come from a family of beekeepers. My grandfather kept bees his whole life in Moldova, and his hives are still buzzing there today. Now our hives live on 33 acres in Franklin, New York, and everything we make starts with them.
WHERE IT BEGAN
A tradition passed down for four generations
Beekeeping has been passed down in my family for four generations, from Moldova and Ukraine to the Catskills. My grandfather carried the tradition his entire life, and he was the one who was supposed to teach me. He showed me that when you put your love and hard work into something, you can build something incredible.
My grandfather with his hives in Moldova.
The day the bees came
"My grandfather wasn't coming. No one was coming. It was just me, five boxes of bees, and five empty hives waiting in a field.”
In December 2019, I ordered five packages of bees, and my grandfather planned to fly over from Moldova to help me install them. Then the pandemic closed the borders. In June, the post office called: "Your bees are here." I opened those boxes alone, terrified, and I've kept bees ever since.
When the borders finally opened, he came to see my hives. Now he asks about every one of them when we talk.
Me with my hives in Franklin.
THE FARM TODAY
On top of a mountain in the Catskills
Our 33 acres in Franklin are where the bees forage, where we grow the herbs and flowers for our skincare, and where we pour the beeswax for our candles. Our hives sit on top of a mountain, surrounded by wildflowers, trees, clean mountain air and quiet. I think you can taste that in our honey.
I still learn something new every time I open a hive.
Checking the hives.
Bees cleaning out honey after extraction
Three shops, one family
Everything ships together, in one order.
Terranova Brothers
Our honey, named for my sons, Chris and Nick. Nick works the hives with me. Chris cheers us on from a safe distance.
