WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO
I grew up gardening and farming; the outcome of which was to produce my family’s food supply. Every year from spring through the summer, efforts were made to freeze butter beans, peas, and corn. Pickling cucumbers and canning were the other methods we used for “putting food by”. We processed green beans, jams, and jellies, as well as relishes made from tomatoes, cabbage, onions, and squash. As an adult with my own family, “putting food by” continued to be an important part of having food, and this is how I developed my strong passion for becoming a market gardener.
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As I was researching some of the major investments to my professional gardening plan, I realized I needed a hive or two of honey bees. In 2006, I took a beginner beekeeping course and purchased my first hive of honey bees to help pollinate my garden. The garden was tremendous that year, but what was even more exciting was that I had found a new, even stronger passion. The next year, I split the overwintered hive and purchased several packages to increase my hive count.
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Soon after, I became involved in the Aiken Beekeepers Association, helping to teach the beginner course and later becoming the President of the Association. Through the South Carolina Beekeepers Association, I advanced to the Journeyman level in the Master Beekeeping Program.
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As I progressed through this new-found beekeeping addiction, I increased my colony numbers by making splits. I learned how to produce my own queens and began providing nucs, queens, and package bees for sale through my family-run Farm and Garden retail store.
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Over a decade later, my wife, Marie, and I have become fulltime beekeepers and Johnson’s Bees and Supplies has been born. We want nothing more than to be your go-to source for our own labeled honey, quality nucs and queens, spring packages, beekeeping equipment, supplies, and expertise. Our prices are competitive, our quality can’t be beat, and our passion continues to grow.
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We soon hope to set up education programs that will help new beekeepers learn about beekeeping and help established beekeepers continue to meet the challenges of the beekeeping craft.
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We invite you to come on over and visit us at our new website, Facebook or Instagram pages, or at our new location. Call us or send us an email. We would love to help you become addicted to beekeeping.
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~ Allen Johnson
