Spring is ushering in new life all around us, from the appearance of ephemeral wildflowers like the trout lily and Dutchman’s breeches, to bird populations in a sudden frenzy of nest-building, and so much more.
For husband-and-wife beekeepers Sean Collinsworth and Denise Altay, the change of seasons signals the start of a new round of honey production, as well as a new season of apiary tours and special events at their Historic Toxaway business, Killer Bees Honey. High atop a mountain surrounded by acres of Pisgah National Forest, it’s the perfect location for millions of bees to forage for nectar and pollen rich resources.
How, you might ask, did two urbanites – a former Los Angeles Deputy Sheriff (Collinsworth) and a finance executive from New York (Altay) – come to adopt such a nature-focused occupation?
Given the current dynamic situation around the coronavirus outbreak, business schedules and events may be subject to change for the foreseeable future. Please contact Killer Bees Honey directly for the latest updates.
Denise Altay with beekeeper Sean Collinsworth
You could say that Collinsworth ‘couldn’t help pollen in love’ after a teacher first introduced him to the art and science of beekeeping in his early teens. He gave it up for a time but eventually returned to it as a hobby in adulthood. Some years ago, that preoccupation grew into a robust business and a passion project for the two.
As he explains in a June 2017 blog post: “In a previous life, in a different state, in a different endeavor and many times under the most horrific circumstances, I personally witnessed death, mayhem, and destruction. Yet, I tried to maintain empathy for others. Sometimes I failed, causing many sleepless nights, and to this day, bad dreams. A colony of honeybees is a highly organized and complex society. Beekeeping not only teaches us, but caring for another species promotes empathy and responsibility. My return to beekeeping has restored my faith in humanity and reignited my passion for nature. I only wish more people shared my compassion for one of nature‘s most innocent and fascinating creatures.”
He may, in fact, be getting his wish. According to a recent feature in NC Living magazine titled “The Champagne of Honey,” KBH has exploded as a product (for instance, the first 300 pounds of honey harvested in 2019 sold out in ten minutes – can we get a ‘hive-five’ here?!) and as an attraction, consistently ranking #1 on TripAdvisor’s list of things to do in the area.
What’s so special about Killer Bees Honey? It’s the old real estate maxim: Location, location, location. KBH bees feast on the surrounding 512,000 acres of farm-free vegetation, untouched by harmful agricultural toxins. Killer Bees Honey has a fully organic method of treating, managing, and processing the honey. The resulting honey is unfiltered, unpasteurized, and unheated; and all harvesting, hand-bottling, and packaging is completed onsite. You can literally taste the difference.
By the way, did you know honey was the original energy food, and makes anything taste good? Real pure, organic honey does not go bad and has inherent anti-bacterial qualities. All KBH honey is available for purchase online.
As for apiary tours, those are offered May through August on Friday and Saturdays from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm. They’re an immersive experience where a small group can learn about the hive system, including their caste system and the division of labor within the hive. That means putting on protective gear (bee suit, veil and gloves) for an active hive inspection, usually a favorite photo op. Sean acts as host and explains the social lives of the bees and their highly structured duties. Among the worker bees are nurse bees, which tend larvae; guard bees to protect the hive entrance; and foraging bees which collect pollen and return it to the hive.
The outing runs $100/person, with a 10% discount for all active or retired military, law enforcement, firefighter, and EMS personnel.
This is followed by honey tasting paired with different foods for a light lunch. The tour ends with a visit to the honey processing center, where participants can pour their own 4 oz bottle of honey, and last but not least, a walk through the Gift Shop where additional honey and other products can be purchased.
A hive inspection at Killer Bees Honey
Sean with a tour group
It’s clear that Sean and Denise have already seen great success with these enterprises, but they aren’t stopping there. This year, they established a nonprofit, The Queen’s Brigade, with the mission statement that They Fly For Us, We Stand For Them. The non-profit is dedicated to funding independent, scientific honeybee research and education, which is becoming highly sophisticated, fascinating, and necessary. The Queens Brigade was seeded with a grant from the Collinsworth family foundation.
Currently, major grantees are North Carolina State University Apiculture Extension program (under Dr. David Tarpy, one of the leading entomologists conducting direct honeybee research) and UC Davis Apiculture Center. In addition, other support organizations receive membership donations to continue educational activities. This year the non-profit is also supporting an intern from Brevard College learning about beekeeping and beekeeping methods.
In the future the non-profit, a 501-c-3 with all funds going toward research and no administrative overhead, hopes to have additional funds to make grants to other scientific research centers.
When you’re looking for a truly unique experience that also benefits the environment, look no further than Killer Bees Honey!
