Barkman Honey

WE ARE BARKMAN HONEY

We are honeybee people – avid supporters of the little magical creatures who generously share their sweet bounty.

It all started

with Esra Barkman in the 1920s. His love of bees prompted him to hop a train from Kansas to Oregon, where he mastered his craft working in the bee yards. He returned to Hillsboro, Kansas, and started a family tradition of selling honey beginning in World War II when sugar was rationed.

In the late 50s Esra shared beekeeping with his son, Richard. With increased demand, they founded Barkman Honey Company in 1960. Its flagship brand, Busy Bee, promised customers: “Clearly Nature’s Finest.” And they delivered with each bottle.

That promise remains

at the heart of our company. Today, Barkman Honey continues to be a beekeeper-owned family business that maintains operations in Artesian, South Dakota, a 60-year tradition that has helped the family grow their honeybee advocacy and preserve bee culture for future generations.

Our passion

for what we do and the core values that govern how we conduct ourselves push us to be at the forefront of quality, safety and traceability in the industry.

MISSION: PROTECT THE HONEYBEES

At Barkman Honey, our focus goes beyond honey production. We’re on a mission to safeguard and sustain honeybees, for the livelihood of beekind and humankind alike.