RAW HONEY. REAL FAMILY. RIGHT HERE IN ANNA, TEXAS.
What started with two hives and a whole lot of curiosity has grown into a way of life. We are Russell and Lisa, and for over a decade we have been raising bees, harvesting honey, and falling more in love with this land every single year. Welcome to Crooked Creek Honey Farm.
FROM TWO HIVES TO A WAY OF LIFE
Back in 2012, we signed up for a five-month beekeeping course, bought our first two nucleus hives, and figured we would see what happened. What happened was 150 pounds of honey in our first year — more than our family could eat — and a love for these creatures that has only grown since.
Today, Crooked Creek Honey Farm sits on nearly 20 acres of land that we searched a full year to find. Good soil, woods, and water. We raise bees, harvest raw honey, sell nucleus and full-size hives, and send our strongest colonies to California every February for almond pollination. We attend over 80 markets and festivals a year because there is nothing we enjoy more than handing someone a jar of honey and watching their face when they taste the real thing.
This farm is not just a business. It is the life we spent 47 years of marriage building toward — and we would not trade a single sting for it.
BY THE NUMBERS
A few milestones from the first decade of Crooked Creek Honey Farm.
WHAT WE DO
Crooked Creek Honey Farm is more than a honey business. We raise bees, sell colonies, pollinate crops, and help new beekeepers get started.
RAW LOCAL HONEY
Pure, unprocessed honey harvested right here in North Texas. No additives, no shortcuts. Our bees forage on wildflowers, clover, and whatever is blooming across Collin County and beyond. Every jar tastes like the season it came from.
SEE OUR HONEY ▶
NUCLEUS & FULL-SIZE HIVES
Whether you are starting your first hive or expanding an existing apiary, we sell healthy, queen-right nucleus hives and full-size colonies. We raise our bees locally and stand behind every colony that leaves our farm.
BUY BEES ▶
ALMOND POLLINATION
Every February, we load our strongest hives and send them to California to pollinate almond orchards. It is hard work and long nights — but commercial pollination is essential to the nation's food supply and it is one of the most rewarding things we do.
LEARN MORE ▶
FARMERS MARKETS & EVENTS
We started at the Melissa Farmer's Market in 2014 and have not slowed down since. You will find us at markets and festivals across North Texas year-round. Stop by, say hello, and taste the difference real honey makes.
FIND US ▶THE BEES COME FIRST. ALWAYS.
Our philosophy is simple: keep it natural and put the bees first. We believe that healthy bees make the best honey, and that taking shortcuts is never worth the cost. We test for pests and disease, we treat when necessary, and we combine weak hives in the fall so every colony has the best chance of making it through winter.
Without honey bees and other pollinators, the world's food supply would be drastically reduced. They are essential to life — and they are absolutely fascinating creatures. Getting to spend our days working alongside them is a privilege we never take for granted.
LIFE AT CROOKED CREEK
Russell tending to the hives
Lisa smoking the bees to keep them calm
Bee boxes and wild Texas blue bell flowers
A honeycomb frame proudly on display
Crooked Creek Honey Farm raw, unfiltered honey and honey salsas
Russell and Lisa at the farmers market
WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS SAY
"Once you taste real raw honey straight from a local farm, you can never go back to the grocery store stuff. Crooked Creek honey is the best we have ever had — and Russell and Lisa are the kindest people you will meet at the market."
"We bought our first nucleus hive from Crooked Creek and Russell walked us through everything we needed to know to get started. He genuinely cares about helping new beekeepers succeed. We will be back for more hives next spring."
"I have been buying honey from Russell and Lisa for years. They are honest, hardworking, and passionate about what they do. You can taste the difference in every jar. My kids will not eat anything else on their biscuits."
COME FIND US AT A MARKET NEAR YOU
We set up our booth at farmers markets and festivals across North Texas year-round. Bring the family, taste some honey, ask us anything about bees — we never get tired of talking about them.
SEE WHERE WE WILL BE
STAY IN THE LOOP
Market schedules, honey harvest updates, new product announcements, and the occasional beekeeping story. We only send emails when we have something worth saying.