Shuga Bee Farm ๐Ÿ 

About Us


Welcome to Shuga Bee Farm, where beekeeping is more than a business โ€” itโ€™s a way of life.

We are a family-run farm located in the 40/42 area of Willow Spring and McGeeโ€™s Crossroads in Johnston County, North Carolina. For over 14 years, weโ€™ve dedicated ourselves to the art of traditional beekeeping, organic gardening, and supporting pollinators across our community. With nearly 25 hives spanning Johnston, Wake, Nash, and Wilson counties, we care for our bees as family โ€” not just workers โ€” and treat every hive with the respect and love it deserves.

At Shuga Bee Farm, our honey is truly local and pure. It comes straight from our bees and hives on our property โ€” never filtered, never heated, and never mixed with anything else. We produce small-batch, slow-harvested honey using traditional techniques that preserve all of the natural enzymes, pollen, flavor, and character that make raw honey so special. You can taste the difference โ€” and so have the judges. Our honey has won multiple awards for quality and craftsmanship.

In addition to honey, we proudly raise locally bred Johnston County queens. We do not mass produce our queens โ€” instead, we carefully select from our strongest and healthiest hives. In our production apiaries, we prioritize strong genetics and drone density to ensure our queens are vibrant, long-lived, and productive. Our experience has shown that this artisanal, hands-on approach produces far superior queens that thrive in local conditions.

We are proud members of the Johnston, Wake, and Wilson County Beekeepers Associations, as well as the North Carolina State Beekeepers Association (NCSBA). We are also active supporters of Save the Bees NC and the Johnston County 4-H, because education, community, and sustainability are at the heart of everything we do.

Whether you’re buying our award-winning honey, hosting a hive on your property, or starting your own journey with bees, you can trust that you’re working with people who are passionate, experienced, and rooted in our North Carolina land and community.

Thank you for supporting local bees, local honey, and local family farming.

Honey ๐Ÿฏ

Preparing for the 2026 Beekeeping Season!


We are actively preparing for the upcoming 2026 beekeeping season! Follow us on instagram/social media for updates viral videos and education!

2025 Honey Season


2025 Honey Season is complete! Our bees did great this year we had about 200lbs of honey and extracted our spring, and summer crops. The honey and beekeeping season is officially over.

The bees are getting ready to go into the cold winter months. And we are taking a break and already planning and getting ready for the upcoming 2026 beekeeping season.

Please browse our honey selection from this year Spring extracted May 2025 & Summer extracted October 2025 see them below and enjoy a few pictures from this years honey crop!

Be sure to follow us on Instagram for more of our beekeeping adventures, educational videos our viral beekeeping videos and track our beekeeping season!

Our Honey Location Map


โ“ Honey Frequently Asked Questions

How should I store my honey?

Store your honey at room temperature in a dry place with the lid tightly sealed. There’s no need to refrigerate it โ€” in fact, refrigeration speeds up crystallization. Kept properly, raw honey has an essentially indefinite shelf life.

My honey crystallized โ€” is it still good?

Absolutely! Crystallization is completely natural and is actually a sign of real, raw honey. It happens when the natural glucose in honey forms crystals over time. To return it to liquid, simply place the jar in a bowl of warm water (not boiling) and stir occasionally. It will soften right back up. Never microwave raw honey โ€” high heat destroys the beneficial enzymes and nutrients.

What does “raw” honey mean?

Raw honey is honey that has not been heated to high temperatures or ultrafiltered. This preserves all of the natural enzymes, antioxidants, vitamins, and pollen that make honey beneficial. Most store-bought honey is pasteurized (heated) and ultrafiltered, which removes pollen and many of the good stuff. Our honey goes straight from the hive to your jar with nothing added and nothing taken away.

Why does each apiary’s honey taste different?

Honey flavor and color depend on the wildflowers and plants the bees forage from. Since each of our apiaries is in a different location in Johnston County (and Wake County for Apiary3), the bees have access to different nectar sources. That’s why our Apiary2 in Clayton has buckwheat notes and darker color, while Apiary1 and Apiary3 are lighter and more floral. It’s also why each season’s harvest tastes a little different โ€” nature decides!

Does local honey help with allergies?

Many of our customers swear by it! The idea is that consuming small amounts of local pollen through raw, unfiltered honey may help your body build a natural tolerance to local allergens over time. While scientific research is still ongoing, our honey is unfiltered and packed with local Johnston County pollen โ€” which is exactly what people looking for allergy support want.

What does “chemical-free” mean for your hives?

We never use pesticides, miticides, or any synthetic chemicals inside our bee hives. Many conventional beekeepers use chemical treatments for pests like Varroa mites, which can leave residue in the wax and honey. We manage our hives using hands-on, traditional methods that keep our bees healthy without compromising the purity of the honey or wax.

Can I give honey to my baby?

No โ€” honey should never be given to infants under 12 months of age due to the risk of infant botulism. This applies to all honey, including raw, pasteurized, and cooked. Read our full guide on honey and infant safety.

๐Ÿฏ Which Honey Is Right for You?

Every jar of Shuga Bee Farm honey is raw, unfiltered, chemical-free, and produced right here in Johnston County. But each apiary produces a honey with its own unique character. Here’s how they compare:

๐Ÿฏ Apiary1
Willow Spring
๐Ÿฏ Apiary2
Clayton
๐Ÿฏ Apiary3
County Line
๐Ÿ“ LocationMcGees Crossroads, 40/42
Johnston County
Zip 27592
Clayton
Johnston County
Zip 27520
Wake & Johnston County line
Zip 27592
๐ŸŽจ ColorLight amberDark amberLight amber
๐ŸŒธ FlavorSweet & floralBold, rich, buckwheat notesSweet & floral
๐Ÿ† AwardsNC State Fair 3rd PlaceNC State Fair 3rd PlaceNC State Fair 3rd Place
โœจ Best ForTea, biscuits, everyday drizzle, lighter flavor loversCharcuterie, bold cooking, dark honey fans, antioxidant seekersLocal pollen from two counties, unique terroir, conversation starter
๐Ÿ’ฐ Price$20 / 1 lb jar$20 / 1 lb jar$20 / 1 lb jar
Shop Apiary1Shop Apiary2Shop Apiary3

Can’t decide? Try one from each apiary and taste the difference for yourself!

All three honeys are: Raw โ€ข Unfiltered โ€ข Unheated โ€ข Chemical-Free โ€ข Certified โ€ข NC State Fair Award-Winning โ€ข Produced & bottled by our family in Johnston County, NC

๐Ÿ“ฆ How to Get Your Honey:

  • Local Delivery โ€” we deliver to Johnston County and surrounding areas
  • Pickup โ€” arrange pickup directly from our farm
  • Shipping โ€” we ship honey! Contact us for shipping details

Shop our Honey


Buy our honey online and get it delivered locally to your door.

Get notified, learn more about our Honey and Join our newsletter!


Host a Hive๐ŸŒผ

Host a Hive with Shuga Bee Farms ๐ŸŒผ


Have you ever wanted to help honey bees but werenโ€™t sure where to start? Our Host a Hive program is the perfect way to support pollinators, and get access to local raw honey without the full responsibility of managing a hive on your own property. Whether youโ€™re simply passionate about the environment or want to support the local honey bee population this program does both.

๐ŸŒผ Sponsor a Hive in Our Apiary

Sponsor a hive located in our own certified apiary in Wake and Johnston County, NC. Youโ€™ll still enjoy the sweet rewards โ€” including a share of the honey your hive produces.

Our program allows you to:

  • Support the health and growth of the local honey bee population
  • Customize your hive and follow its progress with customized updates
  • Receive honey from your hosted hive

Ready to get started? Complete your purchase below to secure your hive for 2026.

Host a Hive Program

Host a Hive Program

$800.00

๐ŸŒผ Support local honey bee population, conservation and education by joining our Host a Hive Program!

Awards ๐Ÿ†

Awards


Honey wins 2 ribbons
3rd place in 2 divisions
Amber and Light Amber at the NC State fair 2024!

Honey wins seventh place at NC state fair 2023!

Honey wins second place at NC state fair 2018!

Bee picture wins fourth place at NC state fair 2018!

Contact ๐Ÿ‘‹

Contact Us ๐Ÿ‘‹


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