Good Morning Honey is family owned and operated near Stony Plain in Parkland County, Alberta. Their apiaries cover a diverse area of natural land and farms just west of the capital city of Edmonton.
AOTP: How did you get into beekeeping?
GMH: Richard grew up on a farm north of Bonnyville, Alberta. After graduating high school, he moved to Edmonton and went to NAIT, where we met. We were each enrolled in the Radio and Television Arts program (eventually both working in television news for many years – Richard also received his meteorology degree). We got married, had two kids and bought a farm just west of Edmonton. Richard met a local beekeeper, becoming interested in learning more about it himself. This beekeeper was ready to retire and convinced us that it was a good idea to buy 920 hives…and that’s how Good Morning Honey all started!
AOTP: What does your operation look like now?
GMH: Richard dove into beekeeping headfirst and learned everything he could from fellow beekeepers, books and by attending the Alberta Beekeepers Commission and the Alberta Honey Producer annual conferences. My job evolved from helping out wherever necessary into a full time gig! I take care of the marketing of Good Morning Honey, farmers markets, social media, orders and deliveries. The Ozero kids are also a big part of the business. Parker (18) works full time beekeeping with Richard and Andie (16) works in the honey house pouring and labeling honey and organizing orders. Good Morning Honey also participates in Open Farm Days, holds educational in-class field trips, and hosts farm table dinners.
AOTP: How many hives do you currently have?
GMH: We have grown from 920 hives in 2011 to over 3000 in 2020.
AOTP: What is your favourite memory as a beekeeper?
GMH: Our favourite memory in beekeeping was surviving our first year of honey production! It was a steep learning curve with many challenges that were both humbling and rewarding. Growing and being able to participate in a beautiful, natural process gives us a broader and deeper appreciation for the importance of bees and healthy food production.
AOTP: What products do you have for sale?
GMH: We sell creamed honey, liquid honey, cinnamon honey, dandelion honey, bee pollen, beeswax, propolis, and honeycomb.
AOTP: How can people purchase your products?
GMH: Good Morning Honey products are available on our website, at local Edmonton farmers markets, various retail locations (in the Edmonton area), by delivery (in the Edmonton area), farm pick up (by appointment.)