Jeff Cripe, owner of Eagle Creek Apiary, is very passionate and knowledgeable about bees and the importance of honey in one’s life. Eagle Creek Apiary is a family owned and operated business. Jeff’s wife, children and sons-in-law are all involved in the family business. Jeff feels very blessed to be able to work with his family each and every day.

A feral honeybee colony was discovered on their farm in 1997, although it was a several year process to learn how to keep them successfully. Even with 33 hives, they realized that they could not provide honey on a community scale. The next three years found Jeff and his family working to increase their hive numbers so that they could truly provide honey to the community. They began selling their honey locally in 2012. Over the past six years, they have positioned their bees within proximity to all of the markets that they serve.  

With over 300 hives, there is always work to be done. From checking on the bees, preventing swarming, making sure there is a healthy fertile queen and pulling honey, Jeff spends five days a week with the bees. His daughter Millie bottles two days a week throughout the summer.

Along with true local raw honey, Jeff brings other products to the market. Some of these include beeswax bars and candles, bee pollen, soap, lip balm and all natural lotions. A popular item is BUZZ OFF, which is an all-natural bug repelling lotion that really works! You can also buy very spicy hot Habanero Honey and a Pollen Infused Natural Set Crystalized Honey.

Their farm is less than 10 miles from the Carmel Farmers Markets, and the bees are even closer. Jeff has been with the Carmel Farmers Markets since the fall of 2017.

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