Honey Sources

We guarantee that our honey products are 100% U.S.A. produced. Kelley Honey Farm’s is proud to provide our consumers with a natural product that has been completely harvested in the United States of America. Most of our honey is produced in Texas, by Texas beekeepers. Kelley Honey Farm’s works hand and hand with its beekeeping sister company, which provides us with the majority of our honey supply. We balance and maintain over 10,000 beehives, which produce over 500,000 pounds of honey per year.

Kelley Honey Farm's History

Our state of the art production plant, located in Chicota, Texas was designed and built in 2002 by John Kelley.   With over 11,000 square feet and the most current equipment available, we are geared up to handle extraordinarily high production levels.  Kelley Honey Farm’s merger in 2006, with Texas Best Honey and Allen Apiaries Honey, joined partners that have acquired over 100 years experience in both beekeeping and honey packing. 

Beekeeping became a family tradition beginning with G.O. Stroope in the early 1900’s.  Great-grandfather, Stroope involved all of his 11 children in the family beekeeping business.  In 1949, G.O.’s son James R. Stroope graduated from Texas A & M University and began his own bee farm in Greenville, Texas.  James started a family as well, with the birth of his son, Ralph Stroope.  Ralph like those before him was destined to follow the family tradition.  Graduating from Texas A & M University in 1971, Ralph already had 10 years of beekeeping experience.  It was only natural when Ralph, following in his father’s footsteps took on the company business and began beekeeping in 1972.  Economical history was made in the early 1970’s, when U.S. trade was open to China.  The U.S. based beekeeping industry like many other industries took a major blow.  By the late 1970’s, it was evident to the Stroope family needed a supplemental income.  For the next 20 years, Ralph Stroope grew his bee farm while working as a fireman for the city of Arlington, Texas.  Before creating Texas Farmland Honey label in 1990, the industry took another hit in the 80’s, with the “Killer African Bee” scare.  R Stroope Apiaries maintained its growth despite further challenges including the bee parasite and disease boom that plagued many beekeepers through the 1990’s.  Third and fourth generation beekeepers, Ralph and his son, Rhea Stroope are currently working hard to carry on with the family legacy. 

Established in the early 1970’s, Allen Apiaries Honey has been packing local honey for over 30 years.  Charles Hutton and his two sons, Gary and Jimmy Hutton have worked hard together and have made the small business a success.  Packing has become a fundamental element in the Hutton’s lifestyle.  Packing honey is a year-round task that never allows for a dull moment at the Hutton Farm.
Merging the Kelley, Stroope, and Hutton partners has been a triumphant combination of experience, knowledge and wisdom.  Everyone involved is extremely excited to see what the future holds for Kelley Honey Farm’s.  We look forward to building on our strong foundations and will continue to perfect our natural U.S. honey products.