Story and photos by Gareth Kelly

Violet Cavanaugh and husband Aaron Pruitt have been beekeepers for many years; Cavanaugh is a seventh generation keeper. They have been fixtures at many local farmers’ markets, events such as the Renaissance Faire and everything in between where they could sell their honey, soaps, balms and lotions. However recent events started to take a toll on their business.
“This is the worst drought anyone can remember, said Cavanaugh. “It’s been devastating. Bees need a cold winter period to help kill mites but those cold winters haven’t happened. Coupled with this, the drought has left less flowers, less food and more yellow jackets. It’s all contributed to a really bad time for beekeepers. We realized we needed to change and diversify our business.” Continue reading Native Herbs and Honey →