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Our Story · Oregon Beekeepers Since 2015

A hobby that grew into a hive — and a way of life.

Soil and Hive began with a Christmas gift and a single colony. Today it's a family of Oregon beekeepers rescuing honeybees, keeping them without synthetic treatments, and turning their work into award-winning raw honey.

Woman-owned OSU Master Beekeeper Program Oregon State Fair award winner Bees rescued, not exterminated Rooted in the Tualatin Valley
Meet Sally

How I fell for the honeybee

For most of my adult life I've owned a little acreage, grown my own food, cooked from scratch, and kept a few small animals — but I always dreamed of doing it all together, as one connected way of living.

Then, for Christmas 2015, my oldest son gave me a membership to a beekeeper's club and a beginning beekeeping class. I was hooked from the very first hive. I wanted to learn from the beekeeping experts, so I enrolled in Oregon State University's Master Beekeeper Program. Those classes have, quite literally, changed my life.

"For Christmas, my son signed me up for a beekeeping class. I've never really left the hive since."

Since then I've served on my beekeeper's club board, co-led the Washington County 4‑H Junior Beekeeper Club, taught elementary students about honeybees, and talked pollinators with anyone who'd stop by our farmer's market booth. I even took a U.C. Davis course on the Sensory Evaluation of Honey — where I learned, among other things, that some honey (cultivated buckwheat from the Northeastern U.S.) tastes remarkably like cat pee. Beekeeping is full of surprises.

What started as a couple of hives keeps growing — more hives, more apiaries, and more people to teach, online and in person, about bees, pollinator health, and how to really taste honey. Whether you're a fellow foodie, an aspiring beekeeper, or simply someone who wants to help pollinators, I'm so glad you're here. Thanks for being a part of this journey.

— SallyFounder & Lead Beekeeper

Our Mission
Protect honeybees, and grow their numbers.

We're passionate about honeybees, beekeeping, and honey. Soil and Hive is dedicated to protecting honeybees and growing bee populations — through education, through supporting local beekeepers, and by teaching the best practices in beekeeping and honey production.

What We Stand For

The principles behind every hive

These aren't marketing lines — they're the reasons Soil and Hive exists, and the standard we hold ourselves to on every rescue and in every jar.

Rescue over extermination

When bees turn up where they shouldn't be, we remove them live and intact and give them a new home in our own apiaries.

OMRI-listed practices

Our hives are treated only with OMRI-listed, organic-approved inputs. Rescued colonies get the same care.

Education first

From 4‑H clubs to elementary classrooms to farmer's markets, teaching people about pollinators is at the heart of what we do.

Local & accountable

Every rescued colony is rehomed to one of our own Tualatin Valley apiaries — you always know exactly where your bees ended up.

The People Behind the Hives

A family that keeps bees together

What began as one beekeeper is now a small team, led by a mother and son who learned this craft the right way — through training, not trial and error.

Founder & Lead Beekeeper

Sally

Sally started Soil and Hive in 2015 and has never looked back. She keeps the apiaries, tastes and combines the honeys, and does much of the teaching — from club boards to classrooms to market booths.

  • OSU Master Beekeeper Program
  • Beekeeper's Club Board
  • 4‑H Junior Beekeeper Co-Lead
  • U.C. Davis Honey Sensory Evaluation
Lead Rescuer

Clay

The son who gave Sally that first beekeeping class now leads our removals. Clay and his teams of specialists take on the hard cutouts — walls, roofs, chimneys, and trees — and bring every colony home to Sally's apiaries.

  • Journeyman Beekeeper, Univ. of Montana
  • MS candidate, Entomology
  • U.C. Davis Honey Sensory Evaluation
  • Live colony removal & cutouts
From One Hive to Many

The journey so far

  1. 2015

    A Christmas gift

    Sally's son gives her a beekeeper's club membership and a beginning beekeeping class. The first hive arrives, and the obsession begins.

  2. 2016

    Learning it properly

    Rather than learn by trial and error, Sally enrolls in Oregon State University's Master Beekeeper Program — the education that changed everything.

  3. Since

    Teaching the community

    Board service at the local beekeeper's club, co-leading the Washington County 4‑H Junior Beekeepers, classroom visits, and pollinator talks at farmer's markets.

  4. Today

    Rescue, rehome & award-winning honey

    More hives and apiaries across the Tualatin Valley, live honeybee rescues led by Clay, and honey, honeycomb, beeswax, and beekeeping art that win ribbons at the Oregon State Fair year after year.

Come be a part of the journey.

Have bees where they shouldn't be, or just want to taste what rescued colonies make? We'd love to hear from you.

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