Lake Bluff Honey Farm

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Saturday Farmers Market, year-round: E shed

Products: honey, produce, baked goods
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For Jose, it all started seven years ago when his wife brought home a book about bees from the library. Instantly fascinated by their immense and valuable skills, he decided to get right to work. As a woodworker, he was able to build his own beehives and frames. After successfully nurturing over 100 hives the following year, it was time to share his product with customers at the Market. Today their family and team care for 145 hives, which produce unique varieties of honey including Spring Honey, Wildflower, Summer Flower, and Fall Flower.

A typical market day for Jose starts early, requires an upbeat attitude, and thankfully ends with a glass of wine. The entire team is typically up at 1:30AM and immediately on the road for their one-hour drive to the Market. Arriving early is necessary so there's time to set up, especially since they sometimes start receiving customers at 6AM (even though we don't open until 7AM!). Returning home around 3PM, Jose ends his day with a nice glass of chardonnay and an accomplished feeling of a job well done. With 3-4 employees, him and his wife have built a strong team that is able to supply the demand Lake Bluff Honey has created. Sometimes they have to bring two truckloads of product!

“We love our customers, it’s so much more than a place to make money," Jose enthusiastically and regularly shares. The team actually calls the week before Thanksgiving 'Customer Appreciation Day'. It's a designated Market day in which Lake Bluff has special deals for customers and even gifts an average of 150-250 honey bears to their regulars. On top of offering high-quality products at a great price, Jose and his team place sincere value on ensuring every customer feels they are a priority. Today, around 90% of their customers are repeats which shows their commitment to developing long-lasting relationships with their clientele.

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