About Us
Our Story
Boernsen Bees began in 2004 with a simple hope: to give Marlene’s kids a sweet, healthier alternative at the family table. What started as a few backyard hives quickly became a family project. All five of her kids grew up helping with the bees — hauling boxes, extracting honey, and learning the flow of the hives right alongside their mom.
As the kids grew up, they stepped into jobs, marriages, and families of their own. The bees stayed with Marlene, though, and the hives kept multiplying. Eventually, the work outgrew one pair of hands. First, her two daughters‑in‑law, Mara and Jill, joined the operation, bringing fresh energy and ideas. In 2026, her two sons, Kendall and Kraig officially came back to the family business as well. Today, each family has one child — the next generation of Boernsen Bee helpers already toddling around the honey house.
What began as a mom’s project has grown into a full family operation with 800 thriving hives across northwest Iowa. Together, we raise bees with care and harvest honey the way it’s meant to be — pure, premium, and straight from the comb.
We’re proud to offer raw honey, creamed honey, beeswax products, and even bees themselves to families, makers, and beekeepers who value quality and authenticity. Every jar and every hive reflects the same heart that started it all: family, hard work, and the sweetness God weaves into the everyday.
From our family to yours — thank you for being part of our story.
