Family Of Beekeepers Create A Buzz In Northeast Indiana
They say that many hands make light work. For the Wheeler family, it’s many bees make sweet work!
When shopping for local honey in Northeast Indiana, you may have seen Wheeler’s Bees logo, adorned with a honeybee, the infamous beeswax hexagon, and the names of each member of the Wheeler family, James, Abbey, and children Ella, Isaac, Corban, and Boden. But behind the label lies a story as rich and golden as the honey they produce. This Ossian, Indiana-based family shares a passion for keeping bees, selling honey, and supporting local beekeepers with supplies.
In 2013, what began as a Mini 4-H project and fascination with insects, the Wheeler’s daughter, Ella, who was 7 at the time, bloomed into a family passion for the little pollinators. Her father, James, a woodworker and innovator, idealized the project as an educational way for the young kids to grow up working with their hands and appreciating the fascination of nature. However, mom, Abbey, was initially hesitant until James set up a simple experiment for her to taste the difference between store-bought and local honey. After the taste-test and learning that most store-bought honey is not real honey, often manufactured with artificial ingredients only to taste like honey, without pollen and other beneficial nutrients that real honey yields, Abbey was ready to make a beeline for success.
Twelve years later, each member of the family lends a hand with one of the largest beekeeping operations and one of the few beekeeping equipment suppliers in Northeast Indiana. Now teens, the kids oversee 200+ colonies of bees which produce thousands of pounds of honey that is packaged for retail storefronts throughout South Fort Wayne, Bluffton, and Ossian. Wheelers Bees also supports local beekeepers by offering honeybee colony starts (packages and nucs), honeybee queens, and a full range of beekeeping tools, supplies, and supplements at their headquarters and honey house in Ossian.
“The greatest part of doing this as a family is that we each bring our own unique gifts to the table to accomplish the goals of this beekeeping business together. We each play an important role in ways that make this truly a family business.” Abbey reflected, “On top of that, watching our children take ownership of a business that has their name on it has been incredibly rewarding as we get to watch them grow and learn through all the challenges that have come along with it.”
Fully invested in the beekeeping community, James and Abbey serve on the education committee of Northeastern Indiana Beekeeper’s Association, in which they organize and host an informative “Field Day” workshop for the association’s 300 members at their storefront location in Ossian. Abbey is also active with The Beekeepers of Indiana’s Hoosier Honey Committee that organizes events for the Honey Queen and publishes the annual cookbook.
Like their parents, the kids have each taken wing to the local and state beekeeping associations, receiving multiple awards for honey production including Gold Merits at State and Grand Champions locally. Both Isaac and Ella, through a rigorous application and interview process, have also been awarded the Young Beekeepers Award from the Beekeepers of Indiana (in both the junior and senior divisions). And then, in 2024, the cherry on top, Ella was crowned the Indiana Honey Queen!
When supporting this local business, you’re also supporting our local pollinator population. So, whether you’re a longtime beekeeper, someone searching for local honey, or a curious beginner looking to get started, Wheeler’s Bees offers expertise, supplies, and some of the purest local honey you can find.
You can find their honey at the following locations:
- Wheeler’s Bees, 7224 E 900 N, Ossian, IN 46777
- Cosmos Restaurant, 9807 Lima Rd, Fort Wayne, IN 46818
- Breakfast Clubb, 3232 St Joe Center Rd, Fort Wayne, IN 46835
- Breakfast Clubb 2, 6455 W Jefferson Blvd, Fort Wayne, IN 46804
- Ginger Fresh Market, 410 N Metts St, Ossian, IN 46777
- Ossian Do It Best Hardware, 105 Heyerlys Dr, Ossian, IN 46777
- AB Concrete Creations and Gift Shop, 107 South Jefferson Street, Ossian, IN 46777
- A Harvest of Health Nutrition & Wellness Center, 60 N Main St, Bluffton, IN 46714
- A Perfect Blend, 1225 S Scott St, Bluffton, IN 46714
- Quilts N Gifts, 2020 North Main Street, Bluffton, IN 46714
- Grand Sweet Shop, 953 N Main St, Bluffton, IN 46714
For more information about bees, honey, or equipment please visit wheelersbees.com or find Wheeler’s Bees on Facebook.
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