Ricky Reeder of Reeder Bees believes the Athens Saturday Market is more than a place to sell fresh, raw honey. It’s a place to get to know customers and hang out with fellow vendors.

Reeder Bees has been a market staple for about seven years now. Reeder said he’d always wanted to keep bees, and when he and wife Peggy finally made the move from Huntsville to a farm in Limestone County, one of the first things he did was purchase his own hives.

“I’ve always enjoyed fresh, raw honey, and the idea of being able to have it and produce it myself was just very appealing,” Reeder said. “Things sort of grew from there.”

The farm currently has 18 hives, leaving them able to produce anywhere from 100 to 150 gallons of honey in a year. About seven years ago, they began selling honey at the farmers market in Athens.

“We’ve been enjoying it,” Reeder said. “It’s not just the sales. You see a lot of the same customers, and you have an opportunity to build a relationship with other vendors, too. There’s a lot of camaraderie with the vendors.”

In addition to honey, Reeder Bees sells beeswax and even propolis, a kind of “bee glue.” Bees use it to build their hives, but humans have been known to use it as a topical antibiotic.

Their products can also be found at Suzanne’s Bakery & Eatery in Athens, Cotton Patch in Madison and Harrison Brothers Hardware in Huntsville. Customers can also call 256-698-6298 or email reederbees@gmail.com to arrange a time to purchase honey at the farm.