About Pendell Apiaries...

Bees have long been a passion for Frank Pendell. At the age of thirteen he got his first hives as part of a family project.  After college Frank worked for a large commercial beekeeper before setting up his own business.

Pendell Apiaries was started in 1991 on our third generation family ranch in Stonyford and is family owned and operated. We (Frank and Sheri) were married in 1980 after meeting in college and have three children who grew up working the bees with us. They extracted honey, caged queens, worked the hives, and have all worked for us post-college.

Our remote, Northern California location is ideal for avoiding common herbicides and pesticides used for farming in other parts of the State. It also provides an excellent means to control the genetic quality of Pendell honeybees. We sell our high-quality queens across the continental United States.

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Keeping It In The Family...

Over the years, all 3 of our children (and now several grandchildren) have worked in the bee business. Starting as official "honey taste testers" as kids, and growing up into helpful adults, it has been a pleasure to share the farming lifestyle with the next generations. 

In 2017, our daughter Joy was honored with the California State Beekeepers Association (CSBA) Young Beekeeper of the Year Award and also served as President of the California Bee Breeders Association in 2021.

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Our Philosophy...

Starting with an original 20 hives, we have built our first generation bee business into a full-time commercial outfit. We started small, doing our own work, and now have a full staff of employees. Our mission is to keep healthy and strong hives, manage our bees as naturally as possible, produce quality products, foster a positive work environment for our employees, and serve our customer's needs. Sheri personally takes the orders and will answer any questions about our queens.
​Check here for ordering information.

Cordovan bees

Queen mating nucs

Almond pollination